A Keeney Family story
Here's an interesting story written by an Aunt. Adeline Mathilda Keeney was the daughter of James Kimber Keeney & Lucinda B. Pemberton and the granddaughter of William S.. Keeney & Jane Simmons
Grandma Floyd
by Jean (Floyd) McKillips
She was born Adeline Mathilda Keeney on January 13, 1876, in Iowa. She was 16 when she married Grandpa. She adored him (as he did her) and it was a love affair that would last 58 years, until he passed away.She had a vivid imagination, a quick wit and a zest for living that many people would envy. One of my favorite memories is of telling stories of when she was young. She had a way of telling it so you almost felt like you were right there taking part in it. Besides mothering her own brood (she had six) she mothered all the other kids of the neighborhood. Like so many women of her time, she had a special talent for nursing and for a time when they lived in Beloit, she worked with old Dr. Thayer as a nurse and midwife. She helped many a new life into the world, including several of her own grandchildren.
When we were kids, she was never too busy to play games with us, sometimes making up games if we were bored with the old ones. She always encouraged us to have our dreams, and to follow them if possible. She told me once the only thing to worry about was today, yesterday was gone and tomorrow was not here yet. She had a keen sense of humor, she always could see the humorous side of the situation but she did not treat life lightly.
I remember once when I was about 6 years old, we had a family picnic and during the day she found a nest of pheasant eggs. We had chickens and a broody hen. I do not remember how many eggs or how many chicks were hatched, but she wound up with two, a hen and a rooster. She kept them till they kept flying out of the cage and they were getting so they’d chase us. She took them to a taxidermist and had them mounted. She named them Oscar and Betty and had them yet when I was grown and married. I asked for them after she died, but no one seemed to know what became of them.
She was a fantastic cook and loved nothing better than to have her whole family together for Sunday dinner. She needed no special reason. She loved company and we used to say she opened the door with one hand and put the coffee on with the other.
She loved music and played the mouth organ. She should have been an entertainer, having both the talent and personality. Not long ago, I had the chance to watch the movie Mary Poppins, and I couldn’t help thinking that whoever the author was, he must have known Grandma when she was young.