Thomas McKean, American man

McKenna Snow
Class of 2024

(7/2021) I like to think of myself as a fantastic multitasker, a pretty decent writer, and a patriot. I come from a big family, have moved to various states throughout my childhood, and I like wearing big hats like the ones you see at the Kentucky Derby.

Initially, I had no idea I had so much in common with Thomas McKean, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence; his last name even starts with the first four letters of my first name. And like me, McKean was a patriot, a writer, and someone who spent a lot of time on the road.

McKean did not just have one occupation in the world of politics and law; he was a lawyer, judge, governor of Pennsylvania, jurist, statesman, Governor of Delaware, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and also served as a colonel in the Revolutionary War.

Born in 1734 in Pennsylvania, Thomas McKean was one of seven siblings (just like me!). When McKean was sixteen, he had the opportunity to study law in Delaware with his cousin. Six years later, he became Deputy Attorney General to County Sussex, and the next year was admitted to the bar of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and appointed Clerk of the Assembly of Delaware. In 1762, he became a member of the Delaware Assembly, on which he served until 1779.

According to the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, "by the time he reached his majority Thomas McKean was over six feet tall. Frequently he was seen wearing a large cocked hat, fashionable at the time, and was never without his gold-headed cane. It is said that he had a quick temper and a vigorous personality. He had a thin face, hawk’s nose and his eyes would be described by some as ‘hot’. Some wondered at his popularity with his clients as he was known for a ‘loft and often tactless manner that antagonized many people.’ He tended to be, what some might describe as a loner, seldom mixing with others, except on public occasions." I find it ironic that he had such an active political life, and yet didn’t seem to be much of a "people person."

Shortly after becoming a member of the Delaware Assembly, McKean married Mary Borden. They had six children together, named Joseph, Robert, Elizabeth, Letitia, Mary, and Anne. Following the death of his wife in 1773, McKean remarried in 1774 to Sarah Armitage. They had five children together, the firstborn who was not named, then Thomas Jr., Sarah, Sophia, and Mary. After marrying Sarah, McKean wanted to involve himself more in the independence that America was striving toward, and moved from Delaware to Pennsylvania to be a member of the Continental Congress. During this time he simultaneously was a part of Delaware and Pennsylvanian politics, and played a role in writing both of their state constitutions.

McKean was a staunch supporter of independence from the British. He directly fought in the war, leading as a colonel and embellishing his patriotism to a literal, quite visible level. He was an eloquent speaker and writer, and played a role in wording the official Declaration of Independence. He signed it when it was finally finished—and then had to live a life on the run with his large family from the British. He is said to have moved five times in three months to escape their reaches. He was later able to settle down to continue his law work and finally retired from the public circle in 1812.

Thomas McKean has largely been forgotten by the celebrators of the Fourth of July. He’s hardly a part of enthusiastic conversations—if he’s a part of them at all—about the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t accomplish anything. That doesn’t mean he never played a role in his community, and in his country, to make it a better place for its citizens. In truth, McKean had a huge impact on the Declaration itself, fought for American independence, and impacted the Delaware and Pennsylvanian Constitutions. He dedicated so much of his life to integrity, patriotism, independence, eloquence in speech, and living for just causes.

Maybe, in some ways, I’ll be like him. I’ve already got a head-start on some of the similarities, like writing, liking hats, multitasking, patriotism, and caring deeply for my community. And like McKean, it’s unlikely that my writings will ever be "famous", or widely known. I can’t say for sure, but maybe my name will be around two hundred years from now, perhaps in a newspaper highlighted by some college kid like me who’s doing a story on twenty-first century Catholic theologians (that’s what I’m striving to be, anyhow). It’s unlikely my name will be big and famous and recognizable by anybody and everybody. And it’s also very, very unlikely that, even if I do some great deed right now, I’ll get my image carved onto a mountainside, like Washington did and McKean didn’t. These things tend to happen much more often than we think—good people doing great things, and never getting recognition for it the way others have received.

I wonder if a reader of this article is famous and widely known, like Washington, or if they are more like me and McKean, well-intentioned, caring for our communities, multitasking to get all our daily work done, and wanting to use our talents well with the time we have, even if we don’t get major recognition for it. If you’re more like the former, that’s pretty cool to have you reading my work, and thank you for doing so. And if you’re the latter, then I’m quite honored to have you reading my work. Your efforts in this country to make it a better place for all never go truly unnoticed. Keep doing those things for your neighbors—the small, the little, the "insignificant" but kind and caring things. After all, America is composed of a million "insignificant" moments that all amount to certain kinds of greatness—it is the greatness of our souls, our character, and our nation.