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��HON. F. A. McKEAN.
��his father, has always been an active and earnest Democrat, yet never so strong a partisan as to regard the public interest secondary to partisan advantage. When- ever he has been the candidate of his party for official position (which has never been from any ambition of his own) he has always commanded a very considerable support from members of the opposite party, both from personal friendship and confidence in his capacity and fidelity to duty. He was elected a member of the city council in 1866 and re-elected the following year. In 1867 he represented his ward in the State Legis- lature, and again in 186S, serving the first year as a member of the Committee on Banks and the second year upon the Railroad Committee. In 1873, at the ur- gent solicitation of his party friends, he accepted the Democratic nomination for Mayor of the city, and although the op- posing candidate was the Hon. Hiram F. Morrill, the popular "war Mayor," and the Republican party largely in the as- cendant, such was Mr. McKean's popu- larity that he was elected by a small plu- rality. He gave the city a vigorous, im- partial and economical administration, so completely satisfactory to the people that, although all the expedients known to political warfare were resorted to to defeat his re-election the following year, he then received a plurality of 353 votes, and an actual majority of 105.
Aside from those mentioned above, Mr. McKean has held no public position ex- cept that of Bank Commissioner for a short time under Governor Weston, to which he was appointed against his own protest and finally consented to hold only till a successor could be found. It was only through the continued and earnest solicitation of personal friends and party leaders in different sections of the State, that he was finally induced to consent to the presentation of his name as a candi- date for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination ; but his selection at the re- cent State Convention of the party by a larger and more unanimous vote than
��had ever before been accorded any can- didate of either party in the State, upon a first nomination, indicates a strong hold upon the popular confidence.
In June, 1862, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Clara Bowers, daughter of the late Jesse Bowers, a prominent citizen and influential member of the old Whig party, and a half-sister of Col. George Bowers and of the wife of the late Gen. John Bedel of Bath. They have two children, both boys, thirteen and nine years of age respectively. Their home is a fine modern residence on Con- cord St., in an elevated locality, com- manding an extensive view, and sur- rounded by spacious and well-kept grounds. The house was built by Mr. McKean some years since, and occupies a portion of the old farm formerly owned by his grandfather.
In religious sentiment Mr. McKean sympathizes with the liberal element, at- tending public worship at the Unitarian Church, with which society the family are connected, though he is not a mem- ber of the church organization. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fra- ternity, having received all the degrees known to the order, and is at present Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of the State. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, be- longing to both the lodge and encamp- ment at Nashua. He was chosen an hon- orary member of the famous military or- ganization known as the Amoskeag Vet- erans a few years since, and takes a live- ly interest in the welfare of that notable battalion of citizen soldiery.
Mr. McKean is of fine personal appear- ance and pleasing address, a ready con- versationalist, and equally at home in social and business circles. Of un- blemished reputation in private as well as public life, respected alike by the humble laborer and the wealthy and ai'istocratic citizen, because treating them alike with consideration and respect, his popularity is indeed commensurate with his merits.
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