Bernard Keenan - The Immigrant

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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Advertisements in the Boston Pilot

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?