Charles Henry Kenny (1760 - 1845)

Born 1 Nov 1760 in Ireland

Descendants

Died 1845 at about age 84 in Pennsylvania, United States

Biography

From Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania:

Charles Kenny, a native of Ireland, who came to the United States in young manhood. His first home was in Westchester, Chester county, Pennsylvania, and he there married, in that county holding place in the public service as recorder. In 1818 he and his family crossed the mountains by wagon, settling in Mifflin township, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he had previously bought one hundred and eighteen acres of land. At the time of his settlement on the farm the only building standing thereon was a log house, small in size and in poor repair, so that one of the first works of the family was to provide more suitable shelter, which was soon done. Charles Kenny prospered in his agricultural operations, and added to his original property a farm adjoining it and likewise another farm in the same region, his death occurring in that place. His old farm is the present site of the Kennywood Park, a famous amusement resort. After his death his widow moved to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, where she died aged eighty-four years. He married Mary Jenkins, born in Baltimore, Maryland, and had children: 1. Charity Ann, married a Mr. Conway, and died in the west, her husband a man prominent in public affairs. 2. Thomas Jenkins, of whom further. 3. Anthony, a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 4. Charles, a Jesuit missionary, died in the west at an advanced age.

From History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania:

Charles Henry, was born Nov. 1, 1760, in County Donegal, Irelandimmigrated to America in 1791 and settled in Chester county, Pa. He died July 29, 1845. He married Mary, a daughter of Michael Jenkins, of Welsh descent, whose ancestors came to America with Lord Baltimore. The progenitor of the Jenkins family was Ap Jenkins, whose son William, born in 1634, married Mary, daughter of Lieut. Thomas Courtney, of the English navy, both families having a coat of arms. Mrs. Mary Kenny was the mother of five children: Anthony H. (a Catholic priest), Thomas J., Charity A., Charles W. and Mary. Of these Charity A. was the wife of William B. Conway, who organized Iowa as a territory and became its first secretary of state; Charles W. joined the Jesuits at St. Stanislaus, Mo., where he is superintendent.

Sources

• Jordan, John W. Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, Pages 754-756 (Lewis Historical Pub. Co., New York, 1915, Vol. 2, p. 754-756)
• Cushing, Thomas. History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (A. Warner & Co., Chicago, 1889, Part 2, p. 294-295)
• Find A Grave: Memorial #78259410