Biographies
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 392

JOSEPH E. JEAN, a young and enterprising merchant of Conesville, Iowa, and a member of the firm of Jean & McKee, is a native of Iowa, born in Muscatine County, July 4, 1862. His parents, Jacob T. and Melissa A. ( Shellabarger ) Jean, were both natives of Ohio, and are numbered among the pioneer settlers of this county to which they emigrated in 1835. They reared a family of six children, all of whom are yet living: Thomas M. is a resident of Muscatine County; Laura is the wife of George DeLong, who is living in Minnesota; Sarah wedded Fred Lane, a resident of Ft. Worth, Tex.; Joseph is the next in order of birth; Arthur U. is located at Ft. Worth, Tex.; and Alta M. is at home with her parents.

Our subject received a liberal education, having attended Conesville High School, and taked a six months' course at the Business College in Burlington. The days of his boyhood and youth were spent upon his father's farm, he assisting in the cultivation of the land until he was twenty-two tears of age, when he left the parental roof, and was united in mariage with Miss Mattie N. Mc Kee, their union being celebrated on the 4th day of December,1884. The lady is a daughter of Leander and Debby ( Hall ) McKee, who were the parents of the following children: Flora, Mattie, Nettie, John, Shakespeare and Ranson.

With his young bride Mr. Jean removed to a farm situated near the home of his childhood, and engaged in its cultivation for about a year, after which he removed to Conesville, and entered into partnership in the general merchandise business with Leander McKee, his father-in-law. This connection continued for a time, when Mr. McKee retired from the business, and his nephew, James S. McKee became a partner. The members of this firm are young, enterprising business men, who by their honest efforts and earnest desire to please their customers are building up an extensive trade, and they are well deserving of a liberal share of the public patronage.

One child graces the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jean----Joseph Clay, born Dec. 11, 1887. In his political sentiments Mr. Jean is a supporter of the Democrat party.


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