From Abbott book- James Keeney's first wife, Catherine, died during childbirth at the age of 20. He later married Nancy Keeney, his first cousin and came west with her and his two brothers. His brothers were on their second trip and already had their DLC s. Upon arrival James and Nancy got their own land claim south of Eli Michael. Some 16 years after Nancy died in 1862, James once again married, this time to Marinda Michael Pearl, the widowed daughter of Eli Michael.