Esther Verona Bruce

Covered bridge in Bridgewater, VT

Esther Verona Bruce, My great grandmother, wife of Henry William Kenny, and mother to Harry W. Kenny was born in Woodstock, Vermont on Oct 16, 1899.  She was living with her parents and four older brother, Robert, Frank, George, and Wilbur in 1900 at the age of 8 months in the town of Bridgewater, VT.  Her father worked as a Sawyer in town. 

They were in Castleton, VT when she was 10 years old, and the family had added another brother, Kenneth.  At the age of 16 she married Henry William Kenny in Rutland, VT. and she moved to Rutland with him.  Their residence was at 26 Curtis Street in Rutland in 1920, and by then they had two children, Harry and Lester.

In 1927 they moved to Hartford, Conn., first on Brook Street, then Walnut Street.  In 1934 her husband passed away and two years later married Daniel Balkus who worked at Pratt and Whitney, maker of jet engines in Hartford.  Later she also worked for P&W.  For most of their marriage they lived on Chandler Street in East Hartford, and were still at that residence in 1977.  Esther died at 86 years old in 1986.  Amazingly she lived until two years before her Great Great Grandson was born.

Marriage Certificate for Henry William Kenny and Esther Verona Bruce