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From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 714-715
J. E. KENNEY is numbered among the prominent business men of Cuba City, Grant county, where he conducts a large furniture and undertaking establishment.
Mr. KENNEY was born in Jo Daviess county, Ill., Sept. 26, 1851, a son of Edward and Catherine (FITZPATRICK) KENNEY. Edward KENNEY was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1800, and his wife in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1811. They were married in Ireland in 1833, and four years later the father came to America, settling in Illinois, where he was joined by his wife and one daughter in 1844. The family located at the lead mines in Jo Daviess county, Ill. Here the father followed mining until 1855, when he purchased a farm in the southwestern part of Lafayette county, Wis., and remained thereon until his death, in November, 1884. His wife passed away in 1873. Both of these good people were earnest members of the Catholic Church, and the father was a Jacksonian Democrat, although he never took an active part in politics. Their family consisted of six children: (1) Mary, born in Ireland in October, 1834, came to America when ten years of age. She married William NAGLE, of Jo Daviess county, a soldier of the Mexican war and one of the "49" Californians, who purchased land in Wisconsin. Mr. NAGLE died in 1860 in the West, where he had gone to look after some of his interests. He left his wife and one daughter, Mary C., the wife of Allen VANDIVER, of Missouri, later of Illinois, where she died, leaving three children, John E., Anice, and William J. (2) Bridget T., born Oct. 17, 1845, died in 1867. (3) Ellen A., born Feb. 1, 1847, married William O'ROURKE, of Lafayette county, who served three years in the Civil war, after which he moved to Lawler, Iowa. There Mrs. Ellen O'ROURKE died, leaving ten children, John E., Mary C., Theressa, Lewis, Rose, William, Cyrillus, Thomas, Alice and Maggie. (4) Michael J., born Sept. 14, 1848, who was educated in common schools of Wisconsin, married Bridget BRANNON, of Missouri, and settled near St. Jo, that State, where the family still resides. In 1883 he went to Mexico for his health, later to Idaho, where he died in January, 1898, leaving a wife and four children, Mary C., Theressa, John and Thomas. (5) Catherine, born in February, 1850, died in April, 1869. (6) J. E. is our subject.
J. E. KENNEY was educated in the public schools of Lafayette county. In 1879 he went to Salt Lake City, Utah, and successfully followed silver and lead mining for two years; then moved to the Wood river country, Idaho, and following mining for six years, part of which time he was manager for a Salt Lake City company. In 1886 he came back to Jo Daviess county, married, and returned with his young wife to Idaho. In 1888, coming to Grant county, Wis., he settled in Cuba City, where he formed a partnership with John WALSH in a furniture and undertaking business, buying the latter out in 1894, since which time he has continued the establishment alone. In addition to their furniture and undertaking business Mr. KENNEY and his partner were contractors and builders, and among their best contracts is the fine graded school building in Cuba City, as well as a number of business blocks and private residences. Mr. KENNEY is a graduate of the embalming school of Illinois, and thoroughly understands every detail of his business. His undertaking establishment is furnished with all appliances; a full line of caskets is carried, and all the appointments are in excellent taste. In the furniture department purchasers find a full stock of the furniture, while prices are uniformly the lowest, taking into consideration the excellence of the articles.
In 1886 Mr. KENNEY was married to Miss Mary M. WALSH, of Jo Daviess county, Ill., daughter of John and Johanna (DAY) WALSH, pioneers of that county. Mrs. KENNEY was born and reared in Jo Daviess county, growing to womanhood upon a farm. To Mr. and Mrs. KENNEY have come three children: Mary Calista, born in Cuba City in August, 1889, who is now attending school; and Oscar and Oswald, twins, who died when seven months old.
Politically Mr. KENNEY has always been identified with the Democratic party, has served most acceptably as alderman for four terms, treasurer two years, assessor two years, and was one of those who had the village incorporated. He has always taken a deep interest in local affairs, and is ready and willing to promote anything tending toward the advancement of the material prosperity of Cuba City. Both Mr. and Mrs. KENNEY are consistent members of the Catholic Church, and he is a charter member of Branch No. 96, Catholic Knights of Wisconsin.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck