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Jennie Kenline 1882 - 1982

Jennie Edgar (McGimpsey) Kenline of Whittier, Los Angeles County, California was born on September 6, 1882 in Smith's Ferry, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 99 years old on May 8, 1982 in Whittier, CA.

Jennie Edgar (McGimpsey) Kenline
Name
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Whittier, Los Angeles County, California 90605
Last residence
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September 6, 1882
Smith's Ferry, Pennsylvania, United States
Birth
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May 8, 1982
Whittier, Los Angeles County, California, United States
Death
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Updated: May 28, 2025
Biography ID: 85628118 What's this
Jennie Kenline Jennie Kenline (1882 - 1982)
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Jennie Edgar (McGimpsey) Kenline's History: 1882 - 1982

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  • Introduction

    Jennie Kenline was my dad’s great aunt. Our family was the only family she had, as far as I knew. I don’t remember how old I was when I first met her. Fairly young I’d say. As long as I knew her, until she moved in with my parents the last year of her life, she lived in Paradise, California. A lovely small town, then, in the mountains where the air smelled fresh and of pine trees. She owned a small house that was divided into two living areas. The smaller part was rented to another elderly woman named Katherine. They would communicate through a ‘window’ with a sliding hatch. I loved visiting Aunt Jennie. It was so peaceful and calm. She had no neighbors that could be seen because of all the tall trees. She had a screened in little summer house (really just a long rectangular building with half walls and half screening on all sides-some old furniture covered in bedspreads and sheets) where I would spend endless days enjoying cool breezes and reading endless stacks of very old Readers Digest issues. I slept out there, too. Since we only visited in the summer, the nights were cool, but not cold. Things smelled a bit dusty, but it was a friendly sort of smell. No one else ever spent time there, so it was my special place. Every evening about 5:00 Aunt Jennie would step out to her graveled driveway, set back in the trees away from the road, and call her cats. She had a special call for them and they listened. They were feral cats that she felt sorry for and would set out food every night. She was the only one they would come near. When she called them it would take a few minutes before you would see them cautiously peeking out of the woods. Looking for danger. Making sure no one else was around. I would be watching out the screen of the summer house as she called, so entranced to watch each cat come to eat. There were a couple of dozen. All colors and sizes. I felt such love for this small, hunched old lady who didn’t have much, but she was happy to care for animals without a home. Her stove had a jar into which went every bit of grease left over from cooking. This was then added to whatever kind of gravy she was adding to the meal. I didn’t like gravy at the time, but everyone else absolutely loved her gravy. Though I’m willing to bet that they were a bit anxious about how old the contents of that jar were. Aunt Jennie was sweet, kind and cheerful. Whenever something tickled, annoyed, or made her anxious, she would a “a ditty’s sake, a ditty’s sake” a number of times. Things changed rapidly in Paradise during the ‘70s. A lot of development, vacation homes and increasing population began to change the entire feel of the town. A town that used to completely shut down at 6 pm each night. I got married and moved away, only seeing her once more before she passed away. My parents had her move in with them, she was 98 after all; but I think she was ashamed of being dependent on someone else. Having to leave her trees, cats and home to live in the city (suburb of Los Angeles) stole her will to live. I wish now that I’d spent more time with her. Listened to stories of her youth. Let her know more often that she was loved. It would be wonderful to know if anyone out there also has memories of her.
  • 09/6
    1882

    Birthday

    September 6, 1882
    Birthdate
    Smith's Ferry, Pennsylvania United States
    Birthplace
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  • Religious Beliefs

    Her funeral was presided over by Rev Robert Vitz of the Craig Memorial Congregational Church.

  • Personal Life & Family

    Jennie Edgar (McGimpsey) Kenline was born on September 6th, 1882 in Pennsylvania to William James McGimpsey (1853 - 1931) and Sarah McGimpsey (1865 - 1895) and later in life moved to Paradise, California, where she lived for 30 years. Two years before she died, she moved to Whittier, California. Jennie Edgar McGimpsey married John Leonard Kenline (1865 - 1941) in 1912 and they separated in 1928. She was survived by a nephew, Ralph McGimpsey of Whittier, California. Read a loving tribute to Jennie and her lifestyle at Jennie Kenline: Introduction
  • 05/8
    1982

    Death

    May 8, 1982
    Death date
    Unknown
    Cause of death
    Whittier, Los Angeles County, California United States
    Death location
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Did you know?
In 1882, in the year that Jennie Kenline was born, on April 3rd, 34 year old outlaw Jesse James was shot in the back of the head by trusted friend and partner Robert Ford. Suspected of colluding with the Governor of Missouri, brothers Robert and Charley Ford were arrested, indicted, plead guilty, sentenced to be hung - then pardoned by the Governor. All in one day.
Did you know?
In 1892, she was just 10 years old when on October 12th, the "Pledge of Allegiance" was first recited in unison by students in U.S. public schools. Composed the previous August by Francis Bellamy, it was to be recited in 15 seconds and originally read: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." "Under God" was added in the 1950's.
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Jennie McGimpsey's Family Tree & Friends

Jennie McGimpsey's Family Tree

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Jennie Kenline Sep 6, 1882 - May 8, 1982
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Friendships

Jennie's Friends

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Other Biographies

Other Mcgimpsey Family Biographies

Mcgimpsey, Irene (Dec 3, 1909 - Mar 12, 1992) Mcgimpsey, Walter (Oct 31, 1888 - Feb 1977) Mcgimpsey, Robert (Mar 7, 1895 - Jul 1978) Mcgimpsey, Thomas (Sep 16, 1946 - Oct 14, 2006) McGimpsey, Augustus (Jun 13, 1910 - Feb 17, 1989) Mcgimpsey, John (Oct 21, 1907 - Feb 1979) Mcgimpsey, Maria (Jul 29, 1893 - May 1982) Mcgimpsey, William (Feb 9, 1949 - Nov 1979) Mcgimpsey, Elizabeth (Jun 30, 1904 - Aug 15, 1988) Mcgimpsey, Robert (Aug 4, 1893 - Mar 1978)
Mcgimpsey, Robert (May 7, 1911 - Aug 1975) Mcgimpsey, Willa (Jan 22, 1898 - Jul 1981) Mcgimpsey, Catherine (Dec 14, 1898 - Feb 1974) Mcgimpsey, John (Dec 13, 1899 - Feb 1974) Mcgimpsey, Finley (Mar 20, 1919 - Jul 14, 2006) Mcgimpsey, Martha (Apr 19, 1898 - Feb 21, 1990) Mcgimpsey, Albert (Aug 8, 1898 - May 6, 1993) Mcgimpsey, Alexander (Oct 6, 1898 - Oct 1976) Mcgimpsey, Thomas (May 13, 1957 - Sep 20, 2010) Mcgimpsey, Francis (Feb 3, 1933 - Dec 1990)
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