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McKEEN SURNAME HOMEPAGE

The earliest McKeen we have at the moment is James McKeen, father of Ida Jane McKeen who married John A. Saban.

James McKeen was born somewhere around 1814 either in Maine or New Brunswick, Canada. One source says he was born in Robinston, Washington County, Maine which is right on the border of Maine and New Brunswick. On May 28, 1837 he married Hannah D. Rowe, daughter of Finson Rowe and Mary Polly Day. We believe they were married in Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine.

James McKeen was a carpenter by occupation. Back then his trade was called "joiner" or "house joiner". In 1847 they purchased land in Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine where they lived for the rest of their lives. James served in the Civil War and fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg where he was wounded. He later applied for and received a Federal Veterans Pension for his Civil War service.

James died February 4, 1887 in Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine. Hannah D. (Rowe) McKeen died May 4, 1901 in Eddington, and both are buried in the Jonathan Eddy Cemetery in Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine.

Photo provided by Mark McKeen.

CENSUS

TAX RECORDS

1853 Eddington, Penobscot, Maine

1853 Names of Residents taxed
James McKeen Polls 1 acres homestead 12

1854 Eddington, Penobscot, Maine

Non-Resident Tax for 1854
James McKeen 2 lots, 1 No Range/ 12 acres, 50 value, 50 total value,57 money tax. 157 total highway tax, 90 highway tax

LAND RECORDS

Volune 175, Page 310 Warranty Deed: $250.00

Dated 27 May 1847; record 28 May 1847

NATHANIEL MCMAHON (wife Hannah) of Eddington, Maine to JAMES MCKEAN of Eddington, carpenter; and FRANKLIN SIBLEY of Bangor, merchant:

Real estate in Eddington: Beginning on west side of county road from Bangor through Eddington to

Milford at south line of land of Ware Eddy; thence south on west side of the road to land of Adam Nichols; thence west by Nichols and pursuing the same course to the Penobscot River; thence north by the river to land of Ware Eddy; thence east by Eddy to the beginning; excepting a certain fishing privilege consisting of one acre on the shore of the river with a way to same, inclusive, one-sixth part of which acre is only meant to be conveyed to said Mckeen and Sibley, which one-sixth part together with all the shore of the river to be held in common with the said McMahon, owner of two-sixth of said fishing privilege.

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Volume 208, Page 291Quite Claim Deed: $100.00 dated and recorded 30 September 1850

WILLIAM C GUILD of Brewer, Maine to

JAMES MCKEEN of Eddington, Maine:

Land in Eddington, being one undivided half part of a piece or part of lots #1 and #2 in the first division of lots in Eddington, known as the Nochols place, bounded on the south by the widow's dower, the same occupied by James Nichols and Adams Nichols; bounded on the east by the county road; bounded on the north by land of Ware Eddy; bounded on the west by the Penobscot River; and containing 26 acres more or less.

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Volume 239, Page 135 Warranty Deed: $250.00 dated 13 October 1853; recorded 14 October 1853

RODERICK MCNEIL (wife Alice) of Bangor, Maine, trader to

JAMES MCKEEN of Eddington, Maine, carpenter:

A lot of land in Bangor; beginning at the SE corner of land of I.H.I. Thayer in the E side of Birch Street, about 535 feet N from State Street; thence E in the line of Thayer 132 feet to the land of Richard Pike; thence S by Pike 36 feet; thence W and parallel with the first line 132 feet to Birch Street; thence N on Birch Street 36 feet to the beginning; together with buildings thereon; being the same conveyed to McNeil by Philip H. Coombs (Vol 214, P. 485).

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Volume 2359, Page 192; Quit Claim Deed: $100.00 dated 28 October 1851

SAMUEL W MCMAHON (wife Lydia A) of Eddington ME to

JAMES MCKEEN of Eddington:

Right, title and interest in land in Eddington, being part of the Nichols lot: beginning on the bank of the Penobscot River in the north line of the widow's dower; thence east on the widow's dower about 36 rods to the county road; thence north on the county road at a right angle to the first line, 18 rods to a stake; thence west parallel with the first line to the bank of the Penobscot River; thence down the river on the bank to the beginning; containing about 4 acres and 98 rods.

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Above land records were abstracted by David A. Crouse, Bangor Maine, 1998.

Town Map of Eddington Bend, Town of Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine from Atlas of Penobscot County, ME, 1875 by Comstock and Cline.

MILITARY RECORDS

Discharge Papers of James McKeen

Veteran's Application of James McKeen

Widow's Application of Hannah McKeen

Declaration for Widow's Pension of Hannah McKeen

General Affidavit of Winfield S McFarland, Tax Collector of the Town of Eddington, ME pertaining to Hannah McKeen, widow of James McKeen

WILL OF HANNAH D MCKEEN

I, Hannah D McKeen of Eddington in the County of Penobscot, Maine do make publish and declare this to be my last will and testament and herein dispose of all my estate in manner following.

First - I order and direct my executor herein named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses.

Second - I give and bequeath to each of my children one dollar. Namely - Finson, Ida, Julis Ruel, Seth and Lucy and to the children of my deceased daughter Mary one dollar divided between them.

Third - I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Cora Hannah McKeen my gold beads.

Fourth - I give, devise and bequeath to my son Albert W McKeen my homestead place situate in said Eddington where I now live to have and to hold to him and his heirs and assigns forever. I also give devise and bequeath to my said son Albert W the rest residue and remainder of my estate wherever found and however situate to him and his heirs and assigns forever and hereby appoint him sole executor of this my last will and testament without being required to give bond.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty first day of May A.D. 1898.

Signed Hanah D. McKeen

Signed, sealed and declared by the said Hannah D. McKeen to be her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have signed our names as witnesses thereto this twenty-first day of May A.D. 1898

Alanson J. Merrill

Albert L. Farr

R. C. McKeen

Reitoj Alanson J. Merrill (spelling?)

CHILDREN OF JAMES MCKEEN AND HANNAH D ROWE

Mary McKeen - born November 1,1837 in Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine

Apparently never married.

Died October 10, 1878 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Buried in Jonathan Eddy Cemetery, Eddington, Penobscot County Maine

Julia E. McKeen - born 1839 in Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine

Married (1) John H. Beede and (2) Alexander Dowdell

See separate page

James F. McKeen - born May 21, 1841 at Brewer, Penobscot County Maine

Died September 20, 1842 at Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine

Finson R. McKeen - born about 1843 at Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine

• Married 1) Harriet E. Wells on July 4, 1878 in Hesperia, Newaygo County, Michigan and 2) Artlissa J Preston on August 15, 1888 in Denver Twp, Newaygo County, Michigan.

• Died February 9, 1903 in Denver Twp, Newaygo County, Michigan

• Burial in East Hesperia Cemetery, Newaygo County, Michigan

• Census:

Ida Jane McKeen - born October 28, 1845 at either Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine or Eddington Bend, Penobscot County, Maine

Died September 23, 1920 in Genoa, Nance County, Nebraska (see John A. Saban page for death certificate information on Ida Jane McKeen Saban)

Married John A. Saban on October 27, 1867 (see John A. Saban page for banns and marriage details)

Buried in Valley View Cemetery, Lot 351 with husband John A. Saban. Apparently there is no marker. Information was obtained from the cemetery records clerk at Valley View Cemetery. The name is on the records as Sabin, not Saban.

Seth Augustus McKeen - born December 29, 1847 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine.

• Married - 1) Isabella Servis on February 22, 1872 and 2) Jennie Jepps on November 9, 1879.

• Died October 8, 1920 in Plainsville Township, Iosco County, Michigan

• Buried in Esmond-Evergreen Cemetery, Iosco County, Michigan

• Iosco County, Michigan Plat Book, 1903
  Name Township Section Directory ID#
  McKeen, Seth Plainfield Twp R5E 15 1601

• Census

• OBITUARY
  Source unknown
  Seth Augustus McKeen was born in Sherbrooke, Maine Dec 29, 1847 and died Oct 8, 1920 aged seventy two years, nine months and 18 days.
  One by one the old settlers are passing on, the death of Seth McKeen last Friday adding another to the list of pioneers who have fought a good fight and gone on to their reward.
  Mr. McKeen came to Plainfield township in it slumbering days and lived to enjoy many years and watch its development from wilderness into pleasant farm homes; the AuSable river with its rollways and floating logs harnessed to supply electricity over our southern Michigan cities. Early last spring he was taken sick with Bright's disease and in spite of all that loving care and medical science could do passed away early last Friday morning.
  Funeral services were held in the Baptist church Sunday afternoon and tribute paid to his many sterling qualities. A large procession followed the body to its last resting place in Evergreen cemetery.
  He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Cora Johnson and Mrs. Grace Hammond, one son, James McKeen, two brothers, one sister, six grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and a host of friends to mourn his demise.

Note: We want to thank Mark McKeen, descendant of Seth Augustus McKeen, for providing us with much of the information we have!

Probate papers of his mother, Hannah Rowe McKeen, shows Seth McKeen of Hale, Michigan probably at time of her death (1901).

Edward McKeen - born December 17, 1849 at Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine.

Died February 6, 1850 at Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Buried at Jonathan Eddy Cemetery, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Lucy L McKeen - born about 1852 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Married George E Scammon on June 29, 1872 in Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Probate papers of her mother, Hannah Rowe McKeen, shows Lucy Scammon living in Eddington, Maine probably at time of her death (1901).

Note: We found some Maine Scammons in the Shasta County, California where Pirce Saban was found in 1870. Don't know if they were related or not.

Addie M. McKeen - born August 7, 1853 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Died September 9, 1854 at Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Buried Jonathan Eddy Cemetery, Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Reul Curtis McKeen - born April 2, 1855 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Died December 25, 1932 in Auburn, Androscoggin County, Maine

See separate page

Albert Weston McKeen

Born July 21, 1858 in Canada

Died January 29, 1937 in North Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine

Married August 22, 1888 Winnie M. Roberts at Eddington Bend, Penobscot County, Maine

See separate page

Amelia McKeen - born August 21, 1860 in Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Died August 18, 1863 at Eddington Bend, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

Buried - Jonathan Eddy Cemetery, Eddington, Penobscot County, Maine

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Page created by Mary and Don Saban on March 12, 2000. Copyright 2000-2004 All Rights Reserved

Page Last Updated 01/04/2004