ANDREW JACKSON McKENNEY was born
10
April 1840 in Stetson, Penobscot County, Maine & was the son of RICHARD & LYDIA (BRAWN/BRANN) McKENNEY who were originally from Scarborough, Cumberland County, Maine. He was descended from an ancient American family that came to
this country during the 17th century. The emigrant ancestor was John Mackenny who
was a soldier in the Scottish revolutionary army that attempted to place their own Prince
Charles on the throne of Great Britain as the rightful heir of the Stuart monarchy. They
were defeated by the military dictator, Oliver Cromwell, and the English forces at the
battles of Dunbar and Worchester. When he and many other Scots were captured after
these battles, they were transported in 1651 to Boston. After serving his 7 year indenture,
John Mackenny settled on the frontier of Maine where his children & descendants were
born & raised.
Before the beginning of the American Civil War, young Andrew, according to family
traditions, decided to leave his homeland of Maine & stowed away aboard a ship which
sailed around Cape Horn to the Sandwich Islands, now called the Hawaiian Islands,
located in the opposite ocean. He is believed to have worked for the Rowan family on a
sugar plantation & small cattle ranch near Kaneohe. After Mr Rowan died, Andrew eventually married the
widow, whose maiden name was LOUISA GRACE RICHARDS originally from Cornwall,
England.
This plantation was whittled down to 6.17 acres & was located in the middle of the southern boundary
of the Keaahala Plat on the eastern slope of the Koolau Range about 10 miles north of
Honolulu. The summitt Puu Keahiakahoe, elevation 2850, overlooked their home. This
area would today be on the western fringe of the city of Kaneohe. In addition to owning
and running this sugar plantation, Andrew became acquainted with King Kamehameha V
and was appointed his advisor and a uniformed member of the Palace Guard. His official
"sealing ring" still exists and is owned by a another descendant. Andrew became the
step-father of the Rowan children and according to family tradition, thought very highly of
him since he was the only father they ever knew. Andrew & Louisa had 4 other children
of their own named Andrew Jr, Edward "Ed", Lydia & Catherine "Kate". Andrew died
suddenly in 1878 of a "brain disease" but it is not known for sure what exactly caused this
condition. Family tradition also suggests that he went blind and lost his hair shortly before
his death. He was buried on their plantation with several huge boulders marking his final
resting place. His 2 young sons, Andrew & Ed McKenney, were sent to live in "the
States". Widow Louisa and the 2 daughters followed in 1881. (See notes on wife Louisa
for a continuation of this family)
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LOUISA GRACE (RICHARDS) McKENNEY was born on 21 May 1831 in St
Neot, Cornwall, England. She was the daughter of SAMUEL & JOHANNA (MAY) RICHARDS.
Louisa and other relatives, including her sister Catherine, left England during the 1850's
for a world cruise. They worked for awhile in Austrailia before landing in the Hawaiian
Islands. Louisa met a sugar plantation owner name William Augustus Rowan and they
were married in 1854. They had sons named Charles, William and George Rowan, all
raised near Kaneohe, Oahu on the plantation. Her husband died in 1861 and Louisa later
became acquainted with their hired plantation worker, Andrew Jackson McKenney, who
was 9 years her junior. They were married about 2 years later and had 4 children of their
own, Andrew McKenney Jr, Edward, Lydia & Catherine "Kate". Andrew, a uniformed
member of the King's palace guard, died suddenly in 1878, and several months later,
Louisa married 3d husband Robert Brown. In the meantime, she granted permission for
her sons Andrew Jr & Edward McKenney to travel to America. This was in 1878, but
their step-brother, Charles Rowan, had moved to Utah several years earlier.
Louisa & 3d husband Robert Brown divorced & in 1881 she set sail to San
Francisco with her 2 young daughters, Lydia & Kate McKenney. Sons George & William
Rowan remained in Hawaii where George married a Hawaiian woman & raised his family.
Son William Rowan died about 1887.
In 1883, Louisa and daughters
were in Astoria, Clatsop Co, Oregon where they resided for several years. It is not known
for sure if sons Andrew & Ed McKenney resided in Oregon after leaving Hawaii, but it is
probable they were in California & Utah part of the time. During the early 1880's,
Andrew settled in Logan, Utah. Louisa's son Ed McKinney went to Wyoming where he
raised his family.
After a brief trip back to Hawaii during the late 1880's, Louisa and the daughters,
returned to California
about 1890 and settled in the Oakland area. Louisa later resided in San Leandro,
California near Oakland during the 1890's, but also resided with son Andrew in Logan,
Utah during this time. Around the turn of the century, she lived with son Ed on his ranch
near Lander on the Sweetwater River in Fremont county, Wyoming. A few years later, she
moved back to Utah and lived with son Charles Rowan near Coyote (now called
Antimony), Garfield County, Utah. She died there in 1908 and was buried in the local
cemetery.
