Joseph McKean

Joseph Borden McKean (July 28, 1764–September 3, 1826) was a distinguished Philadelphia lawyer and judge. He served as state Pennsylvania Attorney General when appointed by his father, Governor Thomas McKean, and like his father, also served as presiding judge of the District Court of Philadelphia

For the Harvard University professor, see Joseph McKean (academic).
Joseph Borden McKean
3rd Attorney General of Pennsylvania
In office
May 10, 1800 – July 22, 1808
GovernorThomas McKean
Preceded byJared Ingersoll
Succeeded byMahlon Dickerson
Personal details
BornJuly 28, 1764
New Castle, Delaware
DiedSeptember 3, 1826 (aged 62)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Spouse(s)Hannah Miles
Children8 survived to adulthood
Alma materAcademy of Philadelphia
ProfessionAttorney, Judge

Biography and career

McKean was the first child of Thomas McKean and Mary Borden. Mary died in 1773 when Joseph was 9, and upon remarriage, the family moved to Philadelphia. During the War the elder McKean was a prominent patriot—among other things, he was a signer of the Declaration of Independence—and the family was given the house of a vacated Brit.[1]

McKean attended the Academy of Philadelphia, graduating in 1782.[2] He was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in 1785.[2]

McKean served as state Attorney General (1800–1808) appointed by his father, the governor, and later served (1814–1826) as a justice of the city of Philadelphia District Court, including two terms as presiding judge (1818–1821, 1825–1826).[3]

Like his father, McKean served as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (1794–1826).[2] They served jointly until his father's death in 1817.

Marriage and children

McKean married Hannah Miles in 1786. Their children were Mary, Catherine,[4] Samuel Miles, Thomas,[4] Joseph Kirkbridge, Elizabeth, Ann,[4] Letitia,[4] William Wister, Letitia Henrietta, Caroline, Adeline Julia.[5]

Joseph would study law, but not practice, ending up working for the Federal Treasury. William joined the navy at a young age, and ended up as an officer with the rank of Commodore.[6]

Hannah survived her husband by 19 years, dying in 1845.

References
  1. Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania: Genealogical and Personal Memoirs. Volume 3. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1911. p. 1185.
  2. "University of Pennsylvania Archives".
  3. Hon. Samuel W. Pennypacker (1896). "Appendix: Congress Hall, Philadelphia". Report of the Second Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. p. 246.
  4. Died young.
  5. Cornelius McKean (1902). McKean Genealogies, from the Early Settlement of McKeans Or McKeens in America to the Present Time, 1902. Des Moines, Iowa: The Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co. pp. 118–9. joseph borden mckean.
  6. Cornelius McKean (1902). McKean Genealogies, from the Early Settlement of McKeans Or McKeens in America to the Present Time, 1902. Des Moines, Iowa: The Kenyon Printing & Mfg. Co. pp. 124–8.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Jared Ingersoll		 Attorney General of Pennsylvania
1800–1808		 Succeeded by
Mahlon Dickerson
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