George Washington Keeney (1863 - 1944)

Born 3 Jun 1863 in Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States

Ancestors

Died 20 Aug 1944 at age 81 in Sweet Home, Linn, Oregon, United States

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This profile is part of the Brownsville, Oregon One Place Study.

Biography

Son of James Benton Keeney and Susan Swank. Twin of Jerome "Jerry" Keeney.

The family settled in Brownsville in the early 1860s and then for a time in eastern Oregon before returning. George at age 7 was living with his birth family in Willow Creek Valley, Baker, Oregon in 1870. His father James was age 30. His mother Susan was age 25. His sister Evelyn was age 9. His twin Gerome was age 7. His brother Jasper was age 5. His brother William was age 2.^[1]

When he was age 17, the family was living in Brownsville again in 1880. The family had added children Bessie age 8, Brick age 4, Henry age 2 and an infant daughter.^[2]

"In Brownsville there seems to have been little gunplay of the kind seen in Western movies. Once in a while, however, the Keeney twins, George and Jerry, came down from around Holley to shoot up the town. They did not try to hit or kill anyone. Rather they were just mean and came down to scare the daylights out of the Brownsville people.

Their father, Jim Keeney, owned large sections of the Calapooia watershed above Holley, which he dominated. He turned his cattle to run loose and feed there. The family had a reputation for pulling off holdups in their territory. Peddlers were often the victims of these robberies and covered bridges were one of the favorite places for accosting a victim."^[3]

On 6 April 1890 George married Minnie Towne in Linn County.^[4]

George and Minnie were living in the household of her widowed mother Mary Town in 1900 in Halsey. Minnie was age 27, born Jan 1873 in Oregon. Their son Ote G Keeney was b Oct 1891. Their son Bernard R Keeney was b May 1892 in Oregon.^[5]

In 1910 George and Minnie were living in Sweet Home with sons Otis and Vernard.^[6]

In 1930 George was listed as divorced. He was living in Sweet Home.^[7]

In 1940 his wife was named Rebecca J. Keeney. They were living in North Sweet Home with John W. Peters, probably Rebecca's grandson by a prior marriage. John W. Peters was age 8, born in Washington, and listed as grandson.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF8T-447 : 7 February 2022), George Keeney in entry for James Keeney, 1870.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCL-XHJ : 14 January 2022), George S Keenedey in household of Jas. B Keenedey, Brownsville, Linn, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
3. ↑ Stanley Linn Robe collection of Brownsville pioneer anecdotes, collected 1953 from his parents and brothers, transcribed by Margaret Robe Summitt, Everett, Washington.
4. ↑ "Oregon Marriages, 1853-1935", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8WD-59Z : 13 February 2020), G. W. Keeney, 1890.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSDN-WN1 : 11 March 2022), George W Keeney in entry for Mary Town, 1900.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLYY-9CB : accessed 22 August 2022), George W Keeney, Sweet Home, Linn, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 178, sheet 4B, family 83, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1283; FHL microfilm 1,375,296.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC9P-MTY : accessed 22 August 2022), George W Keeney, Sweet Home, Linn, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 57, sheet 4A, line 39, family 95, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1947; FHL microfilm 2,341,681.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89MR-CRDJ?cc=2000219&wc=QZXG-VHD%3A790103001%2C793899101%2C794045801%2C794048601 : accessed 22 August 2022), Oregon > Linn > North Sweet Home Election Precinct > 22-38 North Sweet Home Election Precinct outside Sweet Home Town > image 5 of 19; citing Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012.

• *https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18149002/george-washington-keeney