WILLIAM KEENAN. Among the well known and prosperous agriculturists of Carroll township, this gentleman is prominently identified. He, like many of our most progressive citizens, traces his ancestry to the Emerald Isle, for the warm blood of the true son of Erin flows in his veins. His grandfather, James Keenan, was born in County Down, Ireland, and passed his entire life on a farm in the old country. He reared a family of eight children, one of whom came to America. The father lived to the advanced age of one hundred years. Samuel Keenan, son of James, was born in 1785, in County Down, Ireland, where his boyhood was passed; he worked on the farm, and attended the schools of the county. In 1813 he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Gourley, the only child of her parents, who died when she was an infant. He erected a pleasant home, and the young couple remained in Ireland until 1819, when they sailed to America. They came to Pennsylvania, and resided in different parts of Carroll township, Washington county, for several years. He then bought and moved upon 110 acres of land in Carroll township, and afterward purchased an additional 120 acres, adjoining the first farm. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religion he and his wife were members and liberal supporters of the Presbyterian Church. Samuel Keenan died in 1865, aged eighty years, followed by his wife in 1886, who died in her ninety-fourth year of heart failure. Their children were born as follows: James, Jane (Mrs. Nelson), Samuel (who died on the Atlantic Ocean, and was buried on an island), Elizabeth (wife of Robert Coulter), Samuel, Isaac, Sarah (married to John F. McElhenny), Robert, William, Hugh, Mary Helena, Joseph, Catherine (wife of John H. Huston, of Union township), and Isaac (a graduate of a medical college). Of this family, Jane, Sarah, William, and Catherine are yet living. James and Jane were born in Ireland, the others were natives of Pennsylvania.
William Keenan was born June 30, 1829, on the home place in Carroll township, Washington Co., Penn. He attended school three months each season for three years, and spent most of his time in farm duties. In May, 1859, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Myers, of Somerset township, this county. The young couple rented a place for one year, and in September bought their present farm, adjoining the old homestead. They moved to their new home in the following April, and there six children have blessed their union, namely: Sylvester (deceased in childhood), Samuel (a carpenter spent four years in the West, and is now living at home), Mina (wife of Dr. Farquhar), Henry M., John, and Iva N., all living with their parents. The home place consists of 130 acres, upon which Mr. Keenan has erected a handsome residence and other buildings, and has made many improvements. He is a Democrat, and has served faithfully as school director, road commissioner, assessor, auditor, judge of elections, and in various other local offices. Mrs. Keenan and her daughters are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Text taken from page 1451 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]