Louisa was the fifth child of Albert Gillespie Kenney (#19) & Susannah Bussard (#20) and the sister of the webmaster's great grandmother, Sarah Kenney (#10).

Children of Louisa and her husband, John Conger included : 1) Mary Leona Conger (1859-1870) (no spouse); 2) Albert Ross Conger (1860-1901) (married Mattie D. Borradaile); 3) Caroline "Carrie: Luella Conger (1862-1935) (married Eli Gilmore Harris); 4) Joseph Edwin "Ed" Conger (1865-1942) (married Margaret Catherine "Katie" Bussard); 5) Herbert Adair Conger (1867-1949) (married Lucy Parker); 6) Katherine Ann "Kate" Conger (1870-1950) (married Elwood M. Shaffer and Walter Marion Reed) ; 7) An infant Conger (1873-1873), and 8) Bertie Adele Conger (1879-1972) (married Claude Hartcourt Kennedy). This purple information is courtesy of Doug Hart's posted ancestry.com information. The child they took in at 4 months and raised as their own was Belva Lockwood Leach (5e) (1888-1975) (married Robert Hooker Spidel).

The original photographs of the first four images below are in the possession of Doug Hart, a great-great grandson of Louisa Kenney Conger and John Newton Conger.

At left: Louisa and John. At right, young Louisa about the time of her marriage to John. Note: She is wearing the same dress in both photographs.

 

Image 1 below: Elderly Louisa; Image 2 Carrie (Conger) Harris (one of Louisa and John's children), Great- Grandmother of Doug Hart.

 

The next four photographs were sent to the webmaster by Sharon Hinckley, granddaughter of Belva Leach in August 2022.

Below is a family photograph of the Congers. The webmaster asked Doug Hart for help in identifying the family members. He responded, "I believe the couple in the front center are John Newton Conger and Louisa Kenney. On back left is Albert Ross Conger and I believe his wife Mattie is in front. The back center is Herb Conger and probably wife Miranda. The back right is Joseph Edwin Conger and in front is wife Katie Bussard. "

Below, another of Louisa's daughters, Bertie, a son-in-law-, Claude, and grandchild, Russell Kennedy.

Below are photographs of Bertie and Claude taken by another son, Paul. in May 1960. (These photographs were found in a letter written by Berti to Belva Dec. 21, 1960. The letter is courtesy of Sharon Hinckley, Belva's granddaughter.)

Below is Herb Conger, the fifth child of Louisa and John.

Below is another of Louisa's grandchildren, Edna Conger, daughter of Joseph Edwin "Ed" Conger and his wife Katie.

Below is a photograph of another of Louisa's grandchildren, Myrtle Bell Shaffer Young and her husband, Walter Thomas. Myrtle was a daughter of Katherine Ann "Kate" Conger and Elwood M. Shaffer. (These photographs were found in a letter written by Myrtle to Belva March 3, 1971. The letter is courtesy of Sharon Hinckley, Belva's granddaughter.)

Louisa's obituary (courtesy of Matt Kenney) is transcribed by this webmaster below. The original obituary transcription obtained from Matt is linked here. The original transcriber is unknown.

LOUISA KENNEY CONGER Louisa Kenney was born Feb. 20, 1836 at Peerless, O. She spent most of her life in Dixon Twp., Preble Co., O. She married John Newton Conger, one of the prominent farmers of the township, on Feb. 14, 1853. He died in Nov. 1903. Five children survive, Mrs. Carrie Harris, J. Edwin, Herbert A., Katherine Reed and Bertie Kennedy. She died Thursday, June 2, 1921. The funeral was Sunday at the Sugar Valley Methodist church at 10:30 A.M. by Rev. Shreiver.

 

 

According to her obituary, Louisa out survived her husband who died in 1903 by 18 years and she lived longer than three of her children.

Below are obituaries and letters that refer to the deaths of some of Louisa's children:

J.E. Conger (Joseph Edwin "Ed" Conger) 1865- Oct. 7, 1942,

 

Bertie Adele Conger Kennedy 1879- October 9, 1973

On October 9, 1973, Bertie Kennedy's son, wrote the following note to Belva. "Dear Belva: Just a brief note to let you know that Mother passed away at a few minutes after 6 PM to-day. She had been bedridden for about 12 weeks and had lost the use of her legs. She had developed a cancer condition that grew gradually worse. This morning she went into a coma, and seemed to be having quite a bit of pain. The Doctor gave her two shots, but they didn't seem to give her much relief. Dad is standing up to our loss quite well, all things considered. I had been getting him ready for it since it was only a queston of time. Funeral arrangements are not complete but will more than likely be on Thursday. With love, Paul." [Paul was one of Bertie's sons.]

 

 

Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com