William McKean

William Wister McKean
William Wister McKean
Born	September 19, 1800; Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Died	April 22, 1865 (aged 64); Binghamton, New York
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1814–1862
Rank	Commodore
Battles/wars	War of 1812; American Civil War

William Wister McKean (19 September 1800 – 22 April 1865) was an admiral in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was noted for his service in the Union blockade that effectively closed Confederate seaports in the Gulf of Mexico.

Biography

Born in Pennsylvania, McKean was the grandson of Thomas McKean, the governor of that state.[1]

William Wister McKean was appointed midshipman on 30 November 1814. He served in the Navy from the War of 1812 to the Civil War, when he rose to the rank of flag officer in command of the Gulf Blockading Squadron in early 1862 and later the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. McKean was relieved from active duty on 4 June 1862.[2]

McKean died at Binghamton, New York,[2] 22 April 1865.

Two ships were named USS McKean in his honor.[2]

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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