Generations of the Vincent/Keller - Hursh/Lewis Families

The first ancestor of the Keeney family that we have any record of, wasWilliam Kinie (Note the spelling).

From Babson's History of Gloucester, Mass., we read his name among those who were known to have been residents of Gloucester Mass., or tillers of the soil from the time of its present settlement to 1650. We also found that Gloucester was settled in 1633, but did not become a town until1642. Also that William Kinie had a house and land which he sold toT homas Prince in 1652. He had a daughter who married Ralph Parker. Froma nother history found of New London, Conn., we saw where William Keeney of Gloucester, Mass., came with a party of friends to make arrangements for receiving Mr. Richard Blinman, who had been the minister of Gloucester for eight years and was now engaged to begin the ministery of the Pequoit Plantation.

They belonged to what was called the Cape Ann party and took up a grantof land at New London, October 16, 1650. These lots, nine in number ofsix acres each, extended each side of the narrow street from the Alderswamp in front to the Cedar Swamp on the west.

Early in 1651 a new street in the rear of the town plot opened up, andtook the name of Cape Ann Lane; now called Ann Street.

The lot of William Keeney was nearly opposite to the south entrance ofthe new street on the Niantic Road. It also stated that William Keeneywas Deputy in 1662, and we were lead to believe that he came from Englandto Plymouth with Mr. Blinman.

William Keeney died in New London in 1675 and we will try and follow hislineage down until the present.