Quincy Adams Shawn McKean (November 1, 1891 – August 27, 1971) was a prominent member of the Boston Brahmin elite, a sportsman, and a figure associated with the storied
lifestyle of the early 20th-century American aristocracy.Queer Places:
Samuel Corning House, 87 Hull St, Beverly, MA 01915, Stati Uniti
Hamilton Cemetery, South Hamilton, MA 01982, Stati Uniti
Quincy Adams Shawn McKean (November 1, 1891 – August 27, 1971) was a prominent member of the Boston Brahmin elite, a sportsman, and a figure associated with the storied
lifestyle of the early 20th-century American aristocracy.
Born on November 1, 1891, he was the son of Marian Shaw and Henry Pratt McKean Sr. His maternal grandparents were the philanthropist Pauline Agassiz Shaw and the wealthy financier Quincy Adams Shaw. Growing up within one of the most prominent families in Massachusetts, he was well-positioned in the social and economic circles of Boston’s North Shore.
McKean is famously associated with the estate known as Prides (located in Prides Crossing, Beverly, Massachusetts). The North Shore was the epicenter of elite summer life, and the McKean estate served as a backdrop for the era's upper-class social rituals. He was a dedicated polo player, a sport synonymous with the leisure and competitive social status of his class, and he maintained a reputation as an avid dog breeder.
In 1920, McKean married Margarett Williams Sargent, a talented sculptor and a cousin of the famous painter John Singer Sargent. Their relationship became one of the most discussed and tumultuous pairings in Boston society.
The couple had four children within three years of their marriage.
The marriage was marked by significant mutual infidelity. Margarett’s personal life was frequently sensationalized in society circles for its "flagrant" and unconventional nature regarding her romantic partners.
As the marriage deteriorated, Margarett descended into severe personal crises. She became an obsessive gardener—often as a refuge from the pressures of her social standing—but struggled deeply with alcoholism. Her later years were marred by frequent hospitalizations and the use of electroshock therapy, which ultimately silenced her creative output as an artist. The couple eventually divorced.
Following his divorce from Sargent, McKean married Katherine Winthrop (1914–1997). Unlike his first marriage, which was defined by its chaotic social drama, his life with Winthrop was centered largely on athletic and sporting pursuits.
Katherine Winthrop was a nationally ranked amateur tennis player, achieving significant success throughout the 1930s and 1940s, including multiple victories at the U.S. Indoor Championships.
Together, the couple transitioned much of their focus to the world of equestrian sports, becoming well-known owners and breeders of thoroughbred horses.
Quincy Adams Shaw McKean died on August 27, 1971. His life serves as a window into the transition of the Boston Brahmin class—from the stern, reform-minded philanthropy of his grandmother, Pauline Agassiz Shaw, to the flamboyant, often turbulent, and sport-centered lifestyle of the mid-20th-century elite.
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