Thomas MCKEEN

1734 - 1817  (83 years)

• Name	Thomas MCKEEN
  Born	19 Mar 1734	New London, Chester, Pennsylvania
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	McKEAN
  Noteworthy	Signed the Declaration of Independence
  Occupation	Statesman, President of Delaware, Governor of Pennsylvania, 8th President of the Continental Congress
  Died	24 Jun 1817	Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  Person ID	I46281	Main
  Last Modified	19 May 2023

  
  

  Father	William MCKEEN,   b. 1705, Ireland ,   d. 18 Nov 1769, Pennsylvania, USA  (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Letitia FINNEY,   b. Abt 1710, Derry, County Londonderry, Ulster, Northern Ireland ,   d. Abt 1742, New London, Chester, Pennsylvania  (Age ~ 32 years)
  Family ID	F32142	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Died - 24 Jun 1817 - Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  Born in Pennsylvania, he studied law in Delaware and practiced in those two colonies as well as New Jersey. While serving in the Delaware Assembly, he moved to Philadelphia to enhance his law practice and become more active in the move toward independence. McKean represented Delaware in the Continental Congress, and he was present in July 1776 to vote for independence and the adoption of the Declaration. After helping to draft Delaware's new constitution, and in spite of being a vocal opponent of Pennsylvania's, McKean accepted the chief justiceship in the latter state and remained in that position for 22 years. This apparent hypocrisy, and his mobility, made him unpopular, but he became a moderate jurist and made a lasting contribution to the Pennsylvania courts. McKean supported ratification of the federal constitution but allied himself with the Republican faction in Pennsylvania. He was elected Governor in 1799 and served three controversial terms, surviving impeachment proceedings in 1807. He was an advocate of education, moderate judicial reform, and internal improvements. Thomas McKean might have been the last to sign the Declaration of Independence, but the evidence in inconclusive. He left Philadelphia shortly after July 4 and did not return until late August 1776.  [1]

  
  

• Sources

  [S151] WikiTree, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/McKean-13.