Eugene F. Kenney McKinley County, New Mexico

Eugene F. Kenney, a contractor and builder at Gallup, whose business activity contributes to the substantial improvement of his adopted City, was born in Maine in August, 1853, and engaged in railroading in that state in 1869 for a few months. He afterward went to Salem, Massachusetts, where he was employed in the Salem Lead Company's mill, and subsequently filled a position in a Boston, Massachusetts, bakery for ten years. On the expiration of that decade he came to the southwest, locating in Winslow, Arizona, in 1882. For eleven years he was engaged in railroading in New Mexico and Arizona, and spent one year as a carpenter in California. He has resided in Gallup since 1889, and for five years continued in the railroad service as air-brake inspector and repairer. In 1894 he left that position, however, and turned his attention to contracting and building.

He erected the schoolhouse, the Episcopal Church and many residences and stores here, having a liberal share of the public patronage. He is also interested in the location of oil lands in this vicinity.

Mr. Kenney has served as a member of the town board for several years, and has been a helpful promoter of community interests. He belongs "to the Odd Fellows society and planned the Odd Fellows Hall in 1898. He also holds membership with the Improved Order of Red Men.

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Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume II, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.