Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-14
SKETCH OF MCKINLEY.
Life StoIy Of This Most Remark
able American.

Eoriginally from Scotland, as the nam'
hindicates. A Scottish clan bore the
name McKinlay. They were Gov
eenanters and bore all the prosecutions
4that befell those OF that belief.
"McKinlay the Trooper" went to
GIreland and fought in the battle Of the
SBoyne in 1890 on the English side. Il
Is supposed he settled there and be
kcame the ancestor of the Scotch-Irish
Z MeKlnleys.
Not long aiterward one of the Me
fKinleys came to America, bringing
1.-TWO sons, James and William. These
< boys founded the two branches OF the
y McKinley family in this country, one
ksettling in the North and one in the
NSouth. William Mckinley is a de-
kscendant of James. who settled in
B York county, Pennsylvania. Members
hof the family served in the Revolutions
Nary war, among them David Mckin-
hley, who was wounded. After the
I var he removed to Ohio. His grand
son was William Mckinley, father OF
fthe late president.
3 William Mckinley, ST., was fur
lace worker, who ran furnace in
aLisbon, o. He was a strong Wing
4and protectionist.
William McKinley's mother was
MARY Allison, of English descent.
William Mckinley, whose death the
Snation mourns today, was born at
9Niles. Ohio, January %, 1913, in a
Ehouse that still stands. He was the
seventh Of nine children. As a boy, be
4 was rather quiet and studious and
spent much time in reading history.
SHe got his first political bent from
Horace Greeley's Tribune.
William attended the common
school at Niles until, when nine years
. OF age, his father moved to Poland, o.
Thereafter he attended Poland Union
Seminary. He was fond OF mathe-l
MATES, but especially delighted in theI
languages. He studied the Bible much
/ and was interested in Methodist
schurch work. Here, too, in theI
seminary he began public speaking inI
! the debating clubs. He enteredI
allegheny college, but i'll healthl
compelled him to withdraw. He thenl
taught school.
At the outbreak Of the Rebellion.'
when he was Is, he volunteered as n
private in the Esd Ohio He served1
]. lI months in the ranks. He was
steadily promoted for gallantry andI
!. good conduct. lie took part in manyl
engagements. Rutherford B. Hayes
commanded his regiment His war,
service extended over four years and /
he was mustered out as major
After the war, he returned to Ohioj
and began the study Of law. Beingi
admitted in 1867. be located at Canton.
TO-. which has since been his home.
lie won high rank at once in his pro-
Ifession, being especially powerful as Al
Ipleader. lie also entered politics as n
campaign speaker and his services
were in constant demand. His first
speech was for sound money
About this time he became ac-s
lquainted with Miss Ida Saxton OF Can
ton. to whom he was married in 1871 /
Their married life has been touching.
lin its devotion ever. Two little girls
|were born to them. One died at threei
years and one in infancy. Since theiri
death Mrs. Mckinley has been a con
slant invalid.
In the National Republican convent
|tion of 1884, Mckinley was chairman of
the committee on resolutions. Hei
spoke during the campaign. He wasl
again elected to Congress and became
the party leader in the House. He was
reelected in 1886. He led the oppo-k
sition to the Mills tariff bill. In lSSsi
be was mentioned as a possible Rel
publican candidate for the presidency
and might have been nominated had hel
not emphatically declined, in loyaltyl
TO John Sherman.
In the Fifty-frst Congress, MAORI
framed and saw enacted thel
famous tariff bin that bore his name.
III was distinctively protective. Ini
$50. there came a reaction and Nc
|Kinley was defeated for Congress.
In 1891, Mckinley became governorl
|of Ohio, being elected by 10000 MAJOR
fly. In signing notes with friend,
who failed, he became ruined finan-
|cially. SO great was McKinley's pop-l
|ularity that all his losses were madei
good by popular subscriptions. Hell
Twas reelected governor.