Eliza Lovely

Eliza Lovely

Eliza Lovely was born June 14, 1842 in Leeds, Ontario, Canada .  Her father, Edward Lovely was an Irish immigrant that came to Canada in the 1820's.  The Lovely family met the Kennys in the early 1850's, while living in South Elmsley, Ontario, which present day is called Smith Falls.

While in Smith Falls, Richard Kenny met Edward’s daughter, Elizabeth (went by Eliza Lovely).

Richard's fathers name was Thomas Kenny.

Richard and Eliza married in Smith Falls on Feb. 27, 1865.  They named their first child Thomas F. Kenny, who was born June 16th, 1865.  

Around 1869, Richard, Eliza and their first 3 of 10 children, Thomas, Mary Ann, and William (died at about 10yrs.) moved to Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, where other brothers and a sister had settled.  These siblings that were there, were Edward, Bartholomew, James and Anne Kenny.

Tragedy hit in the fall of 1871 though.  

As you may have read as a child about the Great Fire of 1871 in Chicago, well, the day before the Chicago fire, their was a larger fire which consumed much of Michigan and Wisconsin.

In this fire, Richard and Eliza lost all of their belongings, farm building and crops.  After the fire, Bartholomew left the area, This is where I lost track of Bartholomew, and Richard and Eliza also left to join Eliza's father and family who had moved to Arcadia, Carroll County, Iowa.

They stayed with Edward Lovely for a while till Richard got things together, and Richard and Eliza signed their deed to their own land in Arcadia on Nov. 25, 1873, where they bought 80 acres, 4-5 miles due south of Arcadia, for $640.00, then 40 more on May 14, 1874 for $320.00.  In 1890 they sold it all and moved to Omaha, which Omaha was only about 35 years old.

Eliza died on June 13, 1910 in Omaha.  Richard lived till Jan 11, 1916.  Their 10 children were:  Thomas, Mary Anne, William, Richard, Ellen and Bridget (twins), Edward, Elizabeth, Michael and William.