William McKinley (1843-1901)

1. 1843, Jan. 29

   Born, Niles, Ohio, son of William McKinley, Sr. (1807-1892) and Nancy Allison McKinley (1809-1897). The seventh of nine children, William’s siblings included David Allison McKinley (1829-1892), Anna McKinley (1832-1890), James Rose McKinley (1833-1889), Mary McKinley May (1835-1868), Helen Minerva McKinley (1838-1924), Sarah McKinley Duncan (1840-1931), Abigail Celia McKinley (1845-1846), and Abner McKinley (1847-1904).

2. 1852

   McKinley family moved to Poland, Ohio. William McKinley studied at Union Seminary.

3. 1859

   Taught school near Poland, Ohio, and joined the Methodist Church

4. 1860

   Attended one term at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.

5. 1861, June 1

   Enlisted as a private in Co. E, Twenty-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which future President Rutherford B. Hayes served as colonel.

6. 1862, Apr. 15

   Made commissary sergeant

7. 1862, Sept. 24

   Promoted to second lieutenant for actions at Battle of Antietam, Sept. 17

8. 1863, Feb. 7

   Promoted to first lieutenant

9. 1864, July 25

   Promoted to captain

10. 1865, Mar. 13

    Commissioned as brevet major

11. 1865, July 26

    Mustered out of the army

12. 1865

    Returned to Poland, Ohio, and began studying law

13. 1866, Fall

    Entered Albany Law School, Albany, N.Y.

14. 1867, Mar.

    Admitted to the bar at Warren, Ohio; established law practice, Canton, Ohio

15. 1869-1871

    Prosecuting attorney, Stark Co., Ohio

16. 1871, Jan 24

    Married Ida Saxton (June 8, 1847-May 26, 1907) of Canton, Ohio, daughter of James Asbury Saxton (1816-1887) and Katherine A. DeWalt Saxton (1827-1873)

17. 1871, Dec. 25

    Birth of daughter Katherine (“Kate”) McKinley (d. June 25, 1875)

18. 1873, Apr. 1

    Birth of daughter Ida McKinley (d. Aug. 22, 1873)

19. 1871-1876

    Resumed private legal practice

20. 1877-1883

    Member, United States House of Representatives, eighteenth district of Ohio

21. 1886-1891

    Member, United States House of Representatives, eighteenth district of Ohio

22. 1890

    Chairman, Ways and Means Committee
    
    Sponsored McKinley Tariff Bill, which became law on October 1, 1890

23. 1892-1896

    Governor, Ohio

24. 1896, Nov. 3

    Elected as twenty-fifth president of the United States

25. 1897-1901

    President of the United States

26. 1898, Apr.-Aug.

    Spanish-American War

27. 1899-1902

    Philippine-American War

28. 1900, May 1

    McKinley’s secretary John Addison Porter (1856-1900) resigned due to ill health. George B. Cortelyou succeeded Porter.

29. 1900, Nov. 6

    Reelected president of the United States

30. 1901, Sept. 6

    Shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz while attending the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, N.Y.

31. 1901, Sept. 14

    Died, Buffalo, N.Y. Interred first in Westlawn Cemetery, then removed to McKinley Memorial Park, Canton, Ohio
    
    Vice president Theodore Roosevelt sworn-in as twenty-sixth president of the United States