Washington McLean (May 1816 – December 8, 1890) was an American businessman of Scottish ancestry best known as the owner of the ''

Cincinnati Enquirer ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. First published in 1841, the ''Enquirer'' is the last remaining daily newspaper in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, altho ...

'' newspaper. Born in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

, in 1848 Washington McLean and his brother S.B.W. McLean acquired a share position in the Cincinnati Enquirer to be partners with editor

James J. Faran James John Faran (December 29, 1808 – December 12, 1892) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1845 to 1849. Early life and career Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Faran attended the commo ...

. Washington McLean bought out Faran in the 1860s and in 1872 sold a half interest in the newspaper to his son. McLean and his wife Mary had three children. Their son,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

, purchased his father's remaining fifty percent in the ''Cincinnati Enquirer'' in 1881 and went on to acquire ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' in 1905. Their daughter, Mildred "Millie" McLean (1845–1931), was married in 1871 to General William Babcock Hazen. Widowed, she remarried in 1899 to Admiral George Dewey. Washington McLean was a prominent member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

and served as chairman of the Ohio Democratic State central committee in 1853. In 1882, he moved to Washington, D.C. but maintained a legal residency in Cincinnati. In the nation's capital, he made large and successful investments in real estate that expanded his wealth. He died there on December 8, 1890, and although initially was to be returned to Cincinnati for burial, he was interred in a mausoleum in Washington's

Rock Creek Cemetery Rock Creek Cemetery is an cemetery with a natural and rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE, in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. It is across the stree ...

.''New York Times'' - December 9, 1890 obituary for Washington McLean
/ref> Mary McLean died on December 9, 1900, in her 72nd year, and was interred with him.

References

1816 births 1890 deaths 19th-century American newspaper publishers (people) McLean family (United States) Businesspeople from Washington, D.C. The Cincinnati Enquirer people American people of Scottish descent Burials at Rock Creek Cemetery Ohio Democrats Washington, D.C., Democrats 19th-century American journalists American male journalists 19th-century American male writers {{1810s-US-business-bio-stub