Senator Richard Rolland Kenney (Senator)

Finding the Tremaine children led me back to their Grandfather, Richard Rolland Kenney. I knew he was a Senator from Delaware based on reading Hearne History 185-187. What I didn't realize was how much information on the web would be available based on this, as well as images.

Senator Kenney has his own Wikipedia article, except it doesn't mention anything about his family. I think I'll add a few facts to Wikipedia. He's in the official list of Senators from Delaware, Political Graveyard, and a Congressional Biographical site.

There's lot's more information out there on this family.

Here is the family in the 1900 census. His first wife, Harriet (Pennewill) is still living. She died in 1907.

Family 82
Richard R. Kenney, head, W, M, Sept, 1856, 43, Md, 18, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware, U.S. Senator;
Harriett Kenney, wife, W, F, Sept 1860, 39, Md, 18, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware;
Lillias B. Kenney, dau, W, F, Aug 1882, 17, sgl, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware;
Caleb S. Kenney, son, W, M, Oct 1888, 11, sgl, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware;
Census 1900 Delaware Kent Dover Dist 69 pg 7

Here is the family in the 1910 census. Richard has now married Marianita Walker, who was a childhood friend of Harriet.

Family 70, 204 N State Street
Richard R. Kenney, head, M, W, 53, Marriage 2, 2 years, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware, Lawyer, General practice;
Margerita W. Kenney, F, W, 50, Marriage 1, 2 years, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware;
Caleb Kenney, son, M, W, 21, sgl, Delaware, Delaware, Delaware;
Census 1910 Delaware Kent Dover page 148 sheet 3

So far, I can't find the family in the 1920 census. The 1930 census is shown in the previous blog post "William and Lillias (Kenney) Tremaine".

At a wonderful site called www.findagrave.com I found more accurate birth, death, and name spelling information.

Richard Rolland Kenney
Birth: Sep. 9, 1856
Death: Aug. 14, 1931
US Senator. Served as a United States Senator from Delaware from 1895 to 1901.
Burial:
Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
Dover
Kent County
Delaware, USA
Record added: Apr 19 2003

Harriet C. Pennewill Kenney
Birth: Sep. 17, 1860
Death: Feb. 10, 1907
Inscription: Wife of Richard Kenney
Burial:
Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
Dover
Kent County
Delaware, USA
Record added: Oct 9 2005
By: Russ Pickett

Marianita Walker Kenney
Birth: Jun. 12, 1859
Death: Jan. 28, 1946
Inscription: Wife of Richard Rolland Kenney.
Burial:
Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
Dover
Kent County
Delaware, USA
Record added: Oct 9 2005
By: Russ Pickett

Plus I found a surprise. Next to Richard and his first wife is the grave of a child, Richard Rolland Kenney [Jr.] I knew there was another child because the 1900 census says Harriet had two children, but only two were living. This is clearly the third child.

Richard Rolland Kenney [Jr]
Birth: Dec. 23, 1883
Death: May 30, 1895
Inscription: Son of Harriet & Richard Kenney.
Burial:
Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
Dover
Kent County
Delaware, USA
Record added: Oct 9 2005
By: Russ Pickett

Richard [Jr's] birth makes the birth year of Lillias clear. Hearne says Lillias was born Aug 28, 1883. But from the grave stone, Richard Jr.'s birth is Dec 23, 1883. That's too close. Gravestones are a pretty good source. The 1900 census also lists the birth year as Aug 1882. That is consistent with Richard's birth, and the parents' wedding date of Dec 21, 1881. I conclude the birth is correctly Aug 28, 1882.