Brief Life History of Jane Kean
When Jane Kean Smith was born on 11 May 1818, in Cochranton, Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States, her father, John W. Smith, was 42 and her mother, Lydia Wallace, was 31. She married John Rockafellow on 18 April 1850, in Pennsylvania, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 2 daughters. She lived in Iowa, United States in 1870 and Mount Union, Henry, Iowa, United States in 1880. She died on 23 January 1907, in Cochranton, Crawford, Pennsylvania, United States, at the age of 88, and was buried in Winfield, Henry, Iowa, United States.
Photos and Memories (6)
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Family Time Line
Sources (11)
- Jane Rockefellow in household of John Rockefellow, "United States Census, 1860"
- Jane Kean Smith in entry for John S. Rockafellow, "California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000"
- Jane Rockafellow in household of Jarvis Lovitt, "United States Census, 1880"
Spouse and Children
1801–1893 Male
1818–1907 Female
Children (5)
1851–1948 Male
1853–1854 Male
1855–1930 Female
1857–1936 Female
1858–1859 Male
Parents and Siblings
1775–1854 Male
1786–1862 Female
Siblings (8)
1807–1887 Male
1809–1889 Female
1812–1869 Male
1815–1887 Male
1818–1907 Female
+3 More Children
World Events (8)
1819 · Panic! of 1819
Age 1
1820 · Making States Equal
Age 2
1846
Age 28
Name Meaning
English and Scottish: occupational name denoting a worker in metal, especially iron, such as a blacksmith or farrier, from Middle English smith ‘smith’ (Old English smith, probably a derivative of smītan ‘to strike, hammer’). Early examples are also found in the Latin form Faber . Metal-working was one of the earliest occupations for which specialist skills were required, and its importance ensured that this term and its equivalents in other languages were the most widespread of all occupational surnames in Europe. Medieval smiths were important not only in making horseshoes, plowshares, and other domestic articles, but above all for their skill in forging swords, other weapons, and armor. This is also the most frequent of all surnames in the US. It is very common among African Americans and Native Americans (see also 5 below). This surname (in any of the two possible English senses; see also below) is also found in Haiti. See also Smither .
English: from Middle English smithe ‘smithy, forge’ (Old English smiththe). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived in or by a blacksmith's shop, occupational, for someone who worked in one, or habitational, from a place so named, such as Smitha in King's Nympton (Devon). Compare Smithey .
Irish and Scottish: sometimes adopted for Gaelic Mac Gobhann, Irish Mac Gabhann ‘son of the smith’. See McGowan .
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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