Recollections & stories from Grandpa Clarence Kenney’s memories were recorded and written down by Kathy Poeppe in 1962
Marriage documents, land patents, maps, and additional notes / corrections provided by Mary Brandenburg.
John Kenney & Mary Ann Gallagher
Grandparents of Clarence Kenney
The foregoing history of the Kenney family is from my own (Clarence Kenney) recollections of information my father (Hugh Kenney) told me. Marriage information on my grandfather John Kenney and his wife, Mary Ann Gallagher are from the records of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, Emmett, St. Clair County, Michigan.
Grandfather John Kenney, born in Cork County, Ireland, 1828, married Mary Ann Gallagher, born in Ireland, 1836 on 13 Nov 13 1854 when he was 26 years old and Mary was 18 years. They were married by Father Lawrence Kilroy, in the presence of Patrick Nolan and Elisha Hyde, in the old log church that was located near the corner of the present cemetery in Kenockee County, Emmett, Michigan. Father Kilroy also baptized all 13 children.
John and Mary homesteaded 80 acres 1 mile north of Emmett and 3-4 miles west on what is now M-21, about 4 miles East of Capac. They built a log cabin about 25 feet square with a loft above. The stumps were burned out and those cleared places were the only garden space, at first. They grew corn mostly and tobacco. Game was abundant.
“…the West half of the Northwest quarter of Section 27 in Township seven North, Range fourteen East in the district of lands subject to sale at Detroit, Michigan containing 80 acres.”
About 1875 Grandpa John died so daughters, Margaret and Mary went to Flint to do housework. They earned about $2.50 a week and board. They sent home about a $1 a week to help support the other kids. Later on, Nell, Ann and Sarah went to Flint too. Hugh ran away to the woods in the Alpena area when he was 12 years old, and became a cook’s devil, doing dishes and carrying wood.
Moses, John and Luke worked the farm. Education wasn’t important in those days, and besides, they didn’t have (the) clothes and shoes to go to school very much.
Neighbors in the earlier days of the homestead were Burns, Mullaly, O’Connell, Nolan, Hyde, Sharp, O’Conner, Gallagher, Murphy and Brogan. All were Irish Catholics from the same area of Ireland, no doubt.
When Mary (mother) died she left the farm to Moses and John, with Moses staying on the North 40 acres, and John taking the South 40 acres. Luke was given a 40 acre plot directly North from the present cemetery. In lieu of land, Hugh was given $250 by Luke, John and Moses.
[The Gallagher’s had moved elsewhere over the years. I have not located any record of the land that was given to Luke Kenney, per Clarence Kenney’s account, but Luke did live in Kenockee Township, the location of the original Mt. Carmel Church and Cemetery.]
Moses died about 20 years ago and left the old Kenney homestead to his wife, Hannah. When she died about 12 years ago, she left it to Charles Door, an orphan who lived with them when young, but who ran away and was gone for years ,returning later to get the farm.
It is interesting to note that John and Mary’s three daughters (Mary, Nell and Ann) married three brothers (Jacob, Peter and Tom Beck).
Timothy William O’Brien & Mary Keys
Great-grandparents of Clarence Kenney
About 1830 Timothy and Mary O’Brien and their four children left Cappagh White, County Tipperary, Ireland, where they were all born, for the new world and landed near Quebec, Canada.
Timothy O’Brien, the father, contracted a fever on the boat and died from its effects shortly after landing. The rest of the family settled in Kincora Kinkora, near Stratford, Ontario.
[Their daughter] Mary O’Brien later married J.P. Hennessey and moved to Reynolds, North Dakota. The rest of the family moved to Kenockee Township, St. Clair County, Michigan, bought land and built a log cabin home. John O’Brien never married. Michael O’Brien married Mary Kennedy of Emmett, and moved to West Bay City, Michigan.
William Timothy O’Brien & Catherine Cogley
Grandparents of Clarence Kenney
On September 14, 1857 Catherine Cogley married William O’Brien. William and Catherine were married by Father Lawrence Kilroy in the little log church in one corner of Kenockee Cemetery. They had five daughters and three sons, and all were baptized by Father Kilroy. Three of their children, the “first” Catherine, William and Margaret, died when they were young.
Their first home was a one room log cabin built in 1857 on the North bank of a running stream that emptied into Pine River in Kenockee Township, Michigan. It was surrounded by forests and grandfather Cogley’s home was 40 rods away [@ 660 feet]. The next closest neighbor was one mile away. No doctors or nurses around. A midwife, Mrs. Kennedy, brought the children into the world. The only heat came from a wood burning cook-stove, and the only light was from the tallow candles Catherine made. Wild animals were plentiful and friendly Indian trappers came to trade with the settlers.
Five years later, in 1862, William O’Brien built a frame house where they lived for about 30 years. [Located in Section 22, Kenockee Township, 1876 Cadastral Map.]
Father Kilroy was pastor and made the rounds of St. Clair, Huron and Sanilac Counties on horseback. He was noted for his miraculous cures effected through prayer. At 7 years of age, Margaret had St Vitus’ Dance disease. She was unable to feed herself or sit up in bed. Her parents took her in a sleigh to Father Kilroy’s home, and he prayed over her. The next day she sat up, was able to take care of herself, and was completely cured. [Unfortunately, Margaret died on 26 May 1873 at the age of 11. Most likely she had rheumatic fever, which “…can also cause a temporary nervous system disorder once known as St. Vitus’ dance, now known as Sydenham’s chorea.”]
In 1864, the log church was replaced by a frame one, which was destroyed by fire around 1895. A new brick church was then built in Emmett and is the present Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church.
Of their surviving children, Dan married Elizabeth Donovan, Mary married Vetal Chamberlain, Johanna married Edward Gilsoness, Catherine married Hugh Kenney, and William married Mabel McMonagle.
William O’Brien was a Highway Commissioner for more than 20 years, supervising the lay out and improvements of most of the roads in Kenockee Township.
In 1888, William O’Brien went to North Dakota to visit relatives and sell some land he had acquired there, but disappeared coming home. He was carrying a considerable sum of money at the time. After some weeks, Daniel was called to Muskegon to identify the body of his father, which had washed up on the shores of Lake Michigan. On his body, which had no money, was found a school card of Daniels and this helped the police identify his body. Due to the condition of the body and the expense, William was buried in Berlin, Kent County, Michigan on October 25, 1888.
[NOTE: William’s sister Mary O’Brien married Patrick J Hennesey, and moved to Reynolds, Grand Forks, ND. Land patent records from North Dakota show that William O’Brien bought the SE¼ of Section 33 (160 acres) in Grand Forks, ND on 13 Feb 1884. His brother-in-law, Patrick J Hennesey, purchased the SW¼ of Section 33 (160 acres) directly adjacent to Willliam’s property on 15 May 1883. Several other O’Brien’s – who were probably relatives – bought land in North Dakota on or around the same dates.]
His wife, Catherine Cogley-O’Brien died on 9 May 1909 and is buried at Kenockee Cemetery.
His son, Daniel O’Brien is Clare, Michigan.
His son, William O’Brien Jr. is buried in Kenockee with the three babies. [This should refer the “first” Catherine & William, and Margaret as well.]
Catherine Margaret O’Brien-Kenney is buried in Old Calvary, Flint, Michigan.
Patrick Cogley & Mary Murphy
Great-grandparents of Clarence Kenney
Patrick Cogley of Kilmore County, Wexford, Ireland, born 1800 and Mary Murphy, Wexford, Ireland born 1811 [and] were married about 1830.
In 1843, they and daughter Catherine and sons Nicholas, John, Patrick, James, Clement and William left Ireland and landed in Canada and settled on a farm near Belleville, Ontario living there for seven years during which time Mary (Brewer) and Margaret (Hefferon) were born.
In 1850 they moved to Kenockee County Township, St Clair, Michigan, where Ann (Brennan) was born.
Hugh Kenney & Catherine Margaret O’Brien
Parents of Clarence Joseph Kenney
My Dad, Hugh came from lumber woods, living at his sister Mary’s house till he and ma were married, on June 16, 1895 at St. Michael’s Church in Flint, MI by Father Timothy Murphy. Witnesses were Mary and her husband, Jacob Beck. They rented the house on Root between 6th Ave and Williams Street in Flint where I was born, for $5 a month. Our next door neighbor, Mrs. Curt Williams took care of Ma and me. One winter when I was a baby, my Dad and Uncle Jacob [Beck] walked four miles through snow to cut wood for $1 a day.
Dad worked at Durant & Dort Carriage Works until 1907. He later joined the Buick Motor Company which opened production in Flint in 1904. His job was to varnish rubber in the paint shop. He retired from Buick in 1923 at the age of 58.