JOHN KEAN
KEAN, JOHN, United States senator from New Jersey, was born in Ursino, Union county, New Jersey, December 4, 1852, the son of John and Lucy Kean. Receiving his early education in private schools, he entered Yale university in the class of 1876, but the wish to fit himself early for the legal profession led him to leave college shortly after his matriculation. He entered Columbia law school, where he was graduated in 1875. Though admitted to the bar of New Jersey in 1877, he never engaged in practice, being occupied in various business enterprises and ardently engaged in Republican political movements. In the latter he made himself so active that he was elected to represent his district in congress in 1883 and again in 1887, and in 1891-92 was chairman of the Republican state committee.
During these years Mr. Kean was steadily becoming a power in his party, and in 1892 he was selected as the Republican candidate for governor. Though defeated in this contest, his activity continued; he was appointed on the committee to revise the state judiciary; and at a Republican legislative caucus in 1899 was nominated by acclamation for the United States senate, and was elected on January 25, to succeed James Smith, Jr., a Democratic senator. In 1905 he was reelected. His present term will expire March 4, 1911.
While thus advancing in political life, Senator Kean has been active in business enterprises, being interested in many corporations, and serving as president of the National State Bank of Elizabeth, of the Elizabethtown Water Company, and of the Elizabethtown Gas Company, and as vice-president of the Manhattan Trust Company.
