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Keeny was born in Carlisle in Cumberland County in south central [[Pennsylvania]] to J. G. Keeny and the former Lyndia Sollenbarger, He was reared and educated in his early years in Boiling Springs, also also in Cumberland County. He attended Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, then known as State Normal College, located near the capital city of [[Harrisburg]]. He also for a time attended the Brethren's Normal College for Teacher Training, since known as Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Keeny also attended Ohio Northern University, now a [[United Methodist]] institution in Ada, [[Ohio]], at which he studied music. His biographical sketch does not list the degrees earned or the dates, only the institutions attended.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-k/|title=Keeny, John Ephraim|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association:  ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.org)|accessdate=January 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' bases this article on Rodney Cline, ''Builders of Louisiana Education'' (1963).</ref>​

Keeny was born in Carlisle in Cumberland County in south central [[Pennsylvania]] to J. G. Keeny and the former Lyndia Sollenbarger, He was reared and educated in his early years in Boiling Springs, also also in Cumberland County. He attended Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, then known as State Normal College, located near the capital city of [[Harrisburg]]. He also for a time attended the Brethren's Normal College for Teacher Training, since known as Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Keeny also attended Ohio Northern University, now a [[United Methodist]] institution in Ada, [[Ohio]], at which he studied music. His biographical sketch does not list the degrees earned or the dates, only the institutions attended.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-k/|title=Keeny, John Ephraim|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association:  ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.org)|accessdate=January 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' bases this article on Rodney Cline, ''Builders of Louisiana Education'' (1963).</ref>​

 

In 1885, Keeny married Prudence Keedy <ref>It is unclear if Mrs. Keeny's maiden name was "Keedy" or if "Keedy" is misspelled here, probably the latter. If so, the maiden name is not given.</ref> of [[Maryland]]. They had two children, Pearl (born 1887) and Roy (born 1889). In 1886, Keeny operated a mercantile store in Newton in Harvey County in central [[Kansas]]. He then sold school supplies in [[Illinois]].<ref name=lahist/>​

In 1885, Keeny married Prudence Keedy <ref>It is unclear if Mrs. Keeny's maiden name was "Keedy" or if "Keedy" is misspelled here, probably the latter. If so, the maiden name is not given.</ref> of [[Maryland]]. They had two children, Pearl (born 1887) and Roy (born 1889). In 1886, Keeny operated a mercantile store in Newton in Harvey County in central [[Kansas]]. He then sold school supplies in [[Illinois]].<ref name=lahist/>​

 

==Louisiana educator==​

==Louisiana educator==

 

Between 1889 and 1900, Keeny was the principal]] of various schools in [[Lake Charles]], [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], and New Iberia, Louisiana. It is unclear what prompted his relocation from Illinois to Louisiana. As a principal, Keeny conducted in-service programs in an effort to improve the skills of teachers. Keeny and the Louisiana historian [[Henry E. Chambers]] of [[New Orleans]] were promoters of the traveling Chaut, headquartered in upstate [[New York]].<ref name=lahist/> Another Chautauqua booster in Louisiana was Thomas Duckett Boyd, the president of [[Louisiana State University]] from 1896 to 1926.<ref name=tdboyd>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Z5YNz-kNZgsC&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=Thomas+Duckett+Boyd+of+Baton+Rouge&source=bl&ots=_2B-h6CDqp&sig=6aJzAqSb4dDU81aq11sk-vxOAjI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_MVJVKrTCI2zyASLioGQBg&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=Thomas%20Duckett%20Boyd%20of%20Baton%20Rouge&f=false|title=Biographical Dictionary of American Educators, Vol. I: Thomas Duckett Boyd|author=John F. Ohles, ed.|publisher=Greenwood Publishers|location=Westport, [[Connecticut]]|year=1978|page=156|isbn=0-8371-9893-3|accessdate=January 28, 2020}}</ref>​

Between 1889 and 1900, Keeny was the principal]] of various schools in [[Lake Charles]], [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], and New Iberia, Louisiana. It is unclear what prompted his relocation from Illinois to Louisiana. As a principal, Keeny conducted in-service programs in an effort to improve the skills of teachers. Keeny and the Louisiana historian [[Henry E. Chambers]] of [[New Orleans]] were promoters of the traveling Chaut, headquartered in upstate [[New York]].<ref name=lahist/> Another Chautauqua booster in Louisiana was Thomas Duckett Boyd, the president of [[Louisiana State University]] from 1896 to 1926.<ref name=tdboyd>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Z5YNz-kNZgsC&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=Thomas+Duckett+Boyd+of+Baton+Rouge&source=bl&ots=_2B-h6CDqp&sig=6aJzAqSb4dDU81aq11sk-vxOAjI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_MVJVKrTCI2zyASLioGQBg&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=Thomas%20Duckett%20Boyd%20of%20Baton%20Rouge&f=false|title=Biographical Dictionary of American Educators, Vol. I: Thomas Duckett Boyd|author=John F. Ohles, ed.|publisher=Greenwood Publishers|location=Westport, [[Connecticut]]|year=1978|page=156|isbn=0-8371-9893-3|accessdate=January 28, 2020}}</ref>​