General Notes

From "One Line of the Keen Family of England & New England," author    , p. 1: "This history starts with the name of John Keen, born in London, England, about 1578. This would have made him about sixty years wold [six] when he saied [sic] from Southampton, England the eleventh day of April, 1638, on the good ship 'Confidence'. He took his wife Martha, and five children: John, Eliza, Martha, Josiah, and Sarah. Two other sons remained in England. They arrived in Boston soon settled in Hingham, Massachusetts where he was a mariner and inn holder. He died the fourteenth day of November, 1649. (Pioneers of  Massachusetts p. 265) (Savage Genealogical Dictionary, V.3)
"Much of the information about the early Keens came from a record book kept by Hezekeah Keen, great grandson of John Keen, Sr. This book was bound in wood covers, hinged with iron hammered on an anvil. It had the name Hezediah Keen in brass on one side, and on the other side his monogram, also in brass. Its first entry was made in 1763, but it's information was much previous to that date. This book was handed down from father to son; Hezekiah to his son Daniel, to his son Howland, to his son Galen and to his son Abdon W. Keen of Camdon, Maine. Abdon Keen, having only a daughter who was not interested in such things, sold it to George W. Bowman, Secretary of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants. For fifthy [sic] dollars, on or about 1928. He may have felt it would be safer with a historical society.
"A partial entry in the book is as follows:
"'My grandfather was born in London on Lonon Bredg and he came out of England with his father & mother & left in London two brothers behind him and my gratgrandfather & gratfrandmother came to Boston in New England & thence to Hingham & from thence to Meshfield and there my grandfather Josiah Keen mared with Abigel Littel who he had my father Josiah Keen and one dafter who died young and my grandfather Dyed allso & left only my father Josiah Keen who mared Kedia Barker & they had eleven children whose nams were Benjamon and Josiah who died young & Abigel elener Ledia & Josiah Nathaniel Bethiah Samuel Isaac and my Self who is Hezekiah who was born in 1702. and I mared with Alice Howland and had eleven children by her Prince Charles Mark Robert Alice Diana Bethiah Hezekiah Danel Mary William. Sept ye 26 Day 1770 Hezekiah and Alice Keen my wife then we had all our children to se us at our house & there was elevent of them all in health Bot only Alice & she was about house and all set down at ye table to soper together and fed on hony.'"