William Means Kearns, son of Thomas Kearns, born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1805, like his father was noted for his great honesty and kindliness of person. He first followed his father's trade (that of a cooper), later spending some time as a flat boatman on the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. In his early manhood he removed to a farm near Edgerton, Williams County, Ohio. Wresting his farm by great labor from the virgin forests of that, then young state, supporting a large family in the meanwhile by working at the carpenter trade. He yearly took a great interest in politics having allied himself with the Democratic party, his services as a stump speaker were often called upon. Having caught the western spirit he removed to Marengo, Iowa later to Chepstow, Kansas where he finally passed in the spring of 1882, honored as is the good fortune of only a few. Children, Thomas, Theodore, John, James, Benjamin, William, Sarah, Mary, Susan, Isabell and Martha. He was named for his maternal grandfather William Means, who was noted in history as having the confidence of General Morgan in helping to execute the difficult and dangerous task of shooting the British General "William Frazier" which event passed as follows: during the eventful battle of Saratoga when hard pressed by the British under General Frazier, General Morgan calling some of his most trusted men said: "That brave man is General Frazier, he is a brave man and a noble gentleman but he must die", soon after falling mortally wounded.
William Means Kearns, son of Thomas Kearns, born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1805, like his father was noted for his great honesty and kindliness of person. He first followed his father's trade (that of a cooper), later spending some time as a flat boatman on the Allegheny and Ohio rivers. In his early manhood he removed to a farm near Edgerton, Williams County, Ohio. Wresting his farm by great labor from the virgin forests of that, then young state, supporting a large family in the meanwhile by working at the carpenter trade. He yearly took a great interest in politics having allied himself with the Democratic party, his services as a stump speaker were often called upon. Having caught the western spirit he removed to Marengo, Iowa later to Chepstow, Kansas where he finally passed in the spring of 1882, honored as is the good fortune of only a few. Children, Thomas, Theodore, John, James, Benjamin, William, Sarah, Mary, Susan, Isabell and Martha. He was named for his maternal grandfather William Means, who was noted in history as having the confidence of General Morgan in helping to execute the difficult and dangerous task of shooting the British General "William Frazier" which event passed as follows: during the eventful battle of Saratoga when hard pressed by the British under General Frazier, General Morgan calling some of his most trusted men said: "That brave man is General Frazier, he is a brave man and a noble gentleman but he must die", soon after falling mortally wounded.
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