Tulare County Biographies

SAMUEL LAVERNE KENNEY

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
Back in Tennessee in Greene county, Samuel Laverne Kenney, who now lives three 
miles southeast of Orosi, in Tulare county, Cal., first saw the light of day in 
the year 1863. He lived there with his parents until he was seven years old, 
then the family moved to Missouri and located in Pineville, McDonald county, 
where the elder Kenney farmed sixteen years. It was in 1886 that Samuel L. came 
to Tulare county, within the borders of which he has since had his home, in the 
Alta district. The country round about was then a vast wheat-field, without 
trees or fences, and stock roamed at will in the swamps and hills. He now has on 
his homestead eighty acres of fine land, eighteen acres of which are in Malaga 
grapes, ten in peaches, ten in miscellaneous orchard trees, and the balance 
under pasture. His vineyard and orchard are just coming into bearing. He keeps 
enough horses to work his ranch and raises a few hogs each year. He has a 
four-year-old grove of eucalyptus trees.
The parents of Mr. Kenney were James D. and Nancy (Goodin) Kenney, natives of 
Tennessee. The mother died in Missouri and Mr. Kenney came to Tulare county in 
1901, where he passed away in December, 1912. They had children named Ebie, 
Wroten, Bruce R., Samuel L., Callie, and Ida. Bruce R. married Lotta Scott, who 
bore him three children, Ralph, Laverne, and Goldie. With the exception of 
Samuel L. and Ida the others have passed away.
As a citizen Mr. Kenney has many times and in many ways demonstrated his public 
spirit by lending generous aid to movements for the uplift and development of 
the community. Politically he is a Socialist.
 
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - 
Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913, Pp 837