With heavy hearts, the family of Mary Ellen McCann, a longtime resident of Rumson, New Jersey, announces her passing on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. This beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend was 85 years young.
Mary Ellen Howland was born to Hartson and Mary Gilligan Howland on October 16, 1939, in Neptune, New Jersey. The Howland roots reached deep into the history of Monmouth County, a fact she took immense pride in. But her lineage extended far beyond just Monmouth County, intertwining with the very history of America itself. Her ancestor, John Howland, was one of the earliest American settlers, arriving on the Mayflower in late 1620. The story of young John Howland has been recounted in several books, most notably “The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower.” The Howland name was woven into the earliest tapestries of America and the early colonies.
