Wilson County, TX - Bios: Keenan, Mahala, d. 1900 Sunday, August 12, 2001 Submitted by: kkeenan@rochester.rr.com (Francis W. Keenan) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** MAHALA KEENAN Mahala Keenan left the community of Highway, Clinton County, Kentucky, by covered wagon headed for Texas early in 1899. Even though the railroad was available for travel westward, she had no support, meager funds, but enormous faith. Born in Shelby County, Indiana, to John O. and Anne Reed in 1844, she had gone with her family to Clay County, Illinois. In 1862, she married Patrick B. Keenan, Sr., there and they had five children while living near Xenia. The children were: Henrietta (1863); Charles Sherman (1864); Clara Mae (1867); Joel Talbert (1871); and Vernella Myrtle (1875). This Keenan family then migrated to Breckinridge County, Kentucky, where Patrick had been born and where his family resided. Here, near Falls of Rough, two more children were born to Patrick and Mahala: Wilbur Elvis (1878), and Elva L. (1882). Mahala began to preach the gospel during this period as a Methodist preacher and her husband built the Keenan Chapel for her near Hickory Lick in Breckinridge County. She was known to ride a white jackass through the rugged woods and hills of the county, ministering to the poor, blacks, share croppers, hired hands, farmers and their families. Mahala's husband Patrick died in 1896 and is buried in the cemetery next to the site of the Keenan Chapel at old Hickory Lick. Mahala then found refuge near Highway, Kentucky, so named because when the community post office was dedicated, no name had been selected. A local minister randomly opened his Bible to Isaiah (53:8). These verses are about 'the highway to heaven.' So, the minister declared......'the name of this community shall be Highway.' It was while living near Highway that Mahala learned that she was suffering with tuberculosis. It was determined that the warmer climate of Texas would benefit her declining health. Then began the long and arduous wagon trip. Accompanying Mahala was her youngest son Elva and her daughter Myrtle and Myrtle's husband, Joseph F. Curtis. Shortly after this troupe arrived in Sunnyside, Texas, Mahala died. She is buried in the Keenan Cemetery near Sunnyside in Wilson County, Texas. There is only one grave in this cemetery and it is located in the fork of the "Y" formed by the inter- section of Farm to Market Roads....FM 427 and FM 537. The tall marble stone is engraved on the front: Mahala Keenan Elva L. Keenan 30 April 1844 17 April 1882 25 Jan 1900 17 May 1900 Wife of Patrick Son of Patrick and Mahala And so, Mahala's young 18 year old son lived only four months after his mother's death. Both are buried in the same grave and the rear of the stone has the single word "Grandson" engraved upon it. Thus, there may be three members of this family buried beneath this single marker in the Keenan Cemetery. The grandson could only be a son of Joseph and Myrtle Curtis. Two of Mahala's sons, Joel Talbert and Wilbur Elvis, were ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mahala's obituary stated that she was buried in "new ground" near Sunnyside, Texas. And so, this woman of inestimable strength and towering love for fellow humans left Highway, Kentucky and came to rest near two highways in Wilson County, Texas. Francis W. Keenan, Ph.D. Emeritus Professor SUNY at Brockport Brockport, New York