Mary Borden McKean (1744 -March 12, 1773)
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Title/Occupation | |
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| Address | 24 The Strand | |
| Artist | ||
| Date painted | ||
| Credit | Frick Art Reference Library | |
| Married | Thomas McKean, 1763 | |
| Parents | Joseph Borden & Elizabeth Rogers | |
| Children | Joseph Borden, 1754; Robert, 1765; Elizabeth, 1767; Letitia, 1769; Mary, 1771, died in childhood; Anne, in 1773. Her mother died not long after. | |
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McKean's first wife Mary Borden was the elder sister of Ann Borden, wife of Francis Hopkinson, also a "Signer". Both women were "famously beautiful", according to a brief biography, "the handsomest in girls in New Jersey". The portrait shown here does not do her justice; too bad she was born too early for the wonderful skills of a Thomas Sully. 
She and McKean lived in New Castle during what must have been very interesting times prior to the revolution. She died shortly after the birth of her sixth child. Afterwards, her brother-in-law Francis Hopkinson wrote the following poem of mourning.
Her grave is adjacent to the entrance to Immanuel Church. The inscription reads:In Memory of Mrs. Mary McKean the wife of Thomas McKean, Esq. Who departed this life On the 12th of March 1773 aged 28 years. "Fair was her form, serene her mind Her heart & hopes were fix'd on high Her hand beneficient & kind Oft wip'd the tear from sorrow's eye The sweets of friendship soften'd care Love, peace & joy her soul possest Meekness perfum'd each rising pray'r And ev'ry rising pray'r was blest Glad hallelujahs to the King of Kings." 
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Jim Meek
nc-chap.org 2014, 2015
nc-chap.org 2014, 2015