John McKeon

John McKeon
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
In office July 1854 – January 1858
President	Franklin Pierce
Preceded by	Charles O'Conor
Succeeded by	Theodore Sedgwick
District Attorney of New York County
In office January 1, 1882 – November 22, 1883
Preceded by	Daniel G. Rollins
Succeeded by	John Vincent (Acting)
In office February 6, 1846 – December 31, 1850
Preceded by	Matthew C. Paterson
Succeeded by	N. Bowditch Blunt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Ogden Hoffman
Succeeded by	Jonas P. Phoenix
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837
Preceded by	Charles G. Ferris
Succeeded by	Ogden Hoffman
Member of the New York State Assembly from New York County
In office 1832–1834
Personal details
Born	(1808-03-29)March 29, 1808 Albany, New York, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1883(1883-11-22) (aged 75) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Jacksonian
Alma mater	Columbia College

John McKeon (March 29, 1808, Albany, New York – November 22, 1883, New York City) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. From 1835 to 1837, and 1841 to 1843, he served two non-consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as Jacksonian.

He was the son of Capt. James McKeon who fought in the War of 1812. He graduated from the law department of Columbia College in 1828, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in New York City.

McKeon was a representative in the New York State Assembly from 1832 to 1834.^[1]

He was elected as a Jacksonian to the 24th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1835, to March 3, 1837, but was defeated for re-election. He was elected as a Democrat to the 27th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1843, but was again defeated for re-election.^[2][3]

In February 1846, he was appointed New York County District Attorney and, when the office became elective under the State Constitution of 1846, was elected in May 1847 to succeed himself. He remained in office until the end of 1850 when his term expired. In this office, he secured the conviction of Madame Restell.

He was appointed by President Franklin Pierce United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and served from July 10, 1854, to January 7, 1858. While holding this office, he prosecuted a number of important cases. Among them were the attempt to enlist men to serve in the British Army during the Crimean War, and the seizure of the filibustering ship "Northern Light."^[4]

He was again New York County D.A. from 1882 until his death in office.

He died at his residence at 44, West 37th Street, and was buried in a family vault under the old St. Patrick's Cathedral on Mott Street in New York City.^[5][3]

• United States Congress. "John McKeon (id: M000509)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 211ff and 377; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
• SKETCH OF THE CANDIDATES in NYT on October 19, 1881
• JOHN M'KEON'S WORK DONE in NYT on November 23, 1883

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "McKeon, John" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.