Mary Hempstead Keeney-Lisa

  General Notes:

After Mr. Keeney died, Mary Hempstead Keeney married Manuel Lisa on August 5, 1818.

Saga of Manuel Lisa, Spanish Fur Trader

When the exploring party of Lewis and Clark came back in 1806 from its two years trip across the territory to the Pacific Ocean, they told of the rich fur country they had seen. Manuel Lisa was the first man to act. Early in 1807 Fort Pierre was built along the Missouri River in South Dakota and was named after Pierre Choyteau, the Catholic fur trader from Saint Louis. It is now the capital of South Dakota. One of the earliest forts was built by Manuel Lisa, a Spanish Catholic from New Orleans, and a partner of Pierre Chouteau. Lisa built a Fort on the Bighorn River.
Manuel Lisa was the first white farmer in Nebraska - - employing many men around each of his posts. One such post was located about ten miles from Fort Calhoun near Omaha in Nebraska - - Fort Lisa.
When Lisa first came to Nebraska he had a white wife in St. Louis. After a while he married an Omaha Indian girl; even though her people knew this. When Lisa was gone to St. Louis a baby girl was born to him in Nebraska. The next year a son was born to Lisa and his Indian wife. The boy was named Raymond and the little girl was named Rosalie. In 1817 Lisa took the girl to St. Louis to be brought up among his white relatives. That fall his first wife died in St. Louis and on August 5, 1818, he was married to Mary Hempstead Keeney. (Mary H. Keeney was born in New London, Connecticut, Oct 25, 1782 to Stephen and Mary Lewis Hempstead; Stephen was known as "The Patriot" serving in the Battles of Cambridge, Bunker Hill and Roxbury; marched to New York in a Company commanded by Nathan Hale. He was a close friend of Nathan Hale and went with him into the British lines; and was probably the last friendly person Hale ever saw. Hempstead was with Washington on his retreat from Long Island and served at Fort Trumball, New London, Conn. Sept. 6, 1781 where he was wounded).

Manuel Lisa took his new wife to Fort Lisa, she was the first white woman to come to Nebraska. In the 1820's he sent for his son Raymond so he could take him to St. Louis to school but the United States officers interfered and made him give the child to his Mother.

Lisa went on his way down the river with his white wife, Mary. He never saw Nebraska again, for he died August 12, 1820 at St. Louis. He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery there. By his side lies his wife who lived nearly fifty years after his death. Mary died Sept. 3, 1869. Mary was a fried of the fur traders and of the Indians all her life and was called by every one "Aunt Manuel." It is the name cut on her tombstone. The cemetery where they are buried in St. Louis, Mo was ground on Stephen Hempstead Sr. farm.

Mary married Keeney.

Mary next married Manuel Lisa on 5 Aug 1818 in St. Louis, MO.