Aimee J. (Taggart) Kenny

Aimee J. (Taggart) Kenny

Frederick W. Kenny, Sr.

Frederick W. Kenny, Jr.

Born: 24 JAN 1853 at Jacksonville, Illinois
Died: 7 JUN 1914 at Blair, Washington County, Nebraska
Buried: Blair Cemetery

Married: Fredrick W. Kenny on 2 MAY 1871.

Born: 6 FEB 1844 at Ohio
Died: 18 JAN 1911
Buried: Blair Cemetery

Children:
Clarence D., b. 13 MAR 1873, d. 4 OCT 1874, bur. Blair Cemetery.
John M., b. 18 JUN 1878, d. 25 MAR 1927, bur. Blair Cemetery
Aimee K., b. abt 1883 at Nebraska, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Married Lyman Peck, b. abt 1886, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Living at Columbus, OH in 1930.
Sue M. b. 2 JAN 1884, d. 19 AUG 1943, bur. Blair Cemetery
Maude, b. 10 MAY 1885, d. 19 MAY 1972, bur. Blair Cemetery
Clara, b. abt 1887 in Nebraska, d. unknown, bur. unknown. Married Dr. Paul Howard, b. abt 1886, d. unknown, bur. unknown
Mrs. Burtis Smith married Burtis B. Smith, b. 9 JUL 1886, d. 6 JUN 1950, bur. Blair Cemetery.
Fred, b. 28 DEC 1890, d. AUG1966 at Salem, Marion County, Oregon, bur. unknown. Married Hazel, b. abt. 1893, d. unknown, bur. unknown.


NEBRASKA PIONEER REMINISCENCES, P. 295, by May (Allen) Lazure

Another pioneer woman was Aimee Taggart Kenny, who came to Fontenelle with her parents when a small child. Her father was a Baptist missionary in Nebraska, and his earliest work was with the Quincy colony. I have heard her tell the following experience: "On several occasions we were warned that the Indians were about to attack us. In great fear, we gathered in the schoolhouse and watched all night, the men all well armed. But we were never molested. Another time mother was alone with us children. Seeing the Indians approaching we locked the door, went into the attic by means of an outside ladder and looked out through a crack. We saw the red men try the door, peep in at the windows, and then busy themselves chewing up mother's home-made hop-yeast, which had been spread out to dry. They made it into balls and tossed it all away."

Aimee’s obituary from the Pilot Newspaper, 10 JUN 1914:

MRS. F. W. KENNY IS DEAD
Died Sunday Afternoon at the Family Residence of Cancer of the Stomach.
FUNERAL FROM THE HOME TUESDAY AFTERNOON

The community was not unprepared for the sad news that came Sunday afternoon of the death of Mrs. F. W. Kenny at 3:25, though the end was hardly expected so soon. Only four weeks ago she went down to Excelsior Springs thinking she was simply run down from the hard work of caring for her mother. She was there two weeks and came back to Omaha, where it was definitely decided that she was suffering from a cancer of the stomach. She was in Omaha a week and was brought home only a week ago, fully realizing that there was no help for the disease. Mrs. Kenny accepted the verdict of the physician with great courage and fortitude and was ready and even happy that she was so soon to be with the Master she loved and served and her husband, whose death occurred February 18, 1911. She was unconscious for two days before the end came as peacefully as normal sleep. A short and simple funeral service was held at the home at 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon and was conducted by her pastor, Rev. F. E. Volek, of the Baptist church, which church she had been a faithful worker in for many years. All the children, except Fred, were present. The pallbearers were John Kenny, Dr. Paul Howard, Burtis Smith, Lyman Peck, T. E. Stevens and Chris Schmidt. Interment was made in the Blair cemetery. Miss Aimee Taggart was born at Jacksonville, Ill., Jan. 24th, 1853, and came to Fontanelle with her father, Rev. John M. Taggart, a Baptist missionary, who was afterwards a member of the Nebraska territorial legislature in 1857. The family moved to Nebraska City in 1867 and to this city in 1870. She was married to Fredrick W. Kenny May 2nd, 1871, and of this union eight children were born, one dying in infancy: Fred, of Plattsburg, N.Y., John M., of Lewiston, Mont., Mrs. Paul Howard, of North Bend, Mrs. Lyman Peck and Mrs. Burtis Smith , of Omaha, Miss Sue, of Portland, Oregon, and Miss Maude who lived at home. Mrs. Kenny’s mother, Mrs. A. M. Pratt, 96 years of age, has made her home with her for several years and is very feeble. Three sisters and one brother survive her also, Mrs. A. W. Clark, of Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Jeanette White, of Denver, Colo., Miss Mary Taggart, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Robert Taggart of Nebraska City. For many years Mrs. Kenny had been an interested worker in the W. R. C., having been state department president and president of the local Corps for six years. She was past Matron of the O. E. S., past regent of the D. A. R. and one of the charter members of the Monday Afternoon Club. She was an ideal wife, mother, neighbor and friend, and her sudden passing will be a severe loss to her many friends, as well as to the children, who have received so much of her unselfish love and devotion. They have the sympathy of the entire community, also the memory of a beautiful life spent in the service of others.

Aimee’s obituary from the Blair Tribune, 10 JUN 1914:
MRS. F. W. Kenny
Mrs. F. W. Kenny, aged 61 years and a pioneer of Blair, died Sunday afternoon at the family home of cancer. She was the widow of the late F. W. Kenny, who at his death was president of the Blair National bank. Mrs. Kenny was widely known throughout the state, having been state department president of the Woman’s Relief Corps and president of the local corps for six years. She was past regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution and past matron of the Eastern Star and charter member of the Blair Women’s Monday Afternoon club, which was organized about 1873. Mrs. Kenny was born at Jacksonville, Ill., January 24, 1853, and came to Fontanelle, Nebr., with her father, Rev. John M. Taggart, a Baptist missionary, who was afterwards a member of the Nebraska territorial legislature in 1857, and to Blair in 1870, where she was married to Frederick W. Kenny, May 2, 1871. To this union was born eight children, on dying in infancy and seven surviving: Fred Kenny of Plattsburg, N. Y., John of Lewiston, Mont.; Mrs. Dr. Howard of North Bend, Neb.; Mrs. Aimee Peck and Mrs. Burtis Smith of Omaha; Miss Sue Kenny, late of Portland, Ore., and Miss Maude, who has made her home with her mother. Mrs. Kenny’s mother, Mrs. A. M. Pratt, 96 years of age, has made her home with her for several years and is very sick at this time. Three sisters also survive: Mrs. A. W. Clarke, whose husband was a former Omaha pastor, now of Los Angeles, Cal.; Mrs. Jeanette White of Denver, Colo., and Miss Mary Taggart of Colorado Springs, Colo., and a brother Robert Taggart, of Nebraska City, Nebr. The funeral was conducted by Rev. F. E. Volek, of the Baptist church from the residence at 5 o’clock Tuesday afternoon and the remains were laid to rest in the Blair cemetery beside her husband, who preceded her to the Great Beyond.

Source: Ruth Moss, Washington County Genealogical Society