Keenan, James

HON. JAMES KEENAN

was born in the ancient village of Youngstown. He struggled in early life with many adversities. These, however, only served to make him self-reliant, and to bring into greater activity traits of character which were in after-life of no inconsiderable importance to his success. When war was declared by the United States against Mexico he was among the first to offer his services, and on 1st of December, 1846, volunteered as a private in Capt. Herron’s company, the "Duquesne Grays," of Pittsburgh, First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. In 1847 he returned from Mexico, laboring under a severe chronic disease which he had contracted by exposure on the field. He, however, rapidly recovered, and soon after received the appointment of a lieutenant in the Eleventh United States Army Infantry, and opened a recruiting-office in Greensburg. Again, in the spring of 1848, he started with his command for Mexico, and remained in the service until the close of the war, when his commission expired. His gallantry in the service, and his bold and daring adventures at the head of his command, brought him prominently into notice, and after his return from Mexico he was, in the fall of 1849, elected register and recorder for Westmoreland County. At the expiration of his term he was again re-elected to the same office, in 1852, for another period of three years. During the period that Gen. Keenan was register and recorder he introduced various improvements in the manner of keeping the books and papers of the office, which were followed by his successors, and which have proved highly beneficial to the public. On the 2d of February, 1852, while he held the office of register and recorder, he was appointed by Governor Bigler adjutant-general of Pennsylvania. In June of the same year President Pierce tendered him the position of consul to Hong Kong. This latter appointment was held under consideration for some time, which he, however, finally concluded to accept, and in the fall of 1853 resigned the offices of register and recorder and adjutant-general, and sailed in October, 1853, for Hong Kong, China. During the first year of Mr. Buchanan’s administration, Gen. Keenan paid a visit to his friends in this country, and while here was married to Miss Elizabeth Barclay, an estimable lady of Greensburg, with whom he immediately left the United States for his consulate in Hong Kong, which position he occupied until the 22d of January, 1862, when he with his family sailed in the ship "Surprise" for the United States, and arrived in New York on the 16th of the next May, very ill, having been confined to his berth in the ship for six weeks previous to the end of the voyage. On the day after his arrival he was removed with much difficulty to Blanchard’s Hotel, on Fourth Avenue, where he remained until Thursday evening, the 22d. Although he seemed to revive somewhat for the first forty-eight hours after landing, yet the best medical skill and kindest attention was unavailing against the deep-seated disease, which had got such a firm hold on him, and he afterwards commenced sinking, which continued until it terminated in death....

He died on Thursday evening, May 22, 1862, aged thirty-eight years, eight months, and six days.

History of Westmoreland County, PA 1882 Read full bio
http://www.oldbios.com/pennsylvania/382/keenan-james-hon