Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/532

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496
KEAGY
KEARNY

when he was placed in an office at Paris to learn the printing business. At the age of fifteen years he united with the Methodist church. He was licensed to exhort in the country pulpits in 1822, assigned to the Little Sandy circuit in 1823, where he labored several years, and afterward became pastor of various congregations in the state. In 1839 he was appointed superintendent of public instruction for the state. In 1854, he was elected a bishop, and in that office ranked as one of the ablest divines of his day. His appearance in the pulpit was impressive. His voice was strong and full, and it was always distinct, sonorous, and pleasant. His sermons were delivered without notes.


KEAGY, John M., physician, b. in Martic township, Lancaster co., Pa., in 1795; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 30 Jan., 1837. He received a classical education, studied medicine, and was graduated in 1817. He was principal of the Harrisburg academy about two years, after which he removed to Philadelphia and took charge of the Friends' high-school. Shortly before his death he was appointed professor of languages in Dickinson. He was one of the first to advocate the mode of teaching children to read by making them learn to recognize the words without knowing the letters of which they are composed. In 1830 he published a series of educational articles in the "Baltimore Chronicle," which were afterward reprinted in book-form. He also published "The Pestalozzian Primer," a book that was made up largely of so-called "thinking lessons" (1827).


KEAN, John, patriot, b. in South Carolina about 1756 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., in May, 1795. He fought against the British, was taken prisoner, and suffered on the prison ship in 1 781. He was a delegate to congress from South Carolina from 1785 till 1787, and voted against the extension of slavery to the northwestern territory. He was a commissioner to settle accounts between the United States and individual states, and was a cashier in the U. S. bank, Philadelphia.


KEANE, John, Baron, British soldier, b. in Belmont, Ireland, in 1781 ; d. in Burton Lodge, Hampshire, England, 24 Aug., 1844. He entered the army as ensign in 1792, served in Egypt as aide-de-camp to Lord Cavin, and took part in the campaign of Martinique and the siege of Fort Desaix. He became lieutenant-colonel of the 60th foot in 1812, and commanded a brigade in the peninsular war. In 1814 he became major-general, and was appointed to command the military force destined to co-operate with Admiral Cochrane in the attack on New Orleans, but was superseded by Sir Edward Pakenham as general-in-chief, under whom he served, having command of the 3d brigade. In the assault on the American lines on 8 Jan., 1815, he received two severe wounds. He was afterward commander-in-chief of the West Indian army, and during a part of that period administered the civil government of Jamaica. He served at Bombay, India, in l833-'9, and then was intrusted with the operations in Afghanistan, of which the capture of Ghuznee in Cabool was his greatest achievement. For this service he was raised to the peerage as Baron Keane in December, 1839, also receiving from the East India company a pension of £2,000.


KEANE, John Joseph, R. C. bishop, b. in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland, 12 Sept., 1839. He came with his family to the United States in 1846, was educated at St. Charles's college and at St. Mary's seminary, Baltimore, and in 1866 entered the Roman Catholic priesthood. He was assistant pastor of St. Patrick's church, Washington, D. C, till 1878, when he was made bishop of Richmond, Va., being consecrated on 25 Aug. Bish- op Keane has taken an active part in the organization of Roman Catholic societies, and has been appointed rector of the Roman Catholic university that is to be established at Washington, D. C.


KEARNY, Lawrence, naval officer, b. in Perth Amboy, N. J., 30 Nov., 1789; d. there, 29 Nov., 1868. He entered the U. S. navy as a midshipman in 1807, and served, during the continuance of the embargo and non-intercourse acts, on the flotilla of gun-boats under Com. John Rodgers. Subsequently he was on the frigates “Constitution” and “President” until 1810, when he was transferred to the “Enterprise,” and in March, 1813, was promoted lieutenant. He was actively employed in the defence of the coast of South Carolina and adjacent states during the war of 1812-'15, and after its close distinguished himself in clearing the West Indies and Gulf coast of pirates. In 1826 he was given command of the “Warren,” and sent to the Levant, where he successfully attacked the Greek pirates, broke up their strongholds, and finally dispersed them, frequently capturing several vessels in a day, and at one time had more than 100 prisoners on board his vessel. On his return to the United States in 1832, he was made captain, and after various appointments on shore duty was given command of the “Potomac,” and in 1841 advanced to the command of the East India squadron. He hoisted his broad pennant on the “Constitution” in the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, the first instance of that act being performed at a foreign station. While in the east he was active in the suppression of opium smuggling, and secured the rights of American merchants in China. Learning that a commercial treaty was about to be concluded between the English and Chinese governments, he at once communicated with the officials and secured a promise on the part of the Chinese government to extend similar facilities to American merchants. In consequence of this action, the U. S. government sent Caleb Cushing as special envoy to China, who negotiated the treaty that was ratified in July, 1845. While on his homeward voyage in 1843, Capt. Kearny stopped at the Hawaiian islands, and there protested against the treaty then in progress of settlement leading to the transfer of these islands to the British government. He afterward held various shore appointments, including the command of the New York station, the presidency of one of the naval boards of inquiry, and membership in the lighthouse board. In April, 1867, he was made commodore on the retired list, and he was also a member of the New Jersey board of pilot commissioners. — Lawrence's second cousin, Stephen Watts, soldier, b. in Newark, N. J., 30 Aug., 1794; d. in St. Louis, Mo., 31 Oct., 1848, was a student at Columbia, but at the outbreak of the war of 1812 entered the army as a lieutenant in the 13th infantry. At the assault on Queenstown heights, on 13 Oct., 1812, he distinguished himself by his bravery, and on 13 April, 1813, was made captain. He was retained in the army after the war, and by