The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-07
EX I RA.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Short Resume of the Principal
Events of IA Busy Life.

irish descent, ana came 10 AHeEicd
about one hundred and fifty years ago.
William Mckinley. the father of the
President. married. in 1929, Nancy
Campbell Allison. who was of English
and Scotch German descent. The Pres
ident is the seventh of their nine chill
dren.
Mrs. Mckinley saw her son
President, and died on Dec. II,
1897. at the age of So. Their son,
who was born at Niles. Ohio. on Jan,
20, 1913. began his education in the pub
lie schools OF his native place. but
when he was nine years old the fam
lily moved to Poland. Mahoning coun-
ty. Ohio, where his education was con-
tinued in the Union Seminary. He en-
tered Allegheny College, Meadville,
Penn. in 1860, but his health soon
broke down from overstudy, and he
was compelled to leave college. On his
recc ry he became a clerk In the Po-
lanc ostoffice. where he remained un-
Til the war broke out.
On June IL, 1861. Mckinley enlisted
as private in Company E of the
Twenty third Ohio Volunteer Infan-
try. Among the officers of this regi-
ment We're Gems w. S. Rosecrans,
Rutherford b. Hayes, who became
President in 1877; f. p. Scammon,
James NJ. Comley and Col. Stanley
Matthews. Mckinley served on the staff
OF Gems. r. b. Hayes, George Crook
and Winfield S. Hancock. OF his mill
itary career it may be said that both
as private and as an officer, both in
the Commissary Department and on
the fighting line, he was courageous,
clear headed and calm. For services
rendered in the winter camp of Fay
etteville he received his first promo
tion, booming a commssary sergeant
on April. 15 1862 After the summers
campaign in Virginia McKinley's reg.
iment took part on Sept IA and II in
the battles of South Mountain and An
tietam. and it was for his extraordi-
nary services as commissary sergeant
during the latter battle that he was
promoted to be second lieutenant. Not
long after this the regimental colonel
r. r. Hayes, entered in his diary:
"Our new second lieutenant, Mckinley,
returned to-day-an exceedingly bright,
intelligent and gentlemanly young Of
ficer. He promises to be one of the
best" At little later date he added
HE has kept the promise in every
sense -of..tbe word, By -Feh, Z. 1869. he
became q first lieutenant, and on July
% of the following year, when he was
only q, he was made captain for gal
lantry and faithfulness in the battle OF
Kernstown (near Winchester). little
later, at Berryville, his horse was shot
under him, and on March, IA, 1865, he
received his commission as major by
brevet "for gallant and meritorious
services at the battles of Opequan, Ce-
dar Creek and Fishers HILL"
Returning home. he studied law with
Judge Charles Z. Glidden, of Canton,
and at the Albany Law School. He
was admitted to the bar in March,
1867. and settled in Canton. which has
since been his home. He soon attract
ed attention as lawyer of ability. and,
although Stark county was Democratic,
he was elected prosecuting attorney in
1869. but he was defeated for the same
Office two years later. From this time
forward Maj. Mckinley gave much at
tention to politics. In 1876 he was elect
ed to Congress. Mckinley was
returned to Congress In 1873 as he
was also in 1880, 1882, 1884, 1886 and 1888.
He was unseated in 1884, and was fin
ally defeated in 1890, when his district
was gerrymandered again. In 1888 he
showed great ability in opposing the
Mills bill, representing approximately
ICSiuGnt AicNtlhuu BDilty VI ldtitl
for revenue only" When the Republic
cans assumed control in 1889 he was
chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee, and presently gave
the nation the tariff measure that bore
his name.
Ever since he cast his first vote for
Lincoln In 1864 Mckinley has been a
In 1884 he was a delegate
at-large from Ohio to the National
Convention. and helped to nominate
James G.. Blaine. At the National Con-
vention he represented the state in the
same manner. and supported John
Sherman. At that convention, after the
first days balloting, the indications
were that Mckinley himself might be
nominated. Then his strength of pur-
pose and his high ideas of loyalty and
honor showed themselves, for in an
and stirring speech he demand
ed that no votes he cast for him. In
1891 he was elected Governor of Ohio
by a ajority of about 21,000 over ex-
Gov. James E. Campbell, the Demo-
cratic candidate. The issue then at
stake was chiefly the tariff, but Nc
Kinley also placed himself in opposi-
ton to the free coinage of silver In
1892 he was again a delegate-at-larg
to the National Convention at Mime
apolis, and was made permanent
chairman. Although his name was not
brought before the convention, yet he
received 1872 votes. He himself was a
strong supporter of President Harri-
son.
In 1898 Maj. Mckinley was re-elect-
ed Governor Of Ohio by a majority of
80.995. At the expiration of his term
he returned to Canton. He had been
a political speaker and leader in Con-
gress. Hence there was little surprise
when he was nominated on the first
ballot at the Republican National Con-
vention at ST. Louis in 1896. Though
the tariff question was at stake in that
yet the free coinage of sill
yer was the all important question,
and on the issue of sound money he
was elected over William j. Bryan,
the Populist and Democratic candi-
date.
Mai. Mckinley was unanimously
for a second term as Pres
ident by the Republican National Con-
vention in Philadelphia in the summer
Of 1900 and in November was elected
over w. ]. Bryan. During President
incumbency of the White
House the war with Spain was fought
to successful issue. Cuba was freed
from the yoke of Spain, and the Phil
ippines. Porto Rico and Guam were
acquired by the United States.
Mai. Mckinley was married on Jan.
25, 1871, TO Miss Ida Saxton, of Cam
tont. daughter Of Ia 0nape and cath