The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-12-15
PRESIDENTS MOTHER DEAD.
Dies at Her Canton Home al e.so Sunday
Morning.

the members OF the family were watching
md waiting for tbs time OF dissolution.
shortly before midnight the attendants
discovered what were thought to be GER
tain signs Of death The fact was COM
municated to the inmates Of the household
who had gone to their rooms but had not
retired for the night. Around the death /
bed when the final scene was enacted /
were President Mckinley and his wife, |
Abner Mckinley, Mrs. Duncan and Miss
Helen Mckinley. children of the aged |
woman. The aged sister was there, Mrs. |
Abigail Osborne. the only one Of the Alli- |
son family now living: Mrs. Bowman Of |
Lorraine; the Misses Grace and Mabel |
Mckinley. James Mckinley, Miss Dam
can and Jack Duncan, grand children,
were in the sad party that witnessed the |
last scene in the gentle life. The Presi-
dent and his wife remained at the bedside
for an hour after the end but by 4 O'Clock
every member of the family had retired
Mrs. Mckinley was distinctively home
loving woman, and the two-story frame
cottage on West Tuscarswas street in this
city, where she died, and where she had
lived for many years, was dearer to her
than any other spot on earth. There she
spent her declining days with her dangh-
ter Helen and her grandchildren Grace
and James Mckinley, receiving OCCASION
al visits from her other children, seldom
going out except to church where she
could be found every Sunday morning
untfi prevented by illness.
While showing deep affection for her
other children, she had followed the ca
reer Of William with pride and solieitude-
With fond motherly admiration she
watched him rise from the position OF
prosecuting attorney Of his own county.
by successive stages to congress, governor
and finally to the presidency. During the
memorable campaign Of last year for the
nomination and afterward for the election
Mrs. Mckinley WIS one Of the most in
terested observers. She was always given
the place Of honor at the home of her IL
lustrious son and on the day that his nom
ination by the St. Louis convention was
announced she heard the news as soon as
he did. 1t was then William Mckinley
showed the deep love he bore his mother
by kissing her as soon as he had received
the announcement of the result al st.
Louis. All through the trying campaign
that follower she watched after her son
with deep interest. She was a frequent
caller at his house and was greeted by
many Of the VI sting delegations of Re
publicans. She accompanied the presi-
dent to the Inauguration, riding in the
special train, and remained in Washing
/ ton until Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley had be-
come settled in their new home. Then
| she returned to Canton, with expressions
Of gratitude at getting home once more.
Nancy Allison Mckinley came Of fam
lily which was transplanted from England
TO the hills Of Virginia. The Allison fam
| ily subsequently removed TO Greene coun-
| IN. Pa, where Abner Allison, Nancy's
father, was born and where he married
| Ann Campbell, ofScotch- German descent
Early in the present century Mr.. and
| Mr.. Allison came from Pennsylvania TO
| Columbiana county, this state, travelling
by pack horses, In 1893. near the present
city Of Lisbon, Nancy Allison was born.
| Her girlhood was passed on the farm and
| in 1877 she married William Mckinley, a
Young iron manufacturer. The couple
lived first at Fairfield and afterward at
Niles and Poland before removing TO Can
ton. Nine children were born TO them.
They were David Allison, deceased; Anne,
deceased; James, deceased; Mary, deceas-
ed; Helen Minerva, now living at Canton;
Sarah Elizabeth, now the wife of A. j.
Duncan of Cleveland; William, the pres
ident: Abigail Cecil, deceased, and Abner,
whose home Is in New York.
William Mckinley, Sr., died Nov. IS,
1892, aged s. years.
FUNERAL ARBAN0EMENTs.
| Funeral services over the remains of
Mrs. Nancy Allison Mckinley will be
held in the First NJ. Z. church of this city
at O'Clock Tuesday afternoon. Iuter-
! inert will follow in West Lawn cemetery
lust west Of the city, and Tuesday evening
President Mckinley and wife and officials
from Washington who attended the fun
eral will leave for the capital, reaching
there about noon Wednesday.
| Panbearers have been selected from
among the older members of the church
and those who for years have been close
| neighbors of the deceased.
The first VI. J.. church is the one in
which Mother Mckinley worshipped dur
ing her residence in Canton and in which
she was found almost every Sunday morn
ing, only serious indispOsition or import
ant circumstances keeping her away.
Three weeks ago she was in her pew as
usual and though she was nearly 50 years
years Of sge, her attendance had been
regular all the while. This is also the con-
gregatiou with which the president has
always been associated,
It Is coincidence that Mrs. Mckinley
died at almost the identical hour of the
day as did her husband, on Thanksgiving
five years ago.
In the afternoon the president and
Abner Mckinley drove to the beautiful
West Lawn cemetery, about 4 mile wesi
# the home, to attend personally to ar
rangements for the interment, which will
be made in the family loo where lie the
remains Of the husband and father.
Messages of coincidence are pouring in
to the telegraph Office from all quarters
and many friends have already called at
the house 10 offer sympathy.