Jonathan Keeney
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Jonathan Keeney (1813 - 1878)

Capt. Jonathan Keeney
Born in Fayette County, Indiana, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married Jul 1837 in Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 65 in Willowcreek, Malheur, Oregon, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 27 Feb 2014
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This profile is part of the Brownsville, Oregon One Place Study.

Contents

Biography

Birth and Early Life

Capt. Jonathan Keeney was born on 27 April 1813 in Fayette County, Indiana, United States as the fourth child of twelve born to John Keeney, Jr. and Mary R. Burkhalter.

Siblings

All children were born in Fayette County, Indiana with the exceptions of the the last three, twins Elias & Eli and their sister Sarah.
  1. Mary Eleanor Keeney was born on 6 April 1806. She married Alexander Bogart (c. 1784-1873) on 22 December 1822 in Ray County, Missouri. Mary died on 26 February 1874 in Ray County, Missouri, United States.
  2. Thomas Keeney was born in September 1808. He married Psyche Allen (c. 1814-c. 1844) on 22 June 1829 in Ray County, Missouri. Thomas died of tuberculosis on 5 December 1842 Holt, Clay, Missouri, United States. His wife died soon after that and their orphaned children were taken to Oregon with the rest of the family on the Keeney Wagon Train in 1851.
  3. Isley Keeney was born on 15 May 1811. Isley married Elizabeth Keeney (c. 1815- ), his cousin, on 29 January 1832 in Saline County, Missouri and had two children before he died. His brothers Jonathan and Elias took them as part of the Keeney Wagon Train to Oregon with the family. Isley died of tuberculosis on 6 December 1842 in Holt, Clay, Missouri, United States.
  4. James Mordecai Keeney was born on 20 August 1816. He married 1) Catherine Stewart (1824-1845) on 17 March 1840 in Ray County, Missouri and 2) Nancy Keeney (1809-1862), daughter of his paternal uncle, Thomas Keeney (1780-1846). She was his first cousin. He married 3) Miranda Ruth Michael (1839-1919), widow of John Alexander Pearl (1833-1864) on 10 January 1878 in Linn County, Oregon. He had children with all three of his wives. James died on 27 April 1885 Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  5. Daughter Keeney was born and died in 1817 in Fayette County, Indiana, United States.
  6. Abraham Keeney was born on 11 December 1818. He married Elvira A. Chesney (c. 1820- ) in 1839. His children went to Oregon with the rest of the family on the Keeney Wagon Train. Abraham died of tuberculosis before 25 May 1843 in Holt County, Indiana, United States.
  7. Andrew Jackson Keeney, also known as Jackson or Blackjack, was born on 7 October 1819. [1] Jackson married 1) Elizabeth Mulholland (1825-1843) on 18 November 1841 in Henry County, Missouri and 2) Hannah Daniels Walden (1830-1860), widow of John Wesley Cooper (1822-1848), on 3 June 1849 in Atchison County, Missouri and 3) Amanda Jane Morse (1827-1892), widow of Alfred A. Matthews (1823-1860), on 22 December 1861 in Lane County, Oregon. He had children with all three wives. Jackson died on 4 March 1898 Goshen, Lane, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon in 1857.
  8. Rebecca Katherine Keeney was born on 4 July 1821. She married 1) William Landingham (1814-1850) on 24 November 1838 in Ray County, Missouri and 2) Daniel Bennett Putman (1810-1887) in 1851. Rebecca died on 23 September 1895 in Amity, Yamhill, Oregon, United States.
  9. Elias Keeney, twin of Eli, was born on 18 December 1828 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. He married 1) Margaret Jane Hyatt (1835-1859) on 26 November 1850 in Holt County, Missouri and 2) Lucinda Catherine VanWinkle (1840-1887) in 1860 in Linn County, Oregon and 3) Matilda Lee (1839-1907), the widow of Samuel Noffsinger (1822-1870), in 1887. He had children with his first two wives. Elias died on 20 December 1910 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon in September 1846.
  10. Eli Keeney, twin of Elias, was born on 18 December 1828 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. He married Elizabeth G. Pierce (1832-1904) on 24 February 1848 in Holt County, Missouri. They had eight children. Eli died on 10 November 1878 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States. He arrived in Oregon on 10 September 1851 along with Elizabeth. Their small daughter Frances Ann Keeney was the only casualty on the 2000 mile trip. She almost made it, but died in Oregon just before their final destination.
  11. Sarah Elizabeth Keeney was born in 1830 in Ray County, Missouri, United States. She married John Franklin Williams (1822-1896) on 1 December 1844 in Holt County, Missouri. Sarah died on 6 December 1847 in Holt County, Missouri, United States.

His adventures began at age 19 in 1831 when he decided to visit the Rocky Mountains. He purchased ponies and went with thirty two men in the Captain William Sublett Company. Sublett ran a large pack train which carried supplies for trade to the American Fur Company. While the men were trading their goods, they wintered over in 1834 and 1835 and built Fort Laramie on the North Platte. He also trapped and hunted with Jim Bridger who was the most famous mountaineer of the time. At this time he was exposed to emigrants coming across the plains. The company traveled up into present day Boise, Idaho. He returned to Missouri in 1835 as "Captain Keeney" and in 1837 married.

Marriage and Family

He married Mary Shoemaker (1820-1896) in July 1837 at Lafayette, Tippecanoe, Indiana. Mary tolerated with grace his roving ways which continued all of his life. In 1846 she accompanied him on the Martin-Blakely wagon train consisting of 10 wagons to the Pacific coast in Oregon. He was the head guide or scout (He had been offered the leadership and turned it down). They arrived at the Old Fort Boise in mid-August. His own personal family wagons amounted to six and they traveled ahead of the others so that he could mark the trail for those who were behind. They reached The Dalles in Oregon ahead of the others. This trip would be the first time that wagons would travel over the Cascade Mountains. They reached the Willamette Falls, present day Oregon City, in September with the other wagon trains following. He settled with his family on the Kalapooya which is near Brownsville, Linn, Oregon on 15 September 1846.

Children of the Keeney-Shoemaker Marriage

  1. James Benton Keeney was born on 12 April 1838 in Miller County, Missouri, United States. He died on 13 June 1911 in Albany, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  2. George W. Keeney was born on 9 August 1841 in Missouri, United States. He died on 23 October 1862 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  3. Eli F. Keeney was born in 1845 in Missouri, United States. He died on 31 October 1879 in Boseman, Gallatin, Montana, United States.
  4. Elias Joseph "Joe" Keeney was born on 22 August 1847 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. He died on 25 September 1938 in Livingston, Park, Montana, United States.
  5. Sarah M. Keeney was born in 1850 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. She died on 27 July 1855 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  6. Mary Catherine "Kitty" Keeney was born on 28 February 1852 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. Mary married William Hockensmith who was born in 1842 on 24 February 1870 in Idaho. Kitty died on 7 August 1937 in Albany, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  7. Peter Lethrow Keeney was born on 17 November 1854 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. He died on 13 April 1928 in Malheur County, Oregon, United States.
  8. Nancy Ann Keeney, known as Nannie, was born on 25 November 1856 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. She died on 29 April 1945 in Emmett, Gem, Idaho, United States.
  9. Unknown Keeney, infant son, was born on 13 July 1859 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. He died on 18 July 1859 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States.
  10. Susan Elizabeth Keeney, known as Betty, was born on 9 November 1860 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States. She died on 11 May 1932 in Caldwell, Canyon, Idaho, United States.

Later Life, The Keeney Wagon Train and Occupations

He was considered a Pioneer of the Oregon Trail and the Barlow Road, a mountaineer, a miner, a soldier, a wagon scout, cattle driver and the proprietor of an Inn and Ferry. In 1848 the gold discovered in California lured him and he packed up his pony and started out again. He mined on the south fork of the American River and found $2,000 in just eight days. He returned home in January 1849 with $3,000 considering it money enough. He is found on the Linn County, Oregon Territory census in 1850 with his wife Mary and four children: Samuel, George, Eli F., and Elias. Occupation is given as farmer. He again returned to Missouri across the plains on horseback with a small party of men including his younger brother Elias in 1850 in the record time of 66 days. In the spring of 1851 he drove back 300 head of two year old heifers to the Pacific Coast. This was his third trip to the Pacific Coast and this time he came to stay. He also brought his widowed mother, Elias' new wife, brothers James and Eli and their families. The wife and children of their brother Isley and the wife and children of brother Abraham, children of Thomas and his wife, Sithy or Psyche, who were orphaned and several families who were cousins. The Keeney brothers carried the rifles made for them by their deceased father and one is at the Oregon Historical Museum. Andrew Jackson Keeney, brother, remained in Missouri, but followed in 1857. Jonathan drove cattle back to the Pacific Coast several times until 1857. Gold beckoned again when the Auburn mines in Baker county, Oregon were found. He struck gold at Pochahontas. He also supplied the miners with beef and other goods and established a trading post in Placerville, California. He fought in the Oregon Indian Wars. Captain Keeney's sense of adventure kept him in fresh endeavors and money all of his life. In 1863 he established and ran a ferry on the Snake River near the mouth of the Boise River, but sold it in 1864.[2] Jonathan established a wayside inn near present day Vale, Oregon through squatter's rights. The family lived here first. They didn't rent rooms, but offered refreshment. His son James ran it for awhile, but they sold it in 1870.

He moved his family to the ferry site in 1865 and built his barn on the same spot where Old Fort Boise had been before it washed away. He owned 400 acres where his home was on the Idaho side of the Snake River plus more land in Oregon. There's an interesting event connected with the marriage of his daughter Kittie (Mary Catherine). They had a trading post and Kittie met many people when they crossed on the ferry or used the trading post. She met a gentleman from Indiana named William Hockensmith who was completely different from the Keeney men. He was polite, didn't drink or smoke, swear or play cards. Capt. Keeney thought he was a lesser man due to these qualities and certainly didn't want him for a son-in-law. The growing romance didn't please him. He eventually, with the help of his boys, ran Hockensmith off. Before he left, he promised Kittie he would return in secret for her. He did. They ran off and got married at the nearest Justice of the Peace on 24 February 1870 in Ada County, Idaho.

Capt. Jonathan retired to his ranch on Willow Creek near Jamieson, Malheur, Oregon after 1876.

Military

Company C, 2nd Regiment of Oregon Mounted Volunteers. He first enlisted in 1848 for the Cayuse Indian War. He received an honorable discharge from the Army and returned to his Brownsville home. He was mustered in again as Captain of Company C on 24 October 1855 at Eugene, Oregon because the Indians were again killing people in different areas. This was his Company and they served in the Rogue River Indian War. These Indian battles didn't stop until January 1856.

Physical Description

He was said to be six feet tall, trim and stately with great strength and an iron constitution.

Death and Burial

Jonathan was off on one of his exploring trips traveling to the high desert. He fell from his horse and the fall caused his pistol to fire and shoot him in the thigh at Willow Creek, Malheur, Oregon on 15 August 1878. He died at the age of 65 in Willow Creek, Malheur, Oregon, United States. He was buried in the Dell Cemetery, Jamieson, Malheur, Oregon. Find A Grave: Memorial #35974942 (His name is misspelled and the age given is incorrect on gravestone.)

On 3 July 1976 during the Vale Bicentennial, the Federal Bureau of Land Management gave Captain Jonathan Keeney a 21 gun salute and set up an exhibition. They dedicated a section of road as "Captain Jonathan Keeney Pass".

Sources

  • Keeney, Ralph Ray. Wagon Ruts West. Keeney, R.R., 1983. It is out of print, but the author had granted pieces of it for educational purposes. The entire article is available here.
  • Personal Interview with Captain Jonathan Keeney about his life and adventures which was published in The Idaho Statesman on 13 May 1876 by Editor Milton Kelly.
  • Journal kept by Harvey Robbins a private in Company C under Captain Jonathan Keeney's command during the Rogue River War of 1855 and published on-line.
  • Stanard, Everett Earle, scrapbook of Captain Jonathan's Company. Published on-line.
  • Old West Magazine Fall Edition, 1968.
  • 1820 United States Federal Census, 7 Aug 1820 in Jennings, Fayette Indiana. 10 persons in the household of his father.
  • U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. 1 July 1831 Montgomery County, Indiana. 1 July 1831. 80 acres for cash.US Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.
  • U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. 28 July 1838 Lafayette, Ray, Missouri. 80 acres. Cash sale. US Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.
  • U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907. 7 September 1838 Ray County, Missouri. 40 acres. Cash sale. US Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.
  • Oregon Compiled Census Index, 1841-1890. 1845 in Linn County, Oregon. Jackson, Ronald V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Oregon Census, 1841-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
  • 1850 United States Federal Census on 15 September in Linn, Territory of Oregon. [3]
  • 1860 United States Federal Census, 19 July in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon. [4]
  • 1870 United States Federal Census, 25 July in Ada County, Idaho. [5]
  • Find A Grave Index.

Footnotes

  1. 1822 is given on Find A Grave, but Ruts West and the Early Oregonian site give 1819.
  2. Notice which appeared in 1864: "Boise Ferry, On Snake River, At Old Fort Boise" The traveling public are invited to take notice that the above ferry is now completed and furnished with good, new boats and careful attendants. This ferry is located at the most eligible crossing on the Snake River for travel from Humboldt County and Scott Valley, California; Umpqua and The Willamette Valleys, The Dalles and Umatilla, Oregon; and Walla Walla, W. T. to and from Boise City and Valley, South Boise City, I. T. of which all must be convinced who once try the route. Being furnished with Buoy Lines and the largest boats, it is believed to be the safest ferry on the Snake River.
  3. 1850: Keeney, Jonathan, 40, head; Mary 30, wife; James 10, son; George 8, son; Eli F. 5, son; Elias 2. son.
  4. 1860: Keeney, Jonathan 45, head; Mary 43, wife; George 19, son; Eli 15, son; Elias 12, son; Catherine 8, daughter; Lethrow 5, son; Nancy 4, daughter; Overton, George 28.
  5. 1870: Keeney, Jonathan 55, farmer, head; Mary 51, wife; Nancy A. 13, daughter; Elizabeth 9, daughter; Smith, Hawkins 30, farm worker; Catherine 18.




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Jonathan Keeney is my 4th great grandfather, his son James being my 3rd.
posted by Kathryn Clausen
PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE the placement of the reference and footnote notations. 1/2 of the census data and other is lost if you do. No rule that I know of that says you have to have no space between "Sources" and References or can't have footnotes. And yes, I have read the "Help" page. Thank you.
posted by Darlene (Scott) Kerr