The Bernard Keenan Family In America

Bernard Keenan - The Immigrant

2010-01-01T10:14:00.000-08:00

Bernard Keenan came to America from Forkhill, Mullabawn, County Armagh, Ireland about 1853, possibly with older siblings Ellen and Patrick. This was the time of the potato famine in Ireland.

Bernard resided in Iowa until 1857 when he crossed the plains to the gold fields of California. In 1860 he followed the gold trail to Boise Idaho. He drove a stage coach between Boise, Walla Walla and Pendleton until 1863-64, then moved to Walla Walla or Pendleton. He came to Weston Oregon about 1870, married Triphane Wilder and had a daughter, Bertha. After Triphane's death he married her sister, Lydia Emma Wilder, and had Grace, Arthur and Alvin. Bernard and Lydia removed to Biggs Oregon about 1906 where he died November 21, 1924. He is buried in the IOOF Cemetery at The Dalles Oregon.

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PIONEER IS DEAD
Bernard KEENAN was a Stage driver between Walla Walla and Pendleton in the early days. 84 years and 6 months of age, a resident at Biggs for the last 18 years and a well known pioneer of Oregon died at his home last night.

Mr. KEENAN drove stage between Walla Walla and Pendleton for a number of years prior to 1870, having come west from Iowa where he settled as a boy in 1857.

Born in the county Cork (Kork) Ireland in 1840.The deceased came to the United States in 1851 and resided in Iowa until 1857, when he went crossed the plains to the gold fields of California.In 1860 he followed the gold trail to Boise, Idaho where he drove stage until 1863-4, moving to Walla Walla and Pendleton.

He moved to Umitillia County in 1870 and resided there for 36 years after which he took residence in Biggs,Oregon.(about 1906) where he lived for the rest of his life.

Mr. KEENAN survived by two daughters and two sons, named as follows, Mrs. Grace SHEARER of Biggs, and Mrs. Bertha NEAGLE of Pendleton, Alva KEENAN (Alvin) of Biggs, Oregon and Arthur of Hoquiam, Washington.

He was predeceased last August by his wife who died in Pendleton, August 19 and was buried in the IOOF Cemetery at The Dalles, Oregon. Funeral Service will be held at the Burget and Calloway Funeral Chapel at 3:00 Saturday afternoon. Rev. FISH will officiate.

[The above obituary was copied from a newspaper clipping that my Aunt Bertha has. Bertha, her sister Mary and Mary's two daughters, Ella and Joyce, reside at grandpa, Harry T. SHEARER's home in The Dalles. 905 Case, St. ]

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From Calloway Funeral Home

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Bridget Keenan - A prized portrait

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This picture is over 100 years old. It crossed over the Atlantic Ocean (sailing ship ? Then crossed over the United states to Weston, Oregon (by Wells Fargo ?) from Weston, OR. to Biggs. OR. by covered wagon or by train ??) where it survived her son, Bernard Keenan's Columbia Hotel 'fire' ...

His daughter, Pearl (Keenan) Shearer 1921 house 'fire' also in Biggs... it eventually went to uncle Carl's Shearer's home where it remained until July of 2009.

Winiford and Edwina's Great grand grand mother, Bridget Keenan's picture, was newly, received from cousin, Scott and Carol Schaeffer, uncle Carl Taylor Shearer's grandson... 2nd son of uncle Carl's, daughter, Bernice. Bridget Keenan was born in Ireland and died in Ireland.

Bridget Keenan, is the great great great grandmother of Jessica Withers Bailey, Winnie's grand daughter.
Winnie Bailey - 2009

Letters from Bridget - Explaination

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She had children .... Bernard came to America, Patrick, Ellen, James, whom I believe came to America also .... while Peter, and Thomas, stayed in Ireland. She mentions "John" in one of her nine letters, but gives no hint as to his relationship to the family.

The old house Alvin inherited burned and Grandma Grace Keenan Shearer's house in Biggs burned .... how did these letter's ever survive, until my aunt Bertha gave them to me in 1982 ? WSB.

At the time these letters were received, the Keenan's were still living in Weston, Oregon, and all four children living at home.

There is or was a hint that the family came from Cork before coming to Mullabawn.

9 Letters from Bridget - Mullabawn Post Office by Forkill Co., Armagh Ireland, to son Bernard as of 5 Jan 1895

Letters from Bridget - 16 Mar 1880

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Mullabawn March 16th 1880
Dear son it is with pleasure I commence to inform you that we got your letter on Tuesday 9th of March and on Friday the 12th we got the money Sam MAGRWN came in to the post office as I was sitting on a chair and he signed his name to the cheque and said he was very glad to have it to do we are ever obliged to you and no mistake it came in a good time I sent Peter with it the next day and paid the rent which we are sure of another year and I hope the times will be better then is a great many out of their place and plenty in houses in a very bad way there is what they call Parish relief giving out every week to the suffering poor that is to those that cannot get it any other way but no one else it commenced here last week and is in all the Parishes in Ireland what money is a collecting in America the most of it is going to the west of Ireland the Forkhill Parish was the last that got any of it since the time that our lease was broke the rent was raised the rent of the whole farm is 15 pounds. Dear son it will be a renewal of health to me to hear from you and your mistress and family may God pour a blessing upon you all we rote to Patrick a year ago and got no answer we got a letter from Ellen about 12 months and we were very sorry to hear her daughters death I have her likeness yet and Patricks and his mistress's likeness and two of yours Peter was in England this time you sent yours and we sent one of them to him he got it framed very nicely it cost him four and six pence it is as fresh today as it was the day you sent it I be seeing them with the fire and pleasing my mind looking at them, we were all very glad to hear of you and your family being well and in good health Knowing that you will feel happy to hear of us all enjoying the same thank's be to God for all his holy gifts, at the time you sent for Thomas or Peter one of them to go Thomas would not go and Father would not let Peter go as he thought he would answer better with John and Margaret and his self and he never turned his toung on his father or mother nor would he let any one else there might be a change for the better in twelve months as self the neighbors are all very glad for what you have don and is blessing you may God bless and mark you with grace the post master in Forkhill said there came more money order's to him this last month than did since he started all from America. Ireland is in a very bad way. Write soon and let us know how you are all doing as we will feel happy to hear from you again and let us know how the rest of the family is. Your old sweetheart Mary Ann is married and has nine of a family. Michael Gologhy is dead too years ago. Peter and misses and family John and Margaret joins with me in sending our love and best respects to you and your Mrs and family in this warmest manner. We are forever obliged to you for what you have don us the money we got it was [an unreadable section] It was a blessing to get so good a gift [another stained area ..unreadable] No more at the present from your loving mother and Brothers and Sisters.

Dear Brother Bernard if it is a thing that I ever get ritch or gets as far as a trifle of money you are in title to it I will never forget it to you, your Brother Peter.

Letters from Bridget - 8 Jun 1880

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Mullabawn June 8, 1880
Dear son it is with Pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I received your kind and welcome letter which gave me and all the family great satisfaction to hear of you and your kind wife and family being well and in good health. I got your letter on the 26th of May, the invoice did not come in until the 3rd of June and on that same day I got the money which was a hansom present when I got the money Peter says to me Mother the day is fine and you may as well come to Dundalk as it was so long since you were in it before so I went and had a very pleseant day. I got every thing to my wishes. Dear son you are a very thoughtful man and were that when you were a little boy may your own children be as good to you as you are to me. When your letter was taken in to the house when Peter opened it and read a part of it he filled up with the crying to say you were to good as to send Fifty dollars more may the Lord pour a blessing on you your wife and family. The traveling poor are blessing you for your thought and kindness to home, I suppose you forget the size of the little farm you were raised on. I pay £10 pounds of rent in the year it is my own name that is in the recit. Peter his wife and family and John and Margaret is living in the house with me. Thomas is living on part of the farm of which he pays £4 8s of rent so the rent the whole farm is £14 8s in the year

Your Brothers and sisters are all well my grandson little Bernard says he wishes he was big boy and that he would go over to see you Your wife is a very good woman and kind to us for if she was a bad one she would strive to prevent you doing what you have done for me May God mark you and her with his holy grace.

Dear son your last letter has made this a blooming summer for us it is very remarkable the changes that has come on the place here this last four year and it is not the case in one place but many the Smiths family are all well. There is three of Peter's boys in America one of them died b... he has to in England Bernards family is well the eldest boy and girl is in Lavaerpore the rest of the family is small he is very lo he has a sort of a swelling on most of his hand. Thanks be to God I have very good health but I am getting very stif. John is getting into bad health. I will get Peter to write to you about another fortnight and perhaps I will send my likeness to you. Peter says you are entitle to another as it is all we can give you at the present. We got no word from Patrick or James or Ellen this last three years if you hear from them send us word how they are

P.S. rite soon and let us know how you are all getting along hoping when this reaches you it may find you all well. The family all join me in sending our love and best respects to you and your wife and family your affectionate mother Bridget Keenan to her son Bernard Keenan.

[In another style of writing]
Thanks be to God. We was very glad to hear from you tell me how the crops look and how much grain you have got put in this year. Tell me how much stock you have got there are there any one in need in your neighborhood have you heard any thing about the apparations at Knock if you have tell us all about it and how many cures you know of how far you live from Knock

Letters from Bridget - 5 May 1882

2009-06-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

Original folded like a card
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Best to print in landscape
Mullabawn May 5th 1882
My Dear Son and daughter and family I am proud to let you know that I got your letter and was very proud to hear of you and family being well I and my familly is quite well I also got the money you sent me which my family and I is forever obliged to you for your kindness to me Thanks be to God that you are so lucky and so fortunate as to be able to look to us in the bad times but only the goodness is in you and your wife yous would not be out so much with me. Your kind and thoughtful letters are remarked by all the neighbours.

Dear Son I wonder very much that you never spoke any thing of my picture that I sent you. I own I am old and faild but I would like you to tell me in your next letter how I looked when I reached there after crossing the stormy sea. You must have a very speedy way for ploughing when you can plough so much in the day. half an acre in the day is as much as we can do in the day. why you have more ploughed than is in all Mullabawn. We lost Patrick's address I sent too of my pictures to Ellen and she was to send one of them to Pat at the same time I sent it to you so I got no letter from them this long time. when you tell me in your letters that they were well I feel contented. it was a very stormy winter with win and rain not very much frost nor snow we have spring labour finished. those days people is late with the labour here this season owing to the wet wether. theref was a splendit crop of potatoes in this country last season. I suppose you remember Peter and Bernard Smyth, Catherin Gollogy and Mary Ann. they are all well and is glad to hear how well you are off. the traveling poor says you are happy blessed with the good woman you got and indeed they be praying for your self are for how kind you's are to me. I hope this will be a good summer.

The landlords are very determed still and must get the rent and is getting it. there is a great many injected out of there. [unreconizeable word] the money you sent done a deal of good. may God protect you and your's and bestoue a blessing on your [hanlin?]. I hope you will rite soon. good by my dear Children. my family all joins me in sending our best wishes to you your Wife and family from your mother Bridget Keenan to my son Bernard Keenan

Letters from Bridget - 4 Jan 1883

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Letter was folded as a card
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Print in Landscape mode
MULLABAWN January 4 1883
My Dear Son and Daughter and children, It is with pleasure I rite you these fuw lines to let you know that I and family are quite well and we are all very happy to hear of you your Wife and family being in the enjoyment of good health which is the greatest blessing we can have. thanks be to God for all his goodness. it was on wednesday the 27 of December I got your letter and on Wednesday 3rd of January I got the money you sent me. my family and I are ever obliged to you and your wife. I hope the almighty God will send you twise as much in the place of what you are sending to me. we are praying for your welfare and so is the traveling poor. the neighbors are all very proud to hear of how well you are doing and the good letters you are sending. it is what we say and so does the Neighbors say the same. that as good as you are your Wife is fulley as good. thanks be to god my health is as good as it was this last twenty years onely that I am stiff of my limbs. in the warm wether I walk up to the top of the road and has my little Children Playing about me. I wounder very much what I have done on the rest of my family that is in America. I wrote twice to them and got no answer. the landlords are dowing better than what they were. they are giving from three to four shillings of a reduction to the pound. this is expected to be a hard season on the poor class. there is a very bad Potatoe crop this season. the flax crop has don a deal of harm bad yeald and bad price. any having cattle to sell the are giving a very good price. we are all very sorry for the mistress having the tootheak. I hope she is quite better of it is a painful complant whildt it lasts. I have a little grandson here an name sake of yours. he says to me this morning when he seen Peter going to write, Granma come with me to America and I will forse Uncle Bernard home. you are the good uncle to us all, my family all joins me in sending our love and best respects to your wife and family. may God bless you all. we are all proud of the beatiful cards you sent me but we do not know by the names whether they are boys or girls. good by for the present. hoping to hear soon from your loving Mother Bridget Keenan to my son Br Keenan

Letters from Bridget - 31 Dec 1883

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MULLABAWN 31 Dec 1883
My Dear son it is with the greatest of pleasures I rite you those fiew lines to let you know that I received kind and welcome letter which gave us all great satisfaction to hear you your Wife and family being in the enjoyment of good health My family and I are quite well I received your letter on the 20th and after that I got the money on the 26th is was a welcome Christmas box

My Dear Son and Daughter-in-law and Children my family and I is for ever obliged to you and your kind wife besides ourselves being thankful of yous the neighborhood are all glad to hear how well you are doing the all say you have got the best woman in all America the has being very good crops here this season especially the Potato crop the Flax crop was doing very well untill this last eight or nine years since that it has don a great deal of harm the people about here does not intend to sow any more of it but we did not quit soon enough oats is giving very low price this fiew years 6 shillings and 6=3 per hundred is the common price so it is very hard to raise money the is no chance of earning a shiling in this country My Dear Child I remember the time befor you went to America when there was word of thomas going in you place how you would be leaping behind at the back of my chair and saying mother speak for me to go you are happy blessed that left this country the time you did there is none of those tenants that was enjiected out of there places they did not get back yet thanks be to god we are not near so bad as what we were three or four years ago we may thank you for a deal of it I hope the almighty will send you double as much in the place of what you sent me, you and your wife and family has your brothers and sisters wife and family blessings along with mine we got no letter from the rest of the family this long time I am very glad picture pleased you from your mother Bridget Keenan to my Son B. Keenan

Letters from Bridget - 6 Jul 1885

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Mullabawn July 6, 1885
Dear Son and Daughter and fanily I rite you those fiew lines to let you know that my family and I are all well and in good health we were all very happy to hear of you and family enjoying good health my own health is as good as it was twenty years ago onely for the stiffness of my limbs I got your letter and money all aright which I am for ever obliged to you and your kind wife yous have my blessing and all my family joins me, the poor begger Women when they call they be asking about you an when they hear of your kindness they be praying and blessing you an your family the neigh-bors are very proud to hear how well you are doing Ireland is very low at present every thing is cheap and it is very hard to make money the very best of them are busy enough this must be a late season crops of all kinds are very short we have a very drie summer a little rain would doo good we had a very could month of May with some frost we got no letter from Patrick, James or Ellen this eight years we rote too or three times I think Patrick must be dead or else he would not forget me, like your self he was very good child Edwin Ssherlin and wife both died there was about nine months be-tween them there is a son of Peter Smith's home from collage he was ordained last week Dundalak is in co., Loidh it is onley three short mile from the co., Armarh Neury is in Armagh Patrick Dolan that was at School along with you he is a Doctor this last ten or twelve years his brother Thomas died he has a younger Brother a Priest there is a great deal of the people who was injected out of there places did not get back John is getting very old looking and stiff my family joines me in saying that we are for ever tankful of you and your Wife for your kindness thanks be to god
I remain your loving mother Bridget Keenan to Bernard Keenan

Letters from Bridget - Jan 1886

2009-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Mulabawn January 1886
My Dear Son and Daughter In-law and family you know that I received the greatest of pleasure I rite you those fiew/fuw lines to let you know that I received your letter which leaves us all very happy to hear of you all being in good health I also got the money you sent me on Thursday 30th of December which was a welcome Newyear's gift Peter his wife and all the rest of the family joins with me in sending our harty thank's to you and your kind wife You and your kind wife was praised by rich and poor the poor are praying to God you to have the hight of good luck in every way for how you are thinking of me and my charge my health is as good as it was tewnty years ago onely that I am getting very stif I lie in my bead in the mornings untill ten and eleven the morning your letter came to us I was taking my breakfast they did not tell me until I had don Peter kindled the pipe and was taking it to me I raised up he had the pip in one hand and the letter in the other well mother which of the too will you have I took the letter kissed it and cried not for grief but with joy those too last summers was wormer than what we had for a long time past this was a very favor-able winter we had a little frost and onely one day's snow the Potato crop was very good this last too seasons corn and flax is yealding very badly all sorts of cattle are come to very low price oats never was so low in price it is onely 5 = 9 per hundred it never was so hard to make money there is very busy times in the country the Tenants striving to get the rents reduced it is expected there will be buisy times in Parliment at this sitting they will sit on the 12 = 13 of this month I will send you a paper then there was a great many deaths here this twelve months past Bernard Smith and Catherin Gollogly are both dead they died the one week in last August ....... your Brothers and sisters joins me in sending our love and best wishes to you and your Wife and family wishing you all a happy new year and many of them May God protect you aginst them roughs ..... I will conclude for the present hoping to hear from you soon from you
I remain you loving Mother Bridget Keenan to Bernard Keenan

Letters from Bridget - 25 Apr 1887

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Mullabawn April 25 1887
My Dear Son and Daughter inlaw and family I rite you those fiew lines to let you know that we received your letter and money all right which we are for ever thankful of you and your kind wife it sertenaly don us a deal of good may God replace double as much in it's stead Dear Son and Daughter we are very happy to hear of you's all being well and in good health and wishing you deal of happiness in your young son we are all well at present my health is very good I do not get out of my bed any day untill ten or eleven we all be very glad to hear from you's besides your a great help to leave us comfortable John is getting very stif and little work dose him for the time to come The people have nearly all the crops finishing there is no person about here remembers so dry a spring as this was last summer was a very wet season and caused bad crops to much rain dose not do with this country I hope them wild caracters you called them roughs are not coming near or annoying yous we rote a nother time to Patrick and got no ansur if you get word from him let us know there was very troublesom times in this country between landlords and tenants some Landlords are doing a little and some more they will gieve none a tall we had not very much snow last winter but along teadous frost all sorts of grain are sellling very cheap Some say Ireland will mend if we get home rool but it is very teadous coming Peter has five of a family three little boys and too little girls my self and Peter's Wife is doing very well there could be no better all the young people of this country is going to America Peter his wife and all the family joins me in sending our love and best respects to you your Wife and family good by for the present from your Mother Bridget Keenan to my Son Bernard Keenan
P.S....rite soon
[ Alvin Bernard KEENAN was Bernard's 1st. son, and Arthur was his second. WSB ]

Letters from Bridget - 5 Jan 1889

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Mullabawn January 5th 1889
My Dear Son I rite you those fiew lines to let you know that I got your letter and money all right and I am sure Peter and his wife and I are very thankful of you if we were to sell all the corn we have it would not mak six pounds my Dear son my health is as good thanks be to God as it was ten years ago onely that I am gett-ing very small and stiff this was a very wet season this sumer and winter the corn is yealding very bad it did not ripen even owing to so much wet by hearing from you it left us to have a very pleaseant Christmas we had Patrick Hanlon's sister and too of his brothers we missed Patrick very much he used to gieve us a call every Christmas he was always good natured we would like to know if you got word from Patrick James or Ellen if you did send us word how they are doing I would like to hear from them befor I would die we rote twice to Patrick and Ellen and got no answer I am sure we are very thankful of you and your Wife for how you's are looking to us, This house had always the luck of a good number of People at present there is eleven we had no snow this winter yet we had about ten days frost and is still going on Dear Son my family all joins me in sending our best respects to you your Wife and familly and also to Patrick wishing you all a happy new year and many of them P.S. rite soon as we would like to hear from you.

No more at the present from your Mother Bridget Keenan to Bernard Keenan
Address Mullabawn Post Office by Forkhill Co., Armagh Ireland

Advertisements in the Boston Pilot

2006-01-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

Could this be "Our" Bernard Keenan??

From October 1831 through October 1921, the Boston Pilot newspaper printed a “Missing Friends” column with advertisements from people looking for “lost” friends and relatives who had emigrated from Ireland to the United States. This extraordinary collection of 31,711 records is available as a searchable online database, which contains a text record for each ad that appeared in the Pilot.

The advertisements contain the ordinary but revealing details about the missing person’s life: the county and parish of their birth, when they left Ireland, the believed port of arrival in North America, their occupation, and a range of other personal information. Some records may have as many as 50 different data fields, while others may offer only a few details. The people who placed ads were often anxious family members in Ireland, or the wives, siblings, or parents of men who followed construction jobs on railroads or canals.
Link to the database: http://infowanted.bc.edu/

A search of the database resulted in the following information:
An advertisement on January 13, 1855 placed by Bernard Keehan (Keenan?), male. He was searching for Ellen Keenan, Patrick Keenan and Rose Keenan. All were listed with port of origin information as Home County:Armagh, Parish:Forkill, Townland:Forkill, Barony:Orior Upper, Poor-Law:Newry and Location after Arrival as Piermont New York.

Vol III 1854-1856
13 Jan 1855
OF ROSE, ELLEN, or PATK KEENAN, parish of Forkhill, co Armagh; when last heard from were at Piermont, N Y. Information of them will be received by Bernard Keehan [sic], care of Mrs Sulia [sic] Carey, Euterpe st, near the corner of Apollo st, N Orleans.

Letters written in the mid to late 1880's to Bernard from his mother Bridget, still in Ireland, often refer to Ellen and Patrick and that she has not heard from them. She does not mention Rose. If this is the correct family perhaps Rose is the wife of Patrick or maybe Rose died after they immigrated but before the letters were written?

Lydia Keenan's Forget-Me-Not-Plate

2006-01-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

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This is a photo of Grandma Lydia Emma Wilder Keenan's Forget-Me-Not-Plate. It was through a fire and is very fragile. It is currently in the possession of my daughter Sally in Tennessee.

Memories of Biggs

2005-12-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

The Columbia Hotel, Biggs Oregon

I remember my great grandparents Bernard and Lydia WILDER KEENAN. My memory of the old homestead at Biggs is very faint, as I recall the house looks the same shape as that in the photo, except I remember it unpainted. It faced away from the high sand hills in back (west) and toward a small stream in front (east). The old highway was across the stream. Now the wide highway goes right over the top of the old building site, as it goes south from the bridge, up the canyon toward Mora. I have a little better recall of their house in Biggs and their Hotel, The Columbia, near the Columbia river and the depot and the empty Maryhill Mansion on the north bank. (later it became a Museum) The Biggs Hotel was owned by Mr. HECKER, who had a son, Lorne. Both hotels were eventually lost to fire and never rebuilt.

The smell of ivory soap and lemon pies bring back memories of great grandma KEENAN. I mostly see a long black full skirt, tall black high heeled button shoes, dark hair and very dark eyes, working in her hot kitchen with it's huge wood stove preparing the meals. I can picture the dining room (facing north, overlooking the river and the Depot and Mansion) with it's snowy white table cloths, the sugar bowls, salt and peppers, & vinegar cruets. (I believe I gave my daughter Sally one of the cruets, a blue enamel chocolate pot and a blue enamel sassafras pot. Julia, my other daughter, has gr. grandmothers wash stand from the Hotel and a badly fire damaged plate with forget-me-not flowers on it. And young Jack received several of the big coffee mugs used in the old Hotel.). I also remember the bowls of oyster crackers, I was constantly dragging up a chair to reach them and great grandma shooing me away. I can picture her going out to the cold cellar in the back yard for meats, potatoes, or apples. She had little time for playing with or enjoying her great grand daughters, Ella, Bernice and myself, but I still have good feelings about her. She had a huge flower stand (that I loved) it stood in the Hotel Lobby near a room for the guests (mostly railroad men) to freshen up. No one was allowed to eat in her dinning room without freshening up. Railroad men were Lydia's main customers and kept both hotels in business. I remember the Depot, for it was a favorite place to play, and I remember the Arnolds who ran it. I remember going with Grandma Grace Shearer and looking for arrow heads up in the sand dunes, and finding a lot of them. Years later when I returned with my youngsters all we found was a button, it had come off of one of my favorite childhood dresses. I remember looking up into the skies with grandma Grace, on a fall evening and seeing the sky dark with hundreds and hundreds of geese as they flew from the bluffs on the north across the mighty Columbia to the bluffs on the south, and listening to the canyon ring with their honking.

It was called the "Mighty Columbia" back then and I loved every inch of it, that is until it was turned into a series of holding ponds with dams. Grandma Grace was a nature lover, she taught me to see, hear and enjoy nature. It sadden's me to see and realize all that has been destroyed and lost to Oregon in my life time. I and my sister were the innocent destroyer's of a beautiful flower on our hill side. By over picking this flower that should never have been picked in the first place, and by picking it in a way that guaranteed our killing it, the beautiful Rocka-lily is gone.

The very land area in Biggs where the homestead, the Hotel and the Keenan home stood have been for ever destroyed. At first by tons of fill for a new straight highway, for the north & south bridge traffic, and the second by flooding from the back waters of The DALLES (Celilo) Dam. I and my descendants can never see where the Keenan's lived and toiled, for over 18 years. Even the Biggs ferry was lost to progress. This was the place of my early formative years, with loving adults, my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, even friendly railroad men, with pure air, water, abundant wild life and space us kids (3 girl cousins) ran free and wild until we were about 4 to 5 years of age or about 1924.

Maryhill Museum

2005-12-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

Maryhill Musuem

Looking south across the Columbia River from the Maryhill Castle in the early days you could see the small eastern Oregon town of Biggs before it was relocated to higher ground.

My mothers people left Weston, Oregon in the early 1900's and settled on a homestead near Biggs, just up the canyon toward Moro. Bernard had a long mail route covering two counties, Moro and Sherman that I know of, he traveled by horse. While covering his route he was bitten by a dog on his shin bone. The wound would not heal and he became more and more infirm.

Great grandmother Emma Lydia Wilder KEENAN became the strong one of the family. She took charge. She built the Columbia Hotel at Biggs Or. All the womenfolk helped great grandma run the Hotel including my grandmother and my mother. I being a preschooler in the early 1920's spend hours setting on the front steps of the hotel and dreaming about that huge mansion across the River. I believe my fondness for castles, prince and princesses, dragons and Merlin the sorcerer came Irom those early dreaming days.

Emma and Bernard had "Dinty's Station" built to provide an income for Bertha's daughter, Rheta and her husband, Dinty DURLAN.

Mother told me that she and my dad explored Maryhill Gastle inside and out one week end, approx 1916/17. She and dad found a loose window on the ground floor, pried it open, went in and explored the big empty building.

Often used expressions used by my family and others was "What in the Sam HILL are you doing"? or "What in the Sam HILL do you think you are doing"? even "Why in the Sam HILL are you doing that"? I believe you get the picture.

This immense pile of concrete and stone called Maryhill castle, set high in the vast nothingness of a stark hill on the Washington side overlooking the Columbia's gorge was built by the eccentric Samuel HILL, son-in-Iaw of James Jerome HILL the railroad man. Supposedly Sam built it for his bride, but no one can explain why, (the Sam Hill), he chose such an inaccessible spot.

Years later, on the Oregon side, long after both Hecker's "Biggs Hotel" and great grandmother Emma's "Columbia Hotel" burned down, married and with children of my own ... I visited the castle for the first time. It had been turned into a Museum and a surprisingly good one at that ... with the support of Queen Marie of Romania. Queen Marie left her homeland to came all this way for the dedication. Plenty of hot wind, temperatures in the 90's or reaching 100. I wonder what she thought as she looked out over that parched landscape for miles in each direction and saw naught but rock and sagebrush.

Today my family have all moved away, the original warehouses, rails and depot, the Hotel sites lay under many feet of water backed up from Celilo Falls (Dechutes) Dam. The old homestead is covered over by a modern highway carrying the bridge traffic north and south.

Dinty's Station became Dinty Moore's and the last I saw, it was called just plain ol'e "Dinty's Market".

With the passing of time Maryhill's castle museum has prospered, a paved highway runs past, the grounds have been manicured into a park with trees, green grass shrubs and flowers. There is a modern campground near by for our comfort and as I recall homes, stores etc. are near the shore line.

But the view from Maryhill remains vast, lonely and beautiful.

Bernard & Lydia Emma Keenan Tombstone

2005-12-26T16:52:00.000-08:00

The Dalles, Oregon Cemetery

Bernard and Great-Grandaughters

2005-12-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

Bernard Keenan and Great Grandaughters
Berniece Shearer, Ella Ohlegschlager, Winiford Ohlegschlager

Armagh Archdiocese Churches

2005-12-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Churches of the Armagh Archdiocese
Parish of Mullaghbawn (Forkhill)

Church of St Mary, Mullaghbawn (1862)

Church of St Oliver Plunkett, Forkhill (1997)

Church of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, Aughanduff (1957)

Where in Ireland??

2005-12-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

Nine letters from Bridget Keenan to her son Bernard Keenan in Weston Oregon posted between 1880 and 1889 give her address as "Mullabawn Post Office by Forkill, Co Armagh Ireland"

Mullabawn is sometimes found spelled as Mullaghbawn. Forkill is also found spelled as Forkhill (with an 'h').

Map of Ireland showing counties
(arrow points to Armagh Co)

Map of Ireland showing provinces
(arrow points to Armagh Co)

Map of Armagh Co
(arrow points to Forkill)

This southern part of Armagh Co in northern Ireland is sometimes referred to as the "Bandit country". It is a mix of Catholic and Protestant and has been a hotbed of IRA activity.

County Armagh (Contae Ard Mhacha in Irish) is a county in Ulster. It is the smallest of the six counties that form Northern Ireland. County Armagh is known as the Orchard County because the land is so fertile for apple-growing. Its main town is Armagh, in the middle of the county, although Lurgan and Portadown, in the north of the county, each have larger populations.

The county borders Lough Neagh to the north, County Down to the east, County Tyrone to the north-west, and counties Louth and Monaghan, both in the Republic of Ireland, to the south and south-west respectively.

The River Blackwater runs along the border with County Tyrone. The River Bann enters Lough Neagh in the north, flowing though the north-east of the county. Mountains in Armagh include Slieve Gullion, Carrigatuke and Camlough Mountain.

There are also a number of islands in the county's section of Lough Neagh: Coney Island, Coney Island Flat, Croaghan Flat, Derrywarragh Island, Padian, Phil Roe's Flat and the Shallow Flat.

Forkhill (Irish): from the Middle Irish oircél, probably meaning trough or valley. Cited as follows in translation: "we were in Forkill [in orcél], Slieve Fuad to the west of us, Slieve Gullion to the east". Attempts at explaining the origin of the name are invariabley based on later occurrences of the name in Irish documents and are wrong. Forkill, sometimes spelled wrongly Forkhill because of the steep inclines into the village from all sides, is a small village in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland, close to the border with County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. It is close to both Newry and Dundalk and lies in the foothills of Slieve Gullion beside Mullaghbawn. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 366 people. In 1837 it had 152 people. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council area.

Following is an excerpt of a posting I found on a Armagh mail list from Michael Reed regarding his trip to South Armagh in 1999. This indicates that Mullabrawn is "over the hill" from Forkill. It also gives an indication of the political environment of the area, the beauty of the countryside and the friendliness of the people.

". . . . with my wife and two young children drove to Newry and spent the night in a B&B north of town. The border was more or less invisible. During a drive through a housing estate on a hill above Newry, we saw political graffiti (IRA South Down Armagh Brigade) and we briefly crossed paths with three heavily armored Land Rovers (probably RUC, as "Crime-stoppers" was painted on the side).

They were impatient for us to get out of their way at a stop sign, honking at us to move along.

The landscape of South Armagh was very beautiful, with hilly farmland and pastures and small tidy villages. We drove the next morning through Camlough, Bessbrook, Carrickcrovaddy, Cullyhanna, Crossmaglen, Clonalig, Silverbridge, Mullabawn and Forkhill. Many of these very small villages had British or RUC military nstallations on nearby hills, and Crossmaglen has a base right next to the town square. There were frequent helicopter flights in and out of the bases and around the countryside. In Cullyhanna, we stopped at St. Patricks Church and cemetery and noted several family headstones. There is an IRA memorial in town, as there is in Crossmaglen. We then drove to Crossmaglen for lunch.

I should emphasize that at no time did we feel in personal danger. On the contrary, the occasional military presence seemed completely out of place in the bucolic countryside. That may not always have been the case, but it seemed that way to us. Crossmaglen was perhaps the friendliest village we visited in two weeks in Ireland. Shopkeepers and pub workers went out of their way to make us feel welcome and to offer genealogy advice to me. On their recommendation, we went to the church just outside of town (I couldn't find the name, but it's the large Catholic Church). We noted several McGeeney headstones. A woman in the cemetery directed me to the parish house and Father McGeough, the parish priest. although I hadn't even called in advance, he graciously sat down with me for 20 minutes on a Saturday evening to browse the parish baptismal and marriage records. We found pages of well organized records of McGeeneys, which is a very unusual surname, and I may have actually broken through a "brick wall" in locating my great-great-great grandfather's baptismal record.

For Forkhill parish records, Fr. McGeough directed me to Mullabawn, and St. Mary's Church. The cemetery again contained several family headstones, but the parish priest didn't really have time to sit down with me, and referred me to the diocese records in Armagh which have been mentioned on this list.

On the drive over the hill to Mullabawn, we got lost and took a tiny country road over the hill. We stopped several times to take pictures of the stunning landscape and wildflowers, including a wonderful view of Slieve Gullion, which dominates the countryside. A military helicopter, evidently wondering what on earth we were doing, hovered over us for a few minutesand then flew on. We also passed tourists having "pony treks" through the countryside.

From Mullabawn we drove out of Northern Ireland through Forkhill, and again we didn't even realize when we had passed over the border.

All in all, this was the most satisfying part of my journey to Ireland, mainly because of the personal connection. in addition, however, this was also some of the most beautiful landscape and some of the friendliest people I encountered. Although the military presence and political graffiti were out of place and disturbing (as if you were seeing them in West Virginia), the area appeared very safe for tourists and I would gladly go back to visit again. I encourage anyone with connections in the area to do the same."

About Forkhill

2005-12-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forkhill
Forkhill or Forkill (from Irish: Foirceal)[1] is a small village in south County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is within the Ring of Gullion, near Slieve Fuad. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 366 people.

The name is pronounced as either fork-hill or for-kil and derives from the Middle Irish oircél, probably meaning "trough" or "valley". Cited as follows in translation: "we were in Forkill [in orcél], Slieve Fuad to the west of us, Slieve Gullion to the east".

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/armagh/forkhill.shtml

Forkhill - Peadar O'Doirnin
Unfortunately the place-name 'Forkhill' along with hundreds more has suffered greatly from the desire of some people to curtail such names almost to the point where the original name or part thereof has become redundant through disuse. In many instances the name resultant from such curtailment bears little or no relationship to the original name or to its meaning.

The correct Irish name of Forkhill is "FOIRCEAL na CLEIRE". Clearly the present-day English version derives from the FIRST PART ONLY of the original Irish. This is most unfortunate from two aspects. Firstly, the "FOIRCEAL" portion of the Irish name has always been the subject of debate as to its meaning, Secondly, the "na CLEIRE" portion has disappeared entirely but it is, historically, the more important portion of the two parts. "na CLEIRE" means.... "of the PRIESTS" or "of the CLERGY" and is a direct reference to the crucial historic fact that the FRANCISCAN PRIESTS founded a LOCUS REFUGII in this immediate area during PENAL TIMES.

The "FOIRCEAL" part of the placename is widely held to signify "COLD WOOD", but this is by no means the only posssible meaning. Another translation which has found some favour, admittedly nowhere near to the general acceptance of "COLD WOOD" is..... "SUB CELL" which would indeed serve to differentiate between the foundation near FORKHILL and the MOTHER HOUSE in DUNDALK, some six miles distant. Since the foundation of any locus refugii is, initially deemed by its founders to be of a temporary nature, lasting only until danger has passed, it may well be that the name given to this particular foundation was indeed "SUB CELL". Our best guess however is that the placename in its entirety ought to be translated into english as "THE COLD WOOD OF THE PRIESTS".

Having elaborated on the ecclesiastical origin of the place name of FORKHILL, it is now apt to define, geographically, the site of the Franciscan friary from which that placename derives. On the road from DUNGOOLEY CROSS to FORKHILL, a journey of approximately one mile, one passes on the left hand side Donnellys' Road which leads to Carrive and on the same side the Bog Road which loops around Forkhill village at some distance, to emerge at "Jacksons' Plantin".

Having passed these two landmarks one comes immediately to Stanleys' Hill, a fairly steep gradient which is in two distinct parts. A comparitively level stretch of roadway separates these two parts. On the left hand side of this level stretch of road and adjacent to it lies the land of Bernard O'Hanlon R.I.P. of Dungooley. Just inside the gate to that field and slightly to one's left is the site of the Franciscan Friary. This land is situated in the townland of SHEAN.

It is only a few hundred yards distant from the centre of FORKHILL village. The site was pointed out to me more than half a century ago by a local man who was then very old. Many years later I read an article in "Co. Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal" which supported, exactly, that which the old man had told to me. Other placenames in the immediate area bear adequate testimony to the existence in penal times, of this religious foundation.

BAILE na mBRATHAR, (the townland of the Brothers) lies between the mouth of Donnellys'Road and Dungooley Cross. URNEY, the ruins of a Church together with its graveyard is only a few hundred yards distant from the Franciscan Friary in the townland of Dungooley. The word "URNEY" means PRAYER but the late CANON McKEEVER of FAUGHART parish, a highly respected historian pointed out that, latterly the word could be taken to mean, not only prayer but the place in which such devotion was carried out. Urney is a most peaceful place and well worth a visit by any person who has even the slightest interest in the past.

There are "mass rocks" in very many parts of Ireland but one in the immediate area of the Franciscan Friary at Shean is worthy of note because of its size. It is a huge whin-covered tumulus and it lies in the field on the FORKHILL side of the mouth of Donnellys' road. Many years ago there was a popular belief that this rock and URNEY had, at some time in the past been connected with the Friary via underground passages. This may have been a confusion between passages or walkways and much more common "souterrains".

At one time Urney bore the name of the Patron Saint of Ireland, St Patrick. In fact, popular opinion ascribes the building of the original church on the site to the Saint himself but I think that it is much more likely that St. Patrick was, to use the phrase so common at this time "flat out" converting and ministering to his rapidly increasing flock.

It is impossible to write about the history of a particular area without regard to its connections with other adjacent areas and indeed areas which may well be at some considerable remove. My comments re. FORKHILL (above), and ,of course SHEAN, and placenames mentioned therein have connctions with people, places, and eras long gone as well as the obvious connection with the IRISH language. A little insight to such connections is afforded to the reader by a glance at the works of ART BENNETT.

ART was a renowned scribe and historian. He also wrote quite a considerable amount of poetry but his prowess in this field has been debated. I am certainly not about to judge him in this matter. Nobody ever questioned his status in the first two fields. He lived in BALLYKEEL, a townland some three Irish miles from FORKHILL village. His works are written most often in the Irish language but there are some English writings. It mst be borne in mind that Irish was the first and in the majority of cases the only language of the population during Art's lifetime (1793--1879).

The reason why I mention him here is that in one of his poems written in Irish "IMBRUAGADH NA gCEARRBHACH" ( THE ROUT OF THE CARDPLAYERS) he mentions many local placenames, including "Baile na mBrathar" and "Foirceal na Cleire" (sic). There is no further need to debate the original form of the Irish name FORKHILL.

It is a most salutory lesson to those of us who are, at the present time, given to bemoaning our lot in this vale of tears to read just a small amount about Art's life and times including those woeful famine years.

Those among you who come to visit south Armagh in general, and the Forkhill district in particular will surely have time for a visit to BALLYKEEL where locals will be able to indicate to you the site of Art's dwelling. Make certain, when you are there, to visit the attractive tripod dolmen in that townland and also ask about "Doctors Quarters" another most historic place only a few hundred yards from Ballykeel. Soon we will mention one of the most famous persons from Forkhill, the renowned poet Peadar O'Doirnin.

Art Bennett was most unfortunate, not only with regard to the harsh physical and economic climate into which he was born and which prevailed throughout his lifetime. He was unfortunate also with regard to the fact that he was born during or after the decline and fall of the great school of S.E. Ulster poets. As I mentioned previously, Art's prowess in the field of poetry has been the subject of much debate. One of the causes for this was, undoubtedly the fact that he was constantly being compared with the acknowledged great poets of a previous generation eg. O'Doirnin, McCooey,McAlinden etc. There is no evidence that Art ever set himself up as an equal or indeed a rival to these all-time greats, but as we all know, people will compare and contrast. All we can say is that Art Bennett surely had a difficult if not an impossible act to follow.

He was however, the last tenuous link in a hitherto unbroken chain of poetry extending from his time right back several centuries through the great bardic traditions. Art makes many references in his writings to Peadar O'Doirnin, who is popularly esteemed as the sweetest of all the S.E. Poets. Before we examine that which is known about this man, let me counsel extreme caution in the matter of grasping wildly at dates etc. and deeming them to be proven historic facts. The reason for such caution arises from the huge amount of unsubstantiated facts which has in the past, and will no doubt in the future be churned out as documented history.

Firstly the place of his birth has never been established beyond doubt. Places as far away as CASHEL in Co. Tipperary and as close to hand as ROSKEAGH in Co. Louth have been mentioned. You may take your choice. Since his birth-place has not been geographically defined, there is no definite proof of the date of his birth. In this matter also we may only use various recorded facts to make deductions. Worry not my friends. I shall now short circuit the entire deduction system for you. Please accept them as best guesses unless otherwise stated.

O'DOIRNIN was born at a location unascertained in or about the year 1684. His parents had considered educating him for the Priesthood but they never did this because of the harsh penal laws which were in force,particularly against the catholic clergy at that time. He did receive a wide education during his perigrinations and came for some time to reside with Arthur Brownlow near Lurgan as a tutor. After a difference of opinion with that household he left the area. He took unto himself a wife and spent his honeymoon around Ballymoyer. Subsequently he moved to FORKHILL where he set up a "hedge school" in opposition to one already established under the tutelage of Maurice Gorman. Such was the popular appeal of the new school that eventually O'Gorman was forced out of business. I bet you thought that "falling rolls" was a present-day phenomenon!

O'DOIRNIN in common with many other poets was, to say the least, very fond of strong drink and weak(willed) women, and not in that particular order. His idea of heaven was a full glass in his hand and a comely girl on his knee. He continued writing his poetry and teaching school for many years. He was a close friend of BIG JEM MURPHY . (more of this relationship anon) Onde day he permitted his scholars to go out to play while he was having a little nap. Eventually the pupils noticed that they had been out longer than normal and they returned to find the master , as they thought, asleep in his chair. The Illustrious PEADAR O'DOIRNIN had died.

Another renowned poet from the area, ART McCOOEY wrote O'Doirnin's gravelay which enables us to pinpoint the date of his death as APRIL 5th 1769.

O'Doirnin was taken from his school in BAILE na MBRATHAR ( translated in one account as FRIARSTOWN) to be buried in URNEY. I have already mentioned these two places, and not by accident. There are many poems attributed to O'Doirnin but, almost unbelievably, some poems which he did write have been attributed to other poets, while some which he most certainly did not write have been attributed to him. He did write some poems which were, to say the least, only suitable for very broad-minded adults. To the very best of my knowledge, none of his works are in English and I have never seen any substantial number of his poems in a collected English translation.

The poem for which he will be forever remembered is entitled " Urchnoc Chein Mhic Cainte". A haunting air was put to this equally haunting love poem by P. O'Dubhda of *Myers' Cross.
O'Doirnin was also connected with JOHNSON OF THE FEWS in a rather dangerous way.
ONE THING IS CERTAIN. O'DOIRNIN IS, TO DATE FORKHILL'S MOST FAMOUS SON.

*Mayer's Cross - is marked on modern maps as Hackballs cross. On the main road from castleblaney to dundalk. Peadar o'dubhda , throughout his lifetime refused to use this 'british name' as the place where he was reared preferring instead to use the local name.

Another source for Forkhill information
Kyla Madden 's recent book, "Forkhill protestants and Forkhill Catholics, 1787-1858".

The Potato Famine

2005-12-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Potato Famine has been hurting the Irish people and the farmers for many years and times are still very hard. After the potato was introduced, the population exploded, by 1845 it had passed 8 million, double what it is today. The potato had become the staff of life for the Irish peasant. An average adult ate 9 to 14 pounds a day. Then in 1845 came the deadly blight and in 6 years over a million deaths had occurred. More than a million sought refuge in America. Bridget's .... Ellen, Patrick, James and Bernard came here somewhere about 1850/3. The Irish government did not help .....nor the landlords who sold any produce they could get to foreign countries for gain and the clergy backed them. Help finely came from America (mostly from the Irish who had a chance to get established) but that took time. The landlords broke their contracts with their farmers and began raising rents, the displaced had no place to go except the roads and by-ways, better known as the "walking-poor".

Dinty's Station at Biggs OR

2005-12-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

1915 the Keenans resided in Biggs Oregon.

Bernard and Lydia built or had built, "Dinty's Station", for Ritta and Dinty to provide a job and income for them. The Station was built on the Columbia River Highway east of The Dalles, at the Junction going south to Moro and Grass Valley. The Station was on part of their homestead property, the house and buildings to the south were destroyed when the bridge across the Columbia was built and a wide straight highway was built to the south. Eventually uncle Alvin inherited the station, and the rental of it provided for him for his lifetime. Long before the new highway the Keenan's had moved to lower Biggs, down near the depot and the hotel, this area is under water ... now that we have The Dalles Dam, which also wiped out the famous Celilo Falls and Indian Village.

Bernard Keenan to Oregon

2005-12-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

In an old ledger for the Pioneer Assoc. of Weston, Oregon, is an entry for Bernard saying that he came to Oregon in 1863 from California by Ox team. [in the Weston library]

Winnie's woodchips

2005-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

WOODCHIPS - From Winnie's Corner
Fresh chips from old family trees as well as other genealogical subjects

In 1853 Great grandfather Bernard KEENAN came to the United States with two older siblings when he was about 12 to 14 years old, thus relieving the pressure on the family in Ireland caused by the potato famine. On his way west Bernard stopped in Iowa, from there went to the gold fields of California.

Great grandpa KEENAN had come from California to Weston Oregon by ox team in 1863 where he marries 1st Triphene WILDER, an older sister of my great grandma Lydia Emma Wilder KEENAN. Triphene died soon after the birth of her first child, Bertha KEENAN. Lydia Emma, Triphene's younger sister, 20 years younger than Bernard, came to care for baby Bertha and stayed to marry Bernard. They had three children, Arthur KEENAN, (grandma) Grace Pearl KEENAN and Alvin KEENAN.

My grandparents, Harry SHEARER and Grace Pearl KEENAN had my uncles Carl SHEARER and Harold SHEARER, my mother Mable SHEARER and my aunts Mary SHEARER and Bertha SHEARER. Aunt Mary celebrated her 100th birthday May 10th 1998.

My mother's people left Weston, Oregon in the early 1900's and settled on a homestead near Biggs, just up the canyon from Moro. Bernard had a long mail route covering two counties, Moro and Sherman that I know of, he traveled by horse. While covering his route he was bitten by a dog on his shin bone. The wound would not heal and he became more and more infirm.

Great grandmother Emma Lydia Wilder KEENAN became the strong one of the family, She took charge, she built the Columbia Hotel at Biggs OR. All the womenfolk helped great grandma run the hotel including my grandmother and mother. I being a preschooler in the early 1920's spent hours setting on the front steps of the hotel and dreaming about that huge mansion (Maryhill)across the river. I believe my fondness for castles, prince and princesses, dragons and Merlin the sorcerer came from those early dreaming days.

Emma and Bernard had “Dinty's Station” built to provide an income for Bertha's daughter, Rheta and her husband, Dinty DURLAND.

Mother told me that she and dad explored Maryhill Castle inside and out one weekend, approx 1916/17. She and dad found a loose window on the ground floor, pried it open, went in and explored the big empty building.

Often used expressions used by my family and others was “What in the Sam Hill are you doing?” or “What in the Sam Hill do you think you are doing?” even “Why in the Sam Hill are you doing that?” I believe you get the picture.

This immense pile of concrete and stone called Maryhill castle, set high in the vast nothingness of a stark hill on the Washington side overlooking the Columbia's gorge, was built be the eccentric Samuel HILL, son-in-law of James Jerome HILL the railroad man. Supposedly Sam built it for his bride, but no one can explain why (the Sam Hill) he chose such an inaccessible spot.

Years later, on the Oregon side, long after both Hecker's “Biggs Hotel” and great grandmother Emma's “Columbia Hotel” burned down, married and with children of my own … I visited the castle for the first time. It had been turned into a museum, and a surprisingly good one at that, with the support of Queen Marie or Romania. Queen Marie left her homeland to come all this way for the dedication. Plenty of hot wind, temperatures in the 90's or reaching 100. I wonder what she thought as she looked out over that parched landscape for miles in each direction and saw naught by rock and sagebrush.

Today my family have all moved away, the original warehouses, rails and depot, the Hotel sites lay under many feet of water backed up from Celilo Falls (Deschutes) Dam. The old homestead is covered over by a modern highway carrying the bridge traffic north and south.

Dinty's Station became Dinty Moore's and the last I saw, it was called just plain ol'e “Dinty's market”.

With the passing of time Maryhill's castle museum has prospered, a paved highway runs past, the grounds have been manicured into a park with trees, green grass, shrubs and flowers. There is a modern campground near by for our comfort and as I recall homes, stores etc. are near the shore line.

But the view from Maryhill remains vast, lonely and beautiful.

More of Winnie's Memories

2005-12-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

Bernard and Lydia's hotel in Biggs, Or . burned to the ground, in the early 1920's. I recall the hotel as well as remember my great grandparents, I loved them very much. Great grandpa Keenan was a mail carrier for Moro and Sherman Counties or Wasco and Moro or ? Sherman. He covered a lot of ground by foot and by horse, said he got so thirsty at times he drank what little water he could find captured in the hoof prints ( could he be teasing a little great grand daughter, I wasn't going to school yet abt. 1922-23?)

He was bitten on one his shins by a dog, during one of his rounds .. it became badly infected becoming an open ulcer. It eventually got so bad he could no longer work. He had beautiful white hair and a full white beard, and sharp twinkling dark eyes. He had his photo taken with his three great grand daughters, ELLA, Mary's girl,..... BERNICE, Carl's girl and myself, the youngest, WINIFORD, Mabel's .. girl. Notice our frowning faces, his leg gave off a bad smell and we show it .... yet look how we lean and stay by him ...... he was very kind and gentle and loved us dearly as we loved him.

Winnie's Memories

2005-12-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

I remember my great grandparents Bernard and Lydia WILDER KEENAN. My memory of the old homestead at Biggs is very faint, as I recall the house looks the same shape as that in the photo, except I remember it unpainted. It faced away from the high sand hills in back (west) and toward a small stream in front (east). The old highway was across the stream. Now the wide highway goes right over the top of the old building site, as it goes south from the bridge, up the canyon toward Moro. I have a little better recall of their house in Biggs and their Hotel, The Columbia, nearer the Columbia River and the depot and the empty Maryhill Mansion on the north bank. (later it became a Museum). The Biggs Hotel was owned by Mr. HECKER, who had a son Lorne. Both hotels were eventually lost to fire and never rebuilt.

The smell of ivory soap and lemon pies bring back memories of great grandma KEENAN. I mostly see a long black full skirt, tall black high heeled button shoes, dark hair and very dark eyes, working in her hot kitchen with it's huge wood stove preparing the meals.I can picture the dinning room (faceing north, overlooking the river and the Depot and Mansion) with it's snowy white table cloths,the sugar bowls, salt and peppers, & vinegar cruets. (I believe I gave Sally my daughter, one of the cruets, a blue enamel chocolate pot and a blue enamel sassafras pot. Julia, my other daughter, has gr. grand- mothers wash stand from the Hotel and a badly fire damaged plate with forget-me-not flowers on it. And young Jack received several of the big coffee mugs used in the old Hotel.). I also remember the bowls of oyster crackers, I was constantly dragging up a chair to reach them and great grandma shooing me away. I can picture her going out to the cold cellar in the back yard for meats, potatoes, or apples. She had little time for playing with or enjoying her great grand daughters, Ella, Bernice and myself, but I still have good feelings about her. She had a huge flower stand (that I loved) it stood in the Hotel Lobby near a room for the guests (mostly railroad men) to freshen up. No one was allowed to eat in her dinning room without freshening up. Railroad men were Lydia's main customers and kept both hotels in business. I remember the Depot, for it was a favorite place to play, and I remember the Arnolds who ran it. I remember going with Grandma Grace Shearer and looking for arrow heads up in the sand dunes, and finding a lot of them. Years later when I returned with my youngsters all we found was a button, it had come off of one of my favorite childhood dresses. I remember looking up into the skies with grandma Grace, on a fall evening and seeing the sky dark with hundreds and hundreds geese as they flew from the bluffs on the north across the mighty Columbia to the bluffs on the south, and listening to the canyon ring with their honking.

It was called the "Mighty Columbia" back then and I loved every inch of it, that is until it was turned into a series of holding ponds with dams. Grandma was a nature lover, she taught me to see, hear and enjoy nature..... it sadden's me to see and realize all that has been destroyed and lost to Oregon in my life time. I and my sister were the innocent destroyer's of a beautiful flower on our hill side. By over picking this flower that should never have been picked in the first place, and by picking it in a way that guaranteed our killing it, the beautiful Rock-a-lily is gone.

The very land area in Biggs where the homestead, the Hotel and the Keenan home stood has been forever destroyed. The first by tons of fill for a new straight highway, north & south, and the second by flooding from the back waters of the Celilo Dam. I and my descendants can never see where the Keenan's lived and toiled, for over 18 years. Lost to progress. This was the place of my early formative years, with loving adults, my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, even friendly railroad men, with pure air, water, abundant wild life and space ..... us kids (3 girl cousins) ran free and wild until we were about 4 to 5 years of age or about 1924.

1900 Federal Census-Oregon

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Federal Census 11 June 1900, Oregon, Umatilla County (probably Weston, Or)

Dwelling no. 144, Family no. 144
Bernard KEENAN, husband, b. May 1840, age 60, 25 yrs. married, 3 children., b. Ireland, father & mother b. in Ireland. Immgrated 1853, years in U.S. 47, naturlized., farmer
Lidy M., wife, b. July 1860, age 39, married 25 yrs., b. in Minn. Father b. N.Y. Mother b. Ohio
Alvin B., son, b. Feb. 1879, age 21, born in Ore. Farm laborer
Arthur, son, b. Oct. 1886 age 13, born in Oregon. At school
Ritta, dau., b. Feb. 1895 age 5, born in Oregon

1880 Federal Census-Umatilla Co OR

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1880 Federal Census, 5 June 1880, Oregon, Umatilla Co. (probably Weston,Or.)
Dwelling no. 90, Family no. 83
Barney KEENAN, husband, age 40, farmer, b. Ire., father b. Ire., mother b. Ireland
Emma, wife, age 20, b. Minn. father b. N.Y., mother b. Ohio
Berthie, dau., age 5, b. Ore. father b. Ire., mother b. Minn.
Grace P., dau., age 3, b. Ore. father b. Ire., mother b. Minn.
Bernard, son, age 1, b. Ore. father b. Ire., mother b. Minn.