John D. McKean (generally pronounced/spelled as McKane, McKain, or McCain) was born circa 1813-14, per available census data. The 1880 census states that he was born in New Jersey. To date, his parentage is unknown, although Y-DNA data of his descendants suggests that he is a male-line descendant of the Tinsman family of Sussex/Warren Counties, New Jersey. Current research suggests that his father MAY have been a John Tinsman, born ca. 1790, who lived in the area of Sussex/Warren Counties before dropping out of known records in the 1820s. Research continues. At some point John D. McKean moved to Centre County, Pennsylvania; whether with relatives or by himself is currently unknown. Based on numerous factors, it is possible that he was somehow related, either by birth or adoption, to the family of Robert McKean (d. ca. 1828) of Boggs Twp., Centre Co., who previously lived in Derry Twp., Mifflin Co., and may have been a school teacher, and perhaps was married to a Nancy McKean who later lived in Bellefonte in 1840 and was a school teacher. Research continues.
On March 10, 1834, per the family Bible, he married Susanna Sterling, whose family lived in the Beech Creek/Lamar Township areas of neighboring Clinton County. They had nine children. Margaret Jane was born Feb. 2, 1834, and Robert was born Feb. 4, 1836. Both appear to have died before the 1840 census.
The first definite appearance of John D. McKean is as "John McKane, forgeman," on the 1836 tax assessment of Boggs Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. From the Civil War pension file of his eldest son, we know that John D. and his family lived and worked at Eagle Iron Works in Boggs Township. He was there through at least 1838-39. John appears as John McCain in the records of the Eagle Iron Works as a forgeman during this time period. Here his eldest son, John Boggs McKean, was born on Mar. 3, 1838. In 1840, he appears with his family on the census in Rush Township, where he is listed as engaging in "manufacturing and trades," probably still working in the iron industry, perhaps at the Cold Stream Forge which briefly operated in that area. Daughter Mary was born on Oct. 3, 1840, and son James Sterling McKean was born January 8, 1842.
By 1844, the McKean family had moved to Porter Township, Clinton County. Here they lived until 1856. The remaining children, William Lyle (May 9, 1845), Sarah P. (Sept. 12, 1847), Rio Grand (Jan. 9, 1850), and Anna Elizabeth (June 3, 1854) were almost certainly born here. John worked rather consistently as a forgeman during this time period, probably at the Washington Iron Furnace, and the family probably lived close by.
In 1858 the family was taxed for the first time in Walker Township, and probably moved just up the road to the Nittany area. They resided in Walker Township through at least the 1870 census.
By the 1880 census, however, John and Susanna were living with their son, William, in Beech Creek Borough, Clinton County. He is listed as a forgeman. They are not listed after the 1880 census; the Neff Funeral Home records indicate that the father of John [Boggs] McKean was buried on Nov. 17, 1891, indicating that he had died a few days prior. The mother of John McKean, Susanna, was buried by Neff on Nov. 4, 1894.
Concrete documentation of their burial locations has not yet been found, but it appears that they are probably buried at Hays-Fearon, on the plot of their son William, with whom they lived in their later years and whose plot contains ample grave spaces, many of them unmarked.
On March 10, 1834, per the family Bible, he married Susanna Sterling, whose family lived in the Beech Creek/Lamar Township areas of neighboring Clinton County. They had nine children. Margaret Jane was born Feb. 2, 1834, and Robert was born Feb. 4, 1836. Both appear to have died before the 1840 census.
The first definite appearance of John D. McKean is as "John McKane, forgeman," on the 1836 tax assessment of Boggs Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. From the Civil War pension file of his eldest son, we know that John D. and his family lived and worked at Eagle Iron Works in Boggs Township. He was there through at least 1838-39. John appears as John McCain in the records of the Eagle Iron Works as a forgeman during this time period. Here his eldest son, John Boggs McKean, was born on Mar. 3, 1838. In 1840, he appears with his family on the census in Rush Township, where he is listed as engaging in "manufacturing and trades," probably still working in the iron industry, perhaps at the Cold Stream Forge which briefly operated in that area. Daughter Mary was born on Oct. 3, 1840, and son James Sterling McKean was born January 8, 1842.
By 1844, the McKean family had moved to Porter Township, Clinton County. Here they lived until 1856. The remaining children, William Lyle (May 9, 1845), Sarah P. (Sept. 12, 1847), Rio Grand (Jan. 9, 1850), and Anna Elizabeth (June 3, 1854) were almost certainly born here. John worked rather consistently as a forgeman during this time period, probably at the Washington Iron Furnace, and the family probably lived close by.
In 1858 the family was taxed for the first time in Walker Township, and probably moved just up the road to the Nittany area. They resided in Walker Township through at least the 1870 census.
By the 1880 census, however, John and Susanna were living with their son, William, in Beech Creek Borough, Clinton County. He is listed as a forgeman. They are not listed after the 1880 census; the Neff Funeral Home records indicate that the father of John [Boggs] McKean was buried on Nov. 17, 1891, indicating that he had died a few days prior. The mother of John McKean, Susanna, was buried by Neff on Nov. 4, 1894.
Concrete documentation of their burial locations has not yet been found, but it appears that they are probably buried at Hays-Fearon, on the plot of their son William, with whom they lived in their later years and whose plot contains ample grave spaces, many of them unmarked.
John D. McKean (generally pronounced/spelled as McKane, McKain, or McCain) was born circa 1813-14, per available census data. The 1880 census states that he was born in New Jersey. To date, his parentage is unknown, although Y-DNA data of his descendants suggests that he is a male-line descendant of the Tinsman family of Sussex/Warren Counties, New Jersey. Current research suggests that his father MAY have been a John Tinsman, born ca. 1790, who lived in the area of Sussex/Warren Counties before dropping out of known records in the 1820s. Research continues. At some point John D. McKean moved to Centre County, Pennsylvania; whether with relatives or by himself is currently unknown. Based on numerous factors, it is possible that he was somehow related, either by birth or adoption, to the family of Robert McKean (d. ca. 1828) of Boggs Twp., Centre Co., who previously lived in Derry Twp., Mifflin Co., and may have been a school teacher, and perhaps was married to a Nancy McKean who later lived in Bellefonte in 1840 and was a school teacher. Research continues.
On March 10, 1834, per the family Bible, he married Susanna Sterling, whose family lived in the Beech Creek/Lamar Township areas of neighboring Clinton County. They had nine children. Margaret Jane was born Feb. 2, 1834, and Robert was born Feb. 4, 1836. Both appear to have died before the 1840 census.
The first definite appearance of John D. McKean is as "John McKane, forgeman," on the 1836 tax assessment of Boggs Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. From the Civil War pension file of his eldest son, we know that John D. and his family lived and worked at Eagle Iron Works in Boggs Township. He was there through at least 1838-39. John appears as John McCain in the records of the Eagle Iron Works as a forgeman during this time period. Here his eldest son, John Boggs McKean, was born on Mar. 3, 1838. In 1840, he appears with his family on the census in Rush Township, where he is listed as engaging in "manufacturing and trades," probably still working in the iron industry, perhaps at the Cold Stream Forge which briefly operated in that area. Daughter Mary was born on Oct. 3, 1840, and son James Sterling McKean was born January 8, 1842.
By 1844, the McKean family had moved to Porter Township, Clinton County. Here they lived until 1856. The remaining children, William Lyle (May 9, 1845), Sarah P. (Sept. 12, 1847), Rio Grand (Jan. 9, 1850), and Anna Elizabeth (June 3, 1854) were almost certainly born here. John worked rather consistently as a forgeman during this time period, probably at the Washington Iron Furnace, and the family probably lived close by.
In 1858 the family was taxed for the first time in Walker Township, and probably moved just up the road to the Nittany area. They resided in Walker Township through at least the 1870 census.
By the 1880 census, however, John and Susanna were living with their son, William, in Beech Creek Borough, Clinton County. He is listed as a forgeman. They are not listed after the 1880 census; the Neff Funeral Home records indicate that the father of John [Boggs] McKean was buried on Nov. 17, 1891, indicating that he had died a few days prior. The mother of John McKean, Susanna, was buried by Neff on Nov. 4, 1894.
Concrete documentation of their burial locations has not yet been found, but it appears that they are probably buried at Hays-Fearon, on the plot of their son William, with whom they lived in their later years and whose plot contains ample grave spaces, many of them unmarked.
On March 10, 1834, per the family Bible, he married Susanna Sterling, whose family lived in the Beech Creek/Lamar Township areas of neighboring Clinton County. They had nine children. Margaret Jane was born Feb. 2, 1834, and Robert was born Feb. 4, 1836. Both appear to have died before the 1840 census.
The first definite appearance of John D. McKean is as "John McKane, forgeman," on the 1836 tax assessment of Boggs Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. From the Civil War pension file of his eldest son, we know that John D. and his family lived and worked at Eagle Iron Works in Boggs Township. He was there through at least 1838-39. John appears as John McCain in the records of the Eagle Iron Works as a forgeman during this time period. Here his eldest son, John Boggs McKean, was born on Mar. 3, 1838. In 1840, he appears with his family on the census in Rush Township, where he is listed as engaging in "manufacturing and trades," probably still working in the iron industry, perhaps at the Cold Stream Forge which briefly operated in that area. Daughter Mary was born on Oct. 3, 1840, and son James Sterling McKean was born January 8, 1842.
By 1844, the McKean family had moved to Porter Township, Clinton County. Here they lived until 1856. The remaining children, William Lyle (May 9, 1845), Sarah P. (Sept. 12, 1847), Rio Grand (Jan. 9, 1850), and Anna Elizabeth (June 3, 1854) were almost certainly born here. John worked rather consistently as a forgeman during this time period, probably at the Washington Iron Furnace, and the family probably lived close by.
In 1858 the family was taxed for the first time in Walker Township, and probably moved just up the road to the Nittany area. They resided in Walker Township through at least the 1870 census.
By the 1880 census, however, John and Susanna were living with their son, William, in Beech Creek Borough, Clinton County. He is listed as a forgeman. They are not listed after the 1880 census; the Neff Funeral Home records indicate that the father of John [Boggs] McKean was buried on Nov. 17, 1891, indicating that he had died a few days prior. The mother of John McKean, Susanna, was buried by Neff on Nov. 4, 1894.
Concrete documentation of their burial locations has not yet been found, but it appears that they are probably buried at Hays-Fearon, on the plot of their son William, with whom they lived in their later years and whose plot contains ample grave spaces, many of them unmarked.
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