According to a document at the United Kingdom Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges (1715 - 1925), John McKeown youngest son of William McEwen (McKewn) and Elizabeth Mendenhall was born ) abt 1786 in Ballnemore, Latrim, Northern Ireland. He sired six children in the family, two boys and four girls: William Jr., Anne, Belle, Martha, John, and Betsey. As everyone knows, finding documentation in Ireland is almost impossible, if not at least a great challenge. John married Elizabeth Cunninghamabout 1810. A year later my second great-grandfather was born in Aghalee, Antrim, Northern Ireland. The couple had settled in Aghalee, Antrim, while John served in the military. In 1812, they admitted him to the Chelsea Military hospital, reason unknown. It was1826, when their fourth child was born in Magheramesk, Antrim, Northern Ireland, that he retired from the 87th Regiment of Foot Soldiers, was discharged and given his pension. He was forty years of age. I have two dates for John’s death, October 21, 1851, in Magheramesk, Antrim, Northern Ireland several years after the death of his wife, or 27 May 1869, Northern Ireland. He was sixty-five years or eighty-four years of age, depending on which is correct.
CITATIONS (1) B. abt. 1786 UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925 Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Discharge Documents of Pensioners; Class: WO 121; Piece Number: 118 (2) UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925 Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Discharge Documents of Pensioners; Class: WO 121; Piece Number: 215 Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Disability and Royal Artillery Out-Pensions, Admission Books WO 116. The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England. (3) M. abt.1810 first son born one year later (4) D.1851 Unproven (5) D.1869 Web: Northern Ireland, Will Calendar Index, 1858-1965 --iWill Calendars/i. Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/will_calendars.htm: accessed 17 May 2016.