RepublicanPresident · Ohio
William McKinley"The Napoleon of Protection"
1897 first electedLeft office 19014 years servedBorn 1843 in Niles, OhioDied 1901
Biography
William McKinley was born January 29, 1843. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War, rising from private to brevet major, then became a lawyer and U.S. Representative from Ohio, where he championed protective tariffs (the McKinley Tariff of 1890 bears his name). He served as Governor of Ohio before winning the presidency in 1896. His presidency (1897–1901) was marked by the Spanish-American War, which resulted in the U.S. acquiring Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and by strong economic prosperity following a period of depression. He won re-election in 1900 with Theodore Roosevelt as his running mate, but was assassinated in September 1901, just six months into his second term, by an anarchist while greeting the public at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
Additional Info
Spouse
Ida Saxton
Vice President
Garret Hobart (1897–1899), Vacant (1899–1901), Theodore Roosevelt (Mar–Sept 1901)
Prior Offices
39th Governor of Ohio, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Fun Fact
McKinley was known for his habit of giving away a fresh red carnation from his lapel to visitors as a good-luck token — and tragically, he had just handed his carnation to a young girl moments before he was shot, having briefly removed the flower he considered his personal good-luck charm.
Election History
No election records found in the database yet.