History of Kenney's Bend

The 1820 census of Smith County lists Patrick Kenney and Nancy Moore Kenney as residents in the southern part of Smith County.

Patrick and Nancy Kenney had come from Dublin, Ireland in the 1700's to South Carolina. Later, they moved across the mountain to Middle Tennessee with children Mary and Robert.

A family story is that Patrick rode horseback from the early Rock City settlement into the bend of the river, carrying a cowbell, which he would ring regularly to guide his wife Nancy, as she and the children followed in the horsedrawn wagon.

Mary Kenney later married Sam Alexander Owen, who lived in the next river bend, now Payne's Bend. Their children were Eliza, Patsy, Nancy, Besty, Malinda, Sam Alexandar and Thomas.

Robert Kenney's son Thomas Patrick (1824-1892) married Amanda Bridges, who died young. He later married his cousin Malinda Owen. The children of Thomas Patrick were Joe Bridges, David Palmer with Amanda Bridges. Children with Malinda Owen were Calvin Alexandar, Laura Frances who married Walter Purnell, Jordan Franklin who married Minnie Hubbard, Mary ELizabeth (Bettie) who married James B. Norris.

This is part of an article found in the Carthage newspaper page 11 celebrating Homecoming 1986. The name of the article is History of Kenney's Bend traced from 1820. I do not know the name of the author or the exact date it was published. Peg Donnelly sent me a copy of the entire article.