John Roll
McLean was born into a publishing fortune founded by his paternal grandfather, Washington McLean, who owned "The Washington Post" and "The Cincinnati Enquirer". He was the only child of John Roll McLean, for whom McLean, Virginia, is named, and the former Emily Truxtun Beale, daughter of Edward F. Beale and the former Mary Edwards. Emily was a hostess and socialite who was the inspiration for the character Victoria Dare in the 1880 comic novel, "" by Henry Brooks Adams. He attended Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School.