p\ *~ ' ^ -p oo <-,■ - ^ *. V v- 1 ; <$+* - % v^ \ V '•■r , \ x ,0 o ^ v ; .*< > .. C * < ' * k * . \* s ■0 X X sfr' ^. -, .* \ > GENEALOGY OF THE McKEAN FAMILY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Nearly out of Print; 273 + 14 Pages, - Price, $2.00. LIFE OF THE HON. THOMAS McKEAN, LL.D. MEMBER OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS FROM DELAWARE, CHIEF- JUSTICE AND GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, SIGNER OF THE DECLA- RATION OF INDEPENDENCE, AND PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. Reprinted from the above Genealogy, pp. 136, - Price $1.50. BOTH OF THE ABOVE WORKS DEDICATED, BY PERMISSION, TO THE Hon. THOMAS F. BAYARD, LL.D. OBSERVATIONS ON THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. Reprinted from the above works, pp. 19, - - Price, $0.50. TREATISE ON THE PROJECTION OF THE SPHERE. With plates, pp. 47, - - - - Price, $0.75. [In the latter work the method given, with formulae and tables, was devised by the author for his own use, and has been used by him yearly in projecting solar eclipses and in connec- tion with other duties in the office of the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac] 5^ For the above works, address the author, ROBERDEAU BUCHANAN, The Clarendon, Washington, D. C. TESTIMONIALS- -See Other Side. 10 TESTIMONIALS. Extracts from the letter of the Hon. Thomas F. Bayakd, LL. D., as printed in the Genealogy and Life, accepting the dedication : Wilmington, Del., March 25, 1890. Deak Sir : Since receiving your letter of December 23d, the proof sheets of the " Life of Thomas McKean, LL.D." have been duly sent to me, and I now congratulate you upon the successful completion of your labors. I accept with pleasure the honor of your dedication, and as an American, especially as a citizen of Delaware, I am justly proud to be thus associated with the Memorial of a patriot, statesman, and jurist, so distinguished as Thomas McKean. * * * As his kinsman and descendant, you have performed a pious duty in com- piling with simple accuracy a full and faithful record of the life-work of your ancestor, and the picture you have given of his private as well as of his public character and career is just and true. As a citizen, you have done public service in contributing an important chapter in the veritable history of laying the foundations of the Government whose blessings we now enjoy, and which it is the duty of each of us to assist in transmitting unimpaired to posterity. I am, dear sir, respectfully and truly yours, T. F. BAYAKD. Dr. John K. Quinan, of Baltimore, Historiographer of the Mary- land Medical and Chirurgical Faculty, author of Medical An- nals of Baltimore, etc.: I have been so engrossed in reading your work on the " McKean Family " that I came near forgetting to thank you for it, which I now do most heartily. It is a very valuable addition to historical literature, and, from the close and distinguished connection which many of the subjects bear to our country's annals, one of national interest and importance. The new light you throw on the vexed question of the date of signing the Declaration settles it forever, and the book will be quoted as decisive au- thority on this topic. The care youshow in verifying dates, and the very lucid manner you adopt in arranging the respective genealogies, is very commendable, and should be adopted more generally than it is by compilers of genealogy. His Excellency the Marquis de Casa Ykujo, Madrid, Senator of Spain, great-grandson of Governor Thomas McKean : [This letter is written in English.] Your letter of the 4th instant duly reached me, together with the genealogy of the McKean family, and the other interesting books that you kindly sent me. I have looked over them with great interest and pleasure, and appreciate the very great work and attention that you have needed to prepare the books. Allow me to congratulate you and to congratulate the McKean family about your exhaustive history of Governor McKean and his descendants, and to thank you most sincerely for the very handsome copy that you have had the goodness to send me, and which shall be carefully kept amongst my family papers. I avail myself of this opportunity, my dear Mr. Buchanan, to renew the assurance of my consideration, and pray you to believe me always, yours very sincerely, M. CASA YEUJO. John Buchanan Hamilton, Esq., of Leny, Spittal, and Bardowie, hereditary chief of the Buchanan Clan, Scotland : I am very much obliged to you for the copy you have sent to me ; as yet I have merely had time to glance through its contents, but I have seen enough to satisfy me that it is a work of immense research and labor, and could only have been compiled by one who had all his life been not only in- terested in family history, but who has been also a most industrious collector of names, facts, and dates. I think it was Mr. Gladstone who remarked that he had always regarded the Constitution of the United States as one of the greatest efforts of intel- lectual statesmanship ever accomplished, and in this Thomas McKean seems to have taken a large and active share. Judge Mellen Chamberlain, Librarian of the Boston Public Library : I now have read your book and thank you for it, and especially for the kind manner in which you speak of the " AuthentimMon." My opinion, if that is of any account, is that it is about as good a piece of work of its kind as I have ever seen, and it ought to have wide reading among those who undertake historical investigations. I seldom read anything which seems to me so free from errors, or so few things from which I find myself obliged to dissent. [The letter is 13 pages, and the writer then proceeds to point out the por- tions of the work he approves, and also those from which he dissents.] Hon. Leonard E. Wales, U. S. District Judge, Wilmington, Delaware : I have read the book with great interest, and desire to thank you for hav- ing taken such pains and devoted so much labor to the preparation of the biography of your illustrious kinsman. It will prove to be a valuable addi- tion to the biographies of American statesmen. I shall prize it very highly. I have also read your Observations on the Declaration of Independence, a copy of which was placed at my disposal by Mr. Bayard. Your examination of the subject is very thorough, and your conclusion appears to be irrefutable. James McKeen, Esq., Attorney-at-Law, New York : Your most thorough elucidation of the " Declaration " matter must com- mend the work to those judicious scholars who appreciate the labor involved in such historical investigations. Indeed, the life of Governor McKean con- nects itself with so many public events of paramount importance that your work takes a much wider range than that of a mere family history. The biography will, I trust, command the public attention it deserves. It seems to me you effectually pulverize the Reed contention ; you do not r even leave them the dust. Thomas McKean, Esq., Philadelphia (three letters): ' Your favor of May 20th duly received, with the life of the Governor, which I have read with great interest, and assure you I am more than pleased with it. You have evidently spent a great deal of time and have made a thorough search for material. If the genealogy of the McKean family is half as good we will feel much indebted for your trouble. I will take for myself fifty copies of the Genealogy and fifty copies of the Life of the Governor. The Genealogy, to my mind, is as perfect as it could be made, and I have been much interested in studying it over. You will be glad to hear that the worth of your labor is fully appreciated by all who have seen your book. James W. Hazlehurst, Esq., Philadelphia (postal card) : Book received and much appreciated. It is the most readable book on a dry subject which I have met with. Washington .Post, June 2, 1890 : The principal feature of this work, is that portion relating to the signing of the Declaration, and, strange as it may appear at this late day, the author has given new facts regarding this important matter. Historians concur almost universally in holding that the President and Secretary signed the Declaration on the 4th of July, 1776. And although such distinguished writers as Bancroft, Daniel Webster, Robert G. Winthrop, Justin Winsor, Peter 'Force, Frothingham, Hildreth, and others hold these views, vet the author of this book has shown that there is no solid foundation for them. In support of this statement, the work is illustrated with three fac-similes of the manuscript journals of Congress, from photographs made by permis- sion of the Hon. W. F. Wharton, Assistant Secretary of State, which are the first fac-similes of these valuable records ever made. These explain the true reason for the erroneous, but very common, opinions held by many persons regarding the Declaration, which is that the proper printed journals do not conform to the original clauses in the manuscript, while whole clauses are in print that are not in any of the journals. The originals have been guarded so closely in the Department of State that it is doubtful whether even a few or any historians have examined them. Oration, July 4, 1890, by William L. Stone, Esq., at Woon- socket, R. I., before the Governor and State officers : [Woomocket Evening Reporter, July 7 ; Woonsocket Patriot, July 11, etc., etc.] The fact is, that, as a late writer of high authority, Mr. Roberdeau Buch- anan, says, " The signing [if it was done] was not the vital act giving life and force to the Declaration, but merely the attestation of that act already consummated, and, judging by the printed broadside, performed wholly for the satisfaction of the public." New York World, June 29, 1890 : ' ' He wrote his name where all men shall observe it and all time shall not efface it." This epitaph on John Hancock combines a declaration and a prophecy. It begins to appear that the one is doubtful and the other alto- gether inaccurate. The epitaph was based on the belief, which was almost universal when it was written and which is general still, that John Hancock, as President of the Continental Congress, at Philadelphia, wrote his name, and wrote it big, on the original Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July, 1776. * * * But that idea is wrong. * * * Early in the century the historians began to question whether the docu- ment as we see it to-day told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. When the veracity of the parchment in the State Department began to be doubted, the theory was adopted that the original Declaration was written on paper and signed on July 4, 1776, by all the immortal patriots whose names now adorn the parchment and all printed copies of it. Theu circumstances came to light which show that the paper Declaration was m signed by all the fifty-six on July 4, and the teaching of the most recent in- vestigations is that nobody signed the Declaration on July 4, either on paper or on parchment. The results of the latest inquiries on the subject are embodied in a book recently issued by Roberdeau Buchanan under the title "The Life of the Hon. Thomas McKean." * * * Buchanan, who is a relative of Mr. McKean, has dedicated his book to ex- Secretary of State Thomas F. Bayard. * * * The book is illustrated by some valuable fac-similes of important passages in the manuscript journals of the Continental Congress. These show many inaccuracies in the printed journals of the Continental Congress, which have been the guides of his- torians and writers of all kinds and the public generally. _> *> 2 J GENEALOGY McKEAN FAMILY OF PENNSYLVANIA, WITH A BIOGRAPHY OF THE HON. THOMAS McKEAiN, LL.D., MEMBER OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS FROM DELAWARE, CHIEF JUSTICE AND GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDE- PENDENCE, AND PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. BY ROBERDEAU BUCHANAN, AUTHOR OF THE GENEALOGY OF THE ROBERDEAU FAMILY, AND GENEALOGY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF DR. WILLIAM SHIPPEN THE ELDER. Y. WITH AN INTRODUCTORY LETTER BY THE ■ (ft Hon. THOMAS F. BAYARD, LL. LANCASTER, PA- INQUIRER PRINTING COMPANY. 1890. C: H it u 3. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1890, by Roberdeau Buchanan, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Ligrary of Congress By transfer from War Depart; AUG 30 1933 TO THE Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, LL. D. WHOSE DISTINGUISHED SERVICES IN THE COUNCILS OP THE NATION AS A SENATOR, AND AS SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE REFLECTED ESPECIAL HONOR UPON THE STATE OP DELAWARE, XTbis BioQrapb£ OP "The Leading Delegate from Delaware" in THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY HIS OBEDIENT SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. JUN 8 1895 INTRODUCTORY CORRESPONDENCE. THE AUTHOR TO THE HON. THOMAS F. BAYARD, LL. D. Washington, D. C, December 23, 1889. To the Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, LL. D. Dear Sir: Having in course of publication a Life of the Hon. Thomas McKean, LL. D., who for a number of years was the " leading delegate from Delaware " in the Continental Congress, and also a Signer of the Declaration of Independence ; it would give me much pleasure if you will permit me to dedicate the same to you, as a slight mark of my appreciation of the services you have in later days rendered, in many important positions, not only to the State of Delaware, but to our country at large. I have the honor to enclose proof pages of the work as far as yet printed ; and, with your approbation, will from time to time send the succeeding pages as they are received from the printer. I have the honor to be, with much respect, Yours very truly, ROBERDEAU BUCHANAN. REPLY OF THE HON. THOMAS F. BAYARD. Wilmington, Del., March 25th, 1890. Dear Sir : Since receiving your letter of December 23d, the proof sheets of the " Life of Thomas McKean, LL.D.," have been duly sent me, and I now congratulate you upon the successful completion of your labors. I accept with pleasure the honor of your dedication, and as an American, especially as a citizen of Delaware, I am justly proud to be thus associated with the Memorial of a patriot, statesman, and jurist, so distinguished as Thomas McKean. In this State Mr. McKean commenced his professional and public career ; as a Representative of this community he was delegated, together with his compatriot, Caesar Rodney, to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765; and from that time onward until American liberty and independence were firmly secured, he was (v) VI INTRODUCTORY CORRESPONDENCE. continuously invested with the highest public trusts which the people of this State could bestow ; all of which he executed with a fidelity and ability which awakened the grateful admiration of his constituents, and secured for him the highest popular esteem. To him is due the high distinction of serving longer and more continuously than any other member of the Continental Congress, in the stormy and eventful years of the struggle for our indepen- dent National existence. To this it may be added that his assiduity was equalled by his courage, discretion and ability in the "times that tried men's souls." In parliamentary bodies, declamatory vigor and selfish assertion, contenting itself with sharp criticism upon the work of others, may, and often do, give distinction and sometimes an undeserved reputation with the public ; while the patient, self-controlled and steady labor that formulates and constructs is recognized and ap- preciated only by the "singular few," who quietly take part in the real work of State building, and to whom mankind are chiefly indebted. In this sober class of unselfish and conscientious constructors of our republican system, Thomas McKean must be ranked among the first. As his kinsman and descendant, you have performed a pious duty in compiling with simple accuracy, a full and faithful record of the life-work of your ancestor; and the picture you have given of his private as well as of his public character and career is just and true. As a citizen, you have done public service in contributing an important chapter in the veritable history of laying the founda- tions of the government whose blessings we now enjoy, and which it is the duty of each of us to assist in transmitting unimpaired to posterity. I am, dear sir, Respectfully and truly yours, T. F. Bayard. To Roberdeau Buchanan, Esq., Washington, D. C. PKEFACE. The author has the honor of presenting herewith to the Mc- Kean family, the Genealogy op the Descendants of the Hon. Thomas McKean; hoping it may give as much pleasure to its readers as it has given to him in its compilation. Since boyhood the author has been interested in family history, carefully collecting names and preserving such facts, dates, biog- raphies, newspaper articles, memoranda of books, etc., as came under his notice ; and in this slow way was continually adding to his chart of the family, intending at some future time that his researches should be published. The active preparation of this genealogy, however, dates from the fall of 1885, when he proposed to complete the work as a contribution for The Signers of the Declaration and their Descendants, in course of prepara- tion by Frank Willing Leach, Esq., of Philadelphia. That pub- lication having been delayed on account of the magnitude of the work, and the present genealogy having much exceeded the com- pass of such a contribution, these pages are now given to the public independently, and in accordance with the author's original design. As to the plan of the work, it is that usually adopted by Amer- ican genealogists. In families possessing a title or entailed landed estates, a single line of descent is often followed to the exclusion, partially or wholly, of collateral relatives. In this plan, which is followed by Burke in England, Browning's Royal Descents, and Keith's Provincial Councillors, members of a family are separated, while generations are kept together. It necessarily becomes imprac - tieable, intricate, and confusing when there are long biographies, when the family is large, or when all the descendants are to be included. Therefore the plan adopted by the best genealogists in this country, and which is decidedly the clearest and simplest, is to classify each generation by itself, and the members thereof in strict order of primogeniture. Upon this system the work proceeds chronologically, the earlier generations first, the later at the end of the book ; names of persons appear first as children under the (vii) Vlll PREFACE. biography of their parents, and subsequently as parents of the next generation. Names thus repeated are accompanied by a running Arabic number for convenience of reference and identification. A little examination will readily show how a line of descent may, by these numbers, be traced upward to find the ancestors, or down- ward to find the descendants. Some good genealogists, after the name of a person, give in brackets the names of all his ancestors, which the author consid- ers useless and cumbersome. It is of no use to the person himself, for he knows his own ancestors ; nor to another person, for he can readily ascertain the pedigree by the running numbers. The use of exponent figures denoting the generations, the author also considers to be generally superfluous ; it has been restricted in this work to the index, and but sparingly used there. By these omis- sions the author is confident that he has not sacrificed clearness of reference. Search in libraries for everything that may be in print concern- ing the family, and especially in regard to Governor McKean, has been thorough, and on account of the prominence of our ancestor and of several other members, has been very laborious, as the references will show. A few good works, with poor indices, or none at all, have been reluctlantly cast aside, from the labor and time necessary to consult them. A book without an index is like a man who has lost his mind. Being accustomed to mathematical precision in his professional avocation, accuracy has been the author's great aim in this work, especially as to dates ; he has, therefore, upon all occasions en- deavored to verify every statement, date and book reference ; in several instances where persons claimed to have graduated at col- lege, a reference to the quinquennial catalogues showed that they did not graduate ; all college degrees here mentioned have there- fore been verified by the college catalogues. Mistakes and dis- crepancies are common in printed books, but they have also been found, when least expected, in such public records as church reg- isters, cemetery records, in the Navy Department records, on tombstones, in family Bibles, etc. Between the journals of Con- gress and the Articles of Confederation the author has discovered a discrepancy in a date, and old publications have added a third date, which is difficult to account for. The published journals of PREFACE. IX Congress are very inaccurate and misleading, especially in regard to the Declaration of Independence. So far as the author has compared, the printed journals do not agree with the rough manu- script journal, which is the standard, in wording, punctuation, or capitalization : the suhstance is of course correct. So numerous have been the mistakes discovered and corrected, and so perplex- ing the discrepancies which the author has been unable to recon- cile or correct, that they have all been entered in Appendix II. Whenever it was found necessary to transpose or change the wording of an author, to add or omit portions of his work, quota- tion marks have been omitted. The author or book is, however, in such cases always referred to. All doubtful facts are plainly so stated in this genealogy ; the New England McKeen pedigree and the letter of Robert Bu- chanan are given to preserve the facts from loss, hoping that some future genealogist may find use for them as clews for a more com- plete history of the family in those early times. In the biography of Governor McKean, the author began by taking Sanderson's fine biography as a foundation, but soon re- jected that plan, and quoted the work with other authors ; he has reluctantly been obliged to transpose Sanderson's biography and rearrange it so as to place the facts in chronological order, as well as to bring together all the writers upon one topic before taking up the next. This comparison of various authors has been the means of correcting several mistakes in Sanderson which have been copied by all succeeding biographers (Appendix II). By the use of some extraneous matter, and explanations, have been brought into a connected account, several topics that in Sander- son's biography seem to have no connection. Minute details, so far as accessible, poetry, anecdotes, and other trivial matters often ne- glected by the severe historian, have been made use of; for it is these unimportant matters which make us feel acquainted with another, and give a clearer insight into his life and character. Of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, — an intri- cate subject, which has been discussed by many able men, includ- ing Peter Force, Webster, Winthrop, Bancroft, and lastly Judge Chamberlain, it is belived that an abstract of all that has been written upon the subject is here given. Through the courtesy of the Assistant Secretary of State, and X PREFACE. the other gentlemen, the author has been accorded the especial privilege of photographing the original Manuscript Journals of Congress in the handwriting of Charles Thomson — an especial favor, since these Journals are among the most valuable records in the archives of the State Department, and have never before been reproduced in fac-simile. Doubtless but few historians have seen the originals, since permission from the Secretary of State is re^ quired even to inspect them; and trusting to the inaccurate pub- lished copies, many writers have been led into error, or else have found discrepancies they could not explain. It is hoped, therefore, that these fac-similes may help to elucidate matters, that long ago should have been made clear. Permission to photograph the Journals was given while pages 39 and 45 of the present work were being set in type ; and merely a few verbal changes could be made in the text. It was found subsequently that the negatives were too delicate to be photo-lith- ographed ; they were consequently reproduced by the Moss process in New York. The first fac-simile is the Hough Journal, with the Declaration of Independence displayed, reduced three-eighths size. Here may be seen the wafers attaching it to the page — the names of John Hancock and Charles Thomson in print — and at the top of page 95 of the Journal, the following clauses omitted in the printed copies : — " Ordered That the declaration be authenticated & printed " That the committee appointed to prepare the declar- ation superintend & correct the press." It will be noticed, that the names of the fifty-six Signers, and the clause preceding them in the printed journals, are nowhere to be found. Compare the fac-simile with the text opposite. The second plate is a portion of the above on a larger size, and from a second negative, half size. The third plate is the page of the Secret Journal relating to the engrossed declaration, half-size; the interlineation is plainly seen. By comparison with the printed journal, the latter will be found faulty in the kind of type used, as well as in spelling. Several offices and appointments held by Governor McKean, and other facts not heretofore mentioned in his biographies, are PKEFACE. XI here given ; and at the cost of some repetition, the numerous estimates of Governor McKean's character, hy various authors, have all been inserted; but scattered through the biography to avoid weariness to the reader. An apology may be due for the long accounts of the impeachment trials, of Mr. McKean's seat in Congress, and perhaps some other portions that may appear tedious. They are retained here, hoping to make this biography of Gov- ernor McKean a standard, wherein may be found, in full, all in- formation that is known of him and that has appeared in print. On account of Governor McKean's prominence as one of the framers of this government, his biography may be of interest be- yond the comparatively limited sphere of a genealogy ; it has therefore been bound separately, entitled Life of the Hon. Thomas McKean, LL.D. Portions also relating to the signing of the De- claration, rearranged with some omissions, have been bound as a pamphlet, entitled Observations on the Declaration of Independence. Regarding the later generations, the author has corresponded with at least one member in each family. Some have furnished quite full information, and others have not. It may be that of some persons in private life but little is to be said. Facts re- corded here will be preserved for posterity, and if any important facts are withheld and lost it is not the fault of the author. The genealogy is, however, complete as to all descendants of Governor McKean. Finally, to all members of the family the author returns his sincere thanks for their co-operation; and especially to Miss Anna M. Bayard, Mrs. Rosa McK. Hotchkiss, His Excellency, the Marquis de Casa Yrujo, Madrid, Mr. Henry Pettit, Mr. Henry Pratt McKean, and Mr. John T. Lewis. Also to many others, among whom may be mentioned the Hon. George Bancroft, Jus- tin Winsor, Librarian of Harvard University, Judge Mellen Chamberlain, of the Boston Public Library (for especial favors); to Frank Willing Leach, of Philadelphia, and Dr. John R. Quinan, of Baltimore, J. Guthrie Smith, Esq., of Mugdock Cas- tle, Milngavie, Scotland, for letters and information. To the Hon. William F. Wharton, Assistant Secretary of State, and to Frederick Bancroft, Esq., Chief of the Bureau of Rolls and Library, the author is especially indebted for their concurrent permission, to photograph the manuscript Journals of Congress, ' 9 Xll PREFACE. for copies of letters, and for much other information officially fur- nished from the Department records. And in no less degree is the author indebted to S. M. Hamilton, Esq., of the Bureau of Rolls and Library, for facilities in making the above mentioned photographic negatives; and also for opening to the author's in- spection not only the original Articles of Confederation, but also numerous letters and papers of the revolutionary period, in the ar- chives of the Department, and for much information, unofficially and very cordially given. The author is also under obligations to various other gentlemen for information from the records of the Navy Department; Con- federate Archives ; and Secretary's office, U. S. Senate. To the Scots Charitable Society of Boston ; the Hibernian Society of Philadelphia; and the Pickett-Buchanan Camp of Norfolk, Va.; to Mr. A. R. Spofford, Librarian, and the attendants at the Con- gressional Library ; the librarians and others of the State, War, Navy, Treasury, and Interior Departments; Patent Office, and Bureau of Education ; also the Pennsylvania Historical Society, City Library, and Athenzeum, of Philadelphia; Astor Library of New York ; Long Island Historical Society, of Brooklyn ; Mary- land Historical Society and Peabody Library, of Baltimore; Le- high University Library, Bethlehem, Pa.; the Masonic Library, 33d Degree, and Lowdermilk's Antiquarian Bookstore, Washing- ton, D. C, Washington, D. C, November, 1889. CONTENTS. Principal Surnames: — McKean, Buchanan (of Md.), Pettit, Bayard, Martinez de Yrujo, Marquis de Casa Yrnjo (Spain), Borie, Coale, Hoffman, Duke of Sotomayor, (Spain), Sanford (of N. Y.), Wade, Wilson. Principal Pedigrees : — McKean, Finney, Borden, Buch- anan, Bayard, Coale, Cunyngham (Scotland), Lloyd (of Md.) r Pettit, Peters, Roberdeau. See also 2d Index of Subjects. PAGE Dedication to the Hon. Thomas F. Bayard iii, v Historical Introduction and McKean Pedigree 1 Life of Governor Thomas McKean, LL.D 13 Studies law 13 The Delaware Assembly 15 His Marriage ; Borden Family 15 Minor appointments 17 Stamp Act Congress, 1*765 — a member 18 Minor offices — anecdote 19 Speaker of House of Assembly 20 Second Marriage 21 Continental Congress, 1775 21 Committee of Inspection and Observation, and the Associators in Penn 24 Resolution of the 15th of May, and Public Meeting of May 20, 1776 \ . 26 Convention of Deputies at Carpenter's Hall, 1776 28 The Declaration of Independence 29 McKean's services in favor of it, secures a unanimous vote . 30 How signed ; Conflicting statements of McKean, Jefferson and Adams; Opinions of recent authors — Force, Webster, Win- throp, Frothingham, Bancroft,- Lossing, Chamberlain, and others ; The Journals of Congress, fac-similes of the origi- nals ; The Declaration not signed by any one on July 4, 1 776. 31 The engrossed Declaration ; The Secret Journals of Congress : Fac-simile of one page; Signed Aug. 2, 1776; Anecdotes at signing ; McKean the last one to sign ; Omission of his name in print ; Early copies — fac similes 45 War measures, July, 1776 49 Public meetings 50 Constitution of the State of Delaware ; Written by Mr. Mc- Kean in one night ; Mr. Read's claim not established .... 51 Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, 1777 54 Noted cases 57 Anecdotes — Andre's Dream, Poetry, etc 61 President of the State of Delaware, 1777 63 Articles of Confederation; McKean one of the committee ; 64 A historical discrepancy 65 Difficulty with General Thompson 67 ( xiii ) XIV CONTEXTS. PAGE Public Meeting. May 24-25, 17*79 67 High Court of Errors and Appeals 68 Judge McKean's residence 69 President op Congress, 1781 70 Three remarkable incidents in McKean's life 72 Publishes the Laws of Pennsylvania 73 Convention to ratify the Constitution of U.S., 1787; McKean moves to ratify . 74 Case of Oswald and attempt to impeach the Supreme Court ; Chief Justice McKean's judgment on contempts 77 Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 1789 79 Minor matters 79 Commentary on the Constitution by McKean and Wilson ... SI Commotions caused by Jay's Treaty 81 A Presidential Elector 82 Heated Political Affairs; Peter Porcupine's Lawsuits 82 Governor op Pennsylvania, 1799; McKean's 1st election ... 85 His election opposed by Cobbett ; McKean's election the first triumph of the Democratic party 85 McKean takes the oath of office ; His removals from office — not only for political purposes, but for the good of the State; Cobbett's remarks 88 McKean's 2d election ; Conflicts with the Legislature ; Anec- dotes 93 Solicited to become candidate for Vice President of U. S. ; Declined ; His election greatly attributed to the election of Jefferson to the presidency 95 McKean's 3d election; Virulent party feeling; Impeachment proceedings ; The charges purely political : The attempt fails ; McKean's vigorous Replication ; He refutes all the charges . 96 Close of his term of office ; Retires to private life 106 Fears of a British Invasion, 1814 ; Presides at a town meeting. . 107 Honorary degrees, diplomas, honors, etc 108 His death and funeral ; Noble tribute by his former opponent, Duane 110 His Life and Character; John Adams' tribute 113 His Will and seal thereto 115 Coat of Arms, probably none 116 List of Portraits, Historical Paintings and Engravings .... 118 McKean's Autograph and Letters 121 Bibliography 123 Conclusion — His Children 123 Genealogy, Second and succeeding Generations. 124, 139, 194, 223 Appendices. I. List of works containing biographies of Thomas McKean . 229 II. List of Mistakes and Discrepancies in books and public records 233 III. Positions of honor and trust held by the McKean family . 239 IV» A Remarkable Reminiscence of Admiral Buchanan . . . 243 Addenda and Corrigenda 249 Index of Principal Subjects 251 Index of all Names 259 /vWi GENEALOGT MCKEAN" FAMILT T HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION AND PEDIGREE. It seems to be the custom of most genealogists in this coun- try, to include in their histories an account of all persons bearing the surname of which they write ; and in consequence of the magnitude of their works, they are frequently obliged to omit the descendants of females bearing other surnames. I consider that this is not the correct plan upon which to write a genealogy: First, because such a work should, if possible, contain the names of all the descendants of one person, whether bearing the original surname or not ; and secondly, because families having no relation whatever to one another, are by this plan frequently grouped together ; for an identity of surnames is not always a sign of kinship. Of the name MeKean we may say that the prefix has its counterpart in every age, and in almost every language. As early as Biblical times we read, for example, Joshua son of Nun, in later days, John son of William, or by transposition John, William' s son . Hence Williamson, Johnson, Jackson, Peterson, etc. We also have the above genitive case giving Williams, Johns or Jones, etc. This form is not confined to the English alone, but is found in perhaps every other language. The Hebrew ben gives Benjamin, Benson, Ben- oni; the Syriac bar gives Barroio, which stands for Barueh, Bartholomew, etc.; Latin filius, and its Norman corruption Fitz, (as Fitzjames in the Lady of the Bake,') to which the Russian witz seems to have some affinity ; the Polish sky ; Welsh Ap, which is the Celtic Mob ; German Von; Dutch (l) 2 McKEAN FAMILY. Van ; French de ; and lastly the Scotch Mac, and the Irish Man and 0\ Of these, Mac and its contraction Mc and M* denote a son, and the 0' a grandson, or in a broader sense, a descendant. THE FAMILY IN IRELAND. Located in Ulster county there is a family O'Cahan, whose descendants bear the name of Kean, Keen, and other corrup- tions. We are not descended from this stock, however, but from the Scotch Clan McDonald, Lords of the Isles, as will appear by the following interesting letter 1 from Robert Bu- chanan of Cincinnati, now deceased : Cin : 29 July 1851. John McKeen, Esq. Dear Sir : I write by our mutual friend Mr. Owen, to say, that living in the country at present, I have not sufficient access to my Library to make full inquiry into the history of your Scot- tish ancestors ; but this much 1 have ascertained beyond a doubt, that they came in a direct line from the great Clan McDonald- Lords of the Isles, one of the most powerful of the clans of the Highlands of Scotland. This clan traces its history to its pro- genitor " Coll-Vuais" 2 one of the Chieftains of Ireland about a century before our Saviour's Nativity, who took possession of the Western Coast and Islands of Scotland, and became the founder of his clan which increased in power and numbers so greatly, as to dispute the throne of Scotland with the King, and to defeat him in battle about the year 262. But to come down to about the time when your family branched off, — It was in the reign of Alexander the 1st of Scotland. The Chief's name then was Sumerled, his successor was Rannald, and Eannald's son was Donald. Donald had two sons, Angus his successor, (and Alexander the progenitor of the MacAlesters or " sons of Alexander"). Angus had two sons, Alexander his successor, and John ancestor of the Mclans or McEans of Ard- namurchan in Argyleshire. Here the Mclans or " Sons of John " lived for many generations, emigrating to Ireland and dif- ferent parts of the kingdom, as the family increased ; but always claiming to belong to the Clan McDonald, and taking part in all its battles. The Clan McDonald had many other branches besides the 1 Now in possession of Miss F. A. McKeen, of Brunswick, Me., daughter of John McKeen. See also 0' Harts Irish Pedigrees, Dublin, ed. 1887 ; and Browning's Americans of Royal Descent, Ped. XXXVI. , note. 2 Browning's American Descents, quoting 0' Harts Irish Pedigrees, gives his name Coll-Vuias, the 121st monarch cf All Ireland. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION AND PEDIGREE. 6 Mclans and the McAlesters, viz : Mclvors, McNabs, McAphics, Mclntires, &c, &c, &c. I will write to you further on this subject when I remove to the city, in the winter. In searching over my Library, I will doubt- less find something in this way to interest you. Very respectfully, R. Buchanan. No attempt has been made by the author to verify the state- ments contained in this letter, or to trace the origin of the family in the mother country. THE McKEENS OF NEW ENGLAND. 1 The first emigrants to this country settled in New England, a later emigrant went to Pennsylvania. That these two were nearly related, is extremely probable from several considera- tions ; but no absolute proof of the fact can be found. I have much hesitation in recording a doubtful pedigree ; (doubtful however only as to its being the pedigree of the Pemisylvania branch.) But as there are not only one, but several facts tending to show this relationship, the following account is given, in hopes that some one may hereafter succeed in finding the connecting link. It is a curious bit of history, and it is believed that the historical details have not before been pub- lished. It was written by Judge Levi McKeen, of Pough- keepsie, N. Y. 2 "The first knowledge we have of the McKeen family is after the murder of Archbishop Sharp, when the Covenanters were brought before the military tribunals and questioned as to their loyalty. The shibboleth upon which life and death depended was, 'Was the killing of Archbishop Sharp murder?' If the ex- aminant was ambitious of a crown of martyrdom he would answer, 'no,' wdien immediate execution was done upon him. "At this time William McKeen, who appears to have been an agriculturalist, was brought before Claverhouse, and upon the question being put, answered, he 'was nae laayer and coold na tell,' but that he understood ' it was an unlafoo' deed.' This was a new answer, and for the present he was dismissed, when he fled 1 Originally and correctly spelt McKean, as explained on a subsequent page. s As given in the Family Record of Dr. W. E. Coale, where the name i3 spelled McKean; but it having been pointed out by James McKeen, Esq., of New York, after reading these pages in MS., that Levi McKeen never so spelled the name, and it probably having been changed in copying, the spelling McKeen is here restored. 4 McKEAN FAMILY. to Ireland, where, with many others, he founed a Scotch colony in the county of Ulster. At this time the family of David Car- gill (the Martyr) emigrated thither. "The son of the foregoing William McKeen was an actor in the defense of Londonderry. He was sent out with a party to forage during the siege, but falling into an ambuscade, was over- come, plundered, thrown into a ditch, and left for dead ; but after some time he revived and found himself stripped, and nothing left but an old hat, which the plunderer had thrown away. 1 " This one, called William y e Soldier had, 1st. James, born 1665, great-grandfather (father to the grandfather) to the writer (Levi McKeen), called The Justice; 2d. John, father to Levi's grand- mother ; 3d. Gennette or Annis, who married Rev. James Mc- Gregor; and one or two other sons, named either Robert, Joseph, or William. " James y e Justice, by his first wife, had sixteen children. . . ." 2 " It is known that James and John, sons of William y e Soldier, left in Ireland on« or two brothers — the better opinion is but one, and that was the grandfather of Governor McKeen, and his name was Robert, William, or Joseph. " The McKeens originally removed to Ireland under the as- surances of the London Company, that they would enjoy their re- ligion freed from taxes and tithes. In this they were deceived. They therefore determined to send delegates to make inquiries into the condition of this country; and try, if possible, to find a place where they could settle as a colony all together, in one place. They sent the Rev. James McGregor and another clergy- man named Holmes, who came to this country in 1716 or 1717; and as McGregor was a very eloquent preacher, and there was no material difference between this doctrine and those of the Con- gregationalists of New England, he was most flatteringly re- ceived, and wrote back letters encouraging his friends to remove. When James and John closed their concerns, from their wealth and influence, they became y e leaders of an expedition that sailed September, 1718, in five ships, for Boston, where they had a flat- tering reception from y e Governor and public authorities." Following here in the manuscript quoted from is a genea- logical chart, in which the name Thomas ye Signer, duly 1 These commotions in Ireland are very fully recorded in the History of Londonderry. See also Futhey and Cope's History of Chester County. The ; siege of Londonderry lasted eight months, in 1688-89. 2 Here follows an account of the descendants of James (whose second wife was Annis Cargill) and of John, among whom most prominent are Judge Levi McKeen, Joseph McKeen, LL. D., first President of Bowdoin College, Rev. Silas McKeen, of Belfast, Maine, Hon. Samuel McKean, United States Senator from Pennsylvania, and Samuel Dinsmore, sometime Governor of New Hampshire. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION AND PEDIGREE. 5 appears in his proper place as grandson of the later emigrant William, The genealogical portions of this manuscript, but not the historical details, are published with many additions in the History of Londonderry , iV~. H., by Rev. Edward L. Parker, 1851, where the name is universally written MeKeen, except in the final clause, as follows: "William McKeen, brother of Justice McKeen, born in Ire- land in 1704, came to America eight or nine years after the emi- gration of 1718 and settled in Pennsylvania. His grandson was Thomas McKean, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and for nine years Governor of Pennsylvania." In the History of the Town of Antrim, N. H., by Rev. W. R. Cochrane, 1880, the same genealogy of McKeen, in- luding the last quoted clause, is given. In the History of Windham, iV. H., by Leonard A. Mor- rison, 1883, and in the History of Acworth, iV. H., Rev. J. L. Merrill, 1869, the same genealogy and spelling is given, but the Pennsylvania branch is not mentioned, except the son William, the emigrant. In the History of the Town of Amherst, N. H., Daniel F. Secomb, 1883, the name is given McKean, and the Pennsylva- nia emigrant mentioned. In addition to the above quotation, a recent letter to the author from Miss Philena McKeen, gives the following ex- tracts from the writings of Judge McKeen (chiefly a letter of October 10, 1842), and of her father, the Rev. Silas McKeen. "'William McKeen emigrated from Ireland and settled in London township, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The house he lived in is yet in good repair (1842). After the death of his wife Letitia, who died in 1742, he removed to the State of Delaware, New Castle county, where he died November 18, 1769, aged 65 years.' " There has been a tradition in the branch of the McKeen fam- ily settled in New England that their ancestor, James McKeen, one of the first settlers of Londonderry, went south to Philadel- phia, or that part of the country, to visit a brother who had come from Ireland and settled there, who is believed to be this William, the father of Governor McKeen, of Pennsylvania (S. McK.). " Judge Levi McKeen says, ' It is universally believed among the McKeans of Pennsylvania that there is a relationship between them and those of the same name at the East." The name is ,'Zfr/pA?/? 7/i-H-f Af, '& J*fUt*J* Jur** 'df frruJt fa H&* // Art /i%t. U-freyfx-f a/ $f£-f,/yv/-A~ aJ3wa/w ^■ai^f^y jH> //&-**■./.*.•*!) ensuQ JMkt ***'<**■> &< 4k**6* (*> /. j yC 'e Hi ;lits, thai , denvwg their j«fl Povv, he Right o« the I'OpJe (i) ftl.rr . COPYRIGHT, 1890. BY ROBERDEAU BUCHANAN. ' J F W ' W'" ! " MllUIUI ilw mH l' — - THOMAS McKEAN. 39 Independence ; and found that in this investigation, I had un- knowingly been pretty much treading in his footsteps. It may be explained here, that there are three original manu- script journals, which are almost wholly in the handwriting of Charles Thomson: 1st. The Rough Journal, so called, con- sisting of entries made probably while Congress was sitting, which is the standard. 2d. The Smooth Journal, a copy of the previous, the entries being somewhat amplified and punctu- ated. The 3d is the Secret Journal, which is not a daily record, the consecutive dates of a 'portion in 1776 being June 24; July 8, 11, 17, 19; August 2; then November 27. There is consequently in the Secret Journal no entry under July 4, 1776. In the manuscript Smooth Journal, the declaration is wholly in writing, with no attesting clause, and no names attached, either in writing or in print. Upon examining the Rough Journal, much to my surprise, I found no toritten names appended to the Declaration, not even Hancock's, and the Declaration itself, with the attesta- tion, is in print on a large folded sheet of paper, attached by four red wafers. These facts do not appear to have been gen- erally known, or at least have not appeared in print, before the publication of Judge Chamberlain's pamphlet. The page of the journal of July 4th is towards the left hand, and is 12| by 8 inches with a margin of 2| inches, on the edge of the page at the left, not separated by any line. Jn the margin is a duplicate date, and in the body of the page the writing covers slightly more than half of the page ; the lo-wer part being left blank, undoubtedly to receive the printed broadside now found there. This page of the journal is here reproduced in fac-simile, a photo-lithograph, and reduced one- half size of the original. For this especial favor, — the first time that any portions of these journals have been reproduced in fac-simile, — the author is indebted to the Hon. William F. Wharton, Assistant Secretary of State, and to Frederick Ban- croft, Esq., Chief of the Bureau of Rolls and Library. The Declaration is on paper 18 inches long by 14f inches wide ; the print covering a space 17| by llf inches. It is folded upwards at the bottom of the page (where it is at the present time worn away and torn completely across,) and folded a second time in closing the book. It begins and ends as follows, the positions of the wafers being also shown: o 40 McKEAN FAMILY. o o o In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. A DECLARATION By the REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, In GENERAL CONGRESS assembled. "YTTHEN in the courfe of human events, it becomes necefsary [Here follows the Declaration] Signed by Order and in Behalf of the CONGRESS, JOHN HANCOCK, President. ATTEST. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. Philadelphia: printed by John Ddnlap. Lossing states that the Declaration was passed about two o'clock. 1 It was printed during the day and evening ; and the next day sent forth to the world. 2 On the 8th, by order of the Committee of Safety, it was publicly read by John Nixon from the State House steps. In Judge Chamberlain's Authen- tication, a letter from Theodore F. Dwight, librarian of the State Department, states that this first publication is the one wafered in the journal, and that among the papers of Washing- ton is another copy, the same which he read, or caused to be read, to the army. The Declaration was also published in the Evening Post of of July 6th, signed by the President and Secretary, and later it appeared in other papers. The reader has now before him all the facts upon which the foregoing diversified opinions are based. It is seen that there is no copy of the Declaration signed in the handwriting of any one on July 4th, the only attestation being in print ; and no paper is known such as mentioned by Jefferson, signed by all the members. It cannot be denied that such a paper ever existed, for " it may have lost," says Judge Chamberlain, 1 Field Book, 1860, ii., 78. 2 Scharfand Westcott, i., 317; Frothingkam, 544. THOMAS McKEAN. 41 " but there are facts making it far more probable that it never existed." 1 The responsibility of inserting the names in the printed journal cannot now be determined, and it is reasonable to sup- pose that there was no intention to mislead. The Secret Jour- nal had not then been printed ; and since the only entry as to the engrossing and signing of the Declaration is contained in it, the names were probably inserted in the public journal for the information of the public. 2 It is unfortunate, for it makes the printed journal assert facts on July 4th which did not take place until August or later. Since there is no Declaration known, in or out of the jour- nals of Congress, containing the tvritten signatures of the president and secretary affixed on the 4th of July, and not a scrap of evidence that such a paper ever existed, the author considers it very doubtful whether even Hancock or Thomson signed on the 4th. In the first place it was not the custom of the Continental Congress that resolutions in general should be signed by any one. When passed, they were entered on the journal. Sub- sequently, copies of resolutions that were sent to General Wash- ington and others, were authenticated by the written signature of John Hancock ; but such papers were copies, and not original records. There are no signed resolutions among the miscel- laneous papers of Congress preserved by Charles Thomson. This volume of papers was shown to me when making inquiries at the Department of State, where the facts in this paragraph were ascertained. In answer to a further inquiry as to whether there are any resolutions of the Continental Congress signed in writing by the President, or by the President and Secretary, the following letter states the matter officially : Department of State, Washington, October 21, 1889. ROBERDEAU BUCHANAN, ESQR., The Clarendon, Washington City. Sir : In reply to the enquiry contained in your letter of the 3d instant, I have to say that there are not in the Archives of the Continental Congress in this Department any resolutions or other papers signed in writing by the President or by the Presi- dent and Secretary prior to their entry on the journals. I am, sir, your obedient servant, J. Fenner Lee, Chief Clerk. 1 Authentication,^. 15. a Ibid., p. 20, Letter of T. F. Dwight. 42 McKEAN FAMILY. Is it likely that John Hancock would violate the usual cus- tom of Congress by signing the Declaration unless especially authorized to do so ? And the question may also be asked : If it required a formal resolution to prepare and sign the en- grossed Declaration on the 2d of August, would it not likewise have required a similar resolution for Hancock to sign the Declaration on the 4th of July ? No such resolution appears on the journal, and we may therefore doubt such alleged sign- ing. In accordance with custom, the entry on the journal is a sufficient attestation of the fact that the Declaration had passed Congress. No argument can be drawn from the wording of the attest- ing clause — Signed by order and in behalf of — that it presup- poses a resolution of Congress ; because these words, and others of similar import, have several times been made use of in other documents, showing the phrase to be one of common use in those days, but perhaps obsolete at the present time. 1 As no Declaration bearing the written signature of John Hancock on July 4th is known ever to have been in existence, we have only the printed Declaration from which to infer the signing. This signing, if it was done, was not the vital act, giving life and force to the Declaration ; but merely the attesta- tion of that act already consummated ; and, judging by the printed broadside, performed wholly for the satisfaction of the public. It was therefore a matter of secondary importance. This written copy itself was not intended to go before the pub- lic, or to be used in any legal proceeding ; it was simply a printer's copy, and the printed Declaration made from it would be the same whether printed from genuine signatures or from the same names written by another person. And from these considerations, the author hazards the conjecture that no one properly signed on July J^th. But in preparing a copy of the 1 In support of this statement, the following may be found in Force's American Archives: IV., vi., 1136^ Address to Gen. Washington, June 29, 1776, "By desire, and in behalf of the several Regiments in the Second Brigade ;" IV., vi., 847, Petition of Gen. Daniel Roberdeau to the Assembly, May 20, 1776, "Signed in behalf of, and by the desire of the inhabitants," etc.; V., i., 170, Address to Gen. Roberdeau, July 10, 1776, "Signed by or- der and in behalf of the Battalion ;" V., ii., 1075, Address of inhabitants of New Jersey to Governor Tryon, October 16, 1776, "Signed by desire and in behalf of the inhabitants ;" V., iii., 484, Address by a meeting of citizens, November 2, 1776, " Signed by order and in behalf of, the meeting." These were found by casually turning over the pages of Force's Archives ; doubt- less there are others. See also Genealogy of the Roberdeau Family, pp. 61, 62, 63, 68. This same wording much amplified is also made use of in the Articles of Confederation. THOMAS McKEAN. 43 Declaration for the printer, some one, — perhaps Charles Thomson, used the customary attesting phrase, and wrote his own name as secretary, and that of John Hancock as president. And this paper being no part of the public records was not pre- served. Thus these two names might have appeared in print, with no manuscript as their authority, to turn up at a later day for the satisfaction of investigators. This view presented itself to me upon reading the broad ex- pression authenticated, made use of by George Bancroft and others, as though they did not feel warranted by the facts to employ- the unequivocal word signed. Hancock could " au- thenticate" the Declaration by directing Charles Thomson to write his name for him in the printer's copy, although that act would not be signing. This opinion is admitted to be a mere inference, but it is a simple inference, and a natural one to be drawn when there is no evidence. It stands upon grounds certainly as firm as the opposite side of the question, which is based upon a complex inference ; that because there are printed signatures there must have been written ones. The simple and plain inference here is, that because there are printed signatures there may have been written names ; but to go farther, and infer again that those written names were genuine signatures, is a double in- ference not warranted. Considered under the theory of probabilities, if we assume the chances to be equal, whether there were written names or not, the probability that there were, is \. And if the chances are equal that the written names were signatures, the proba- bility of this being so, is J of J, or \. The probability that they were not signatures, is also \ (because we suppese the chances to be the same), and these two fourths together make up the half first obtained. Suppose now, to further illustrate this, we make a new condition, and ask, whether the names were written with a pen or a pencil; if one is just as likely to occur as the other, the probability is \ of \ of J, or \. We see, therefore, that like a pair of scales, there is a bal- ance kept up; the more we weigh down one side with con- ditions the higher does the other side ascend, and the lighter or less is the probability of the occurrence. The degree of probability may be different in each step, but the reasoning will be the same ; for example, the probability of there having been written names may be greater than \ ; and persons may differ in their estimates of these quantities. However they 44 McKEAN FAMILY. may be varied, the more steps we take from known facts the less the probability ; the probability of the first step (that there were written names) must necessarily be greater than the second step (that these names are genuine signatures), because the latter is represented by the product of two proper fractions, which product must necessarily be less than either fraction. The second step may equal, but can never exceed the former in probability. Therefore we conclude that it is more probable that there were written names, than that they were genuine signatures. Another aspect of the question is this: It being a legal maxim that it is impossible to prove a negative, the burden of proof is thrown upon those who hold the affirmative of any question to bring forward evidence to support it ; and that has not been done in this case, for an inference is not proof; there- fore the negative side of this question should stand until over- thrown by some evidence ; and we must hold that the names were not genuine signatures. Why it is, that in preference to this simple negative infer- ence, the far-fetched affirmative side should be generally held, can easily be explained if we examine the facts as they suc- cessively became known. The copies of the Declaration sent to the States, the published journals of Congress, and the en- grossed Declaration itself, all point to the 4th of July as the date of the general signing. Mr. McKean alone held the cor- rect opinion, and he was contradicted by Jefferson and Adams. This opinion generally obtained for forty-five years, until the Secret Journals were published in 1821. So strong a hold has it taken upon the public mind, that like many popular fal- lacies it has gained the impress of truth. It is still held by the vast majority of people, and doubtless will also be till the end of time. When the Secret Journals were published, and it was found that the general signing did not take place on July 4th, this popular idea of signing, still holding possession of the minds of investigators, warped their judgment; and imbued with the idea that somebody signed on the 4th, if not the fifty- six, they naturally turned to the first printed copies of the Declaration, and from them inferred that John Hancock and Charles Thomson were those who signed on that day. 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