John Jacob Fenney Family Galway, Ireland> Letcher, SD>CA
From the Letcher, SD History Book 1883-1983
John Jacob Fenney, 1839-1926, was born in Galway, Ireland, but moved to the United States of America at the age of seven or eight withhis family, the Bartley Feeneys. They lived in the Boston area.
Elliza Rugg Feeney 1860-1947, was born in Catlin, IL. Her family was of Scottish descent, and entered this country via Canada.The Feeneys were married in Audubon Co., IA, where their four children were born.
In 1894, the John Feeney family moved to Letcher where Mr. Fenney's two siters, Julia Feeney Ford and Cecillia Feeney Kelley, wereliving.The family farmed soouth of Letcher.
John Feeney, A Civil War veteran, died in 1926, and is buried in Letcher.Ellliza Feeney and son Dan moved to Inglewood, CA, in 1929, where daughters Lillian Feeney Mylan and Nell Julian llived.Dan age 91, still llives in the family home there.
Several members of John Jacob Feney's first family also llived in the Letcher area.They were Bill Feeney, who operated the lumber yard for years and later had a restaurant; Mary Ford Feeney; John Feeney, buried in the family plot in Letcher: James Feeney, buried in the family plot in Letcher; and Kate Feeney Heinzman.