Happy Birthday Wobbly Willie
On January 29, 1843 (169 years ago today) William McKinley, Jr., the 25th President of the United States, was born in Niles, Ohio, the 7th of 9 children. Known as "Wobbly Willie" as a child, he would grow up to be a soldier, lawyer, politician and president.
At the start of the American Civil War, the 18 year old McKinley enlisted on the Union side in June 1861 as a private in the 23rd Ohio Infantry. His superior officer was another future U.S. president, Rutherford B. Hayes, who promoted McKinley to commissary sergeant for his bravery in battle while serving the regiment. Later, for driving a mule team delivering rations under enemy fire at Antietam, Hayes promoted McKinley to the rank of first lieutenant. McKinley eventually rose to the rank of captain. Hayes is quoted as referring to McKinley as "one of the bravest and finest officers."
After the war, McKinley became a successful lawyer. He joined the Ohio Republican party ranks and in 1871 he wedded Ida Saxton. The couple had his two daughters, both of whom died in infancy. Ida's became ill in 1873 and McKinley became her caregiver as well as her husband.
By the late 1870s, McKinley had become a prominent Republican leader. He served in Congress from 1877 to 1882 and from 1885 to 1891, and also was elected Governor of Ohio in 1891. His major issue was high tariffs on imports as a formula for prosperity, and he authored legislation known as the McKinley Tariff of 1890.
He was chosen as the Republican candidate in the 1896 presidential election, opposing Democrat William Jennings Bryan. His "Karl Rove" was a man named Mark Hanna, who introduced revolutionary advertising techniques, and mounted a strategy to defeat to gifted orator Bryan.
McKinley presided over a return to prosperity after the Panic of 1893, with the gold standard as a keystone. He demanded that the Spanish end its atrocities in Cuba, which were angering Americans and when they resisted the interference, the Spanish-American War began in 1898 following the controversial sinking of the battleship USS Maine. The U.S. victory was quick and decisive, as the weak Spanish fleets were sunk and both Cuba and the Philippines were captured within a few months. As a result of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines were annexed by the United States as unincorporated territories, and U.S occupation of Cuba began; this occurred in the face of opposition from Democrats and anti-imperialists who feared a loss of republican values. McKinley also annexed the independent Republic of Hawaii in 1898, with all its inhabitants becoming American citizens.
McKinley was reelected in the 1900 presidential election following another intense campaign against Bryan, which focused on foreign policy and the return of prosperity. He was aided by a strong economy. But in the first year of his second term McKinley was assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in September while at the Pan-American Exposition. He was shot on September 6th and died eight days later from gangrene surrounding his wounds. His last words were, "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours."
Following is a seven-minute biography of McKinley from the History Channel's Presidents of the United States series, narrated by actor Edward Hermann:
At the start of the American Civil War, the 18 year old McKinley enlisted on the Union side in June 1861 as a private in the 23rd Ohio Infantry. His superior officer was another future U.S. president, Rutherford B. Hayes, who promoted McKinley to commissary sergeant for his bravery in battle while serving the regiment. Later, for driving a mule team delivering rations under enemy fire at Antietam, Hayes promoted McKinley to the rank of first lieutenant. McKinley eventually rose to the rank of captain. Hayes is quoted as referring to McKinley as "one of the bravest and finest officers."
After the war, McKinley became a successful lawyer. He joined the Ohio Republican party ranks and in 1871 he wedded Ida Saxton. The couple had his two daughters, both of whom died in infancy. Ida's became ill in 1873 and McKinley became her caregiver as well as her husband.
By the late 1870s, McKinley had become a prominent Republican leader. He served in Congress from 1877 to 1882 and from 1885 to 1891, and also was elected Governor of Ohio in 1891. His major issue was high tariffs on imports as a formula for prosperity, and he authored legislation known as the McKinley Tariff of 1890.
He was chosen as the Republican candidate in the 1896 presidential election, opposing Democrat William Jennings Bryan. His "Karl Rove" was a man named Mark Hanna, who introduced revolutionary advertising techniques, and mounted a strategy to defeat to gifted orator Bryan.
McKinley presided over a return to prosperity after the Panic of 1893, with the gold standard as a keystone. He demanded that the Spanish end its atrocities in Cuba, which were angering Americans and when they resisted the interference, the Spanish-American War began in 1898 following the controversial sinking of the battleship USS Maine. The U.S. victory was quick and decisive, as the weak Spanish fleets were sunk and both Cuba and the Philippines were captured within a few months. As a result of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines were annexed by the United States as unincorporated territories, and U.S occupation of Cuba began; this occurred in the face of opposition from Democrats and anti-imperialists who feared a loss of republican values. McKinley also annexed the independent Republic of Hawaii in 1898, with all its inhabitants becoming American citizens.
McKinley was reelected in the 1900 presidential election following another intense campaign against Bryan, which focused on foreign policy and the return of prosperity. He was aided by a strong economy. But in the first year of his second term McKinley was assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in September while at the Pan-American Exposition. He was shot on September 6th and died eight days later from gangrene surrounding his wounds. His last words were, "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours."
Following is a seven-minute biography of McKinley from the History Channel's Presidents of the United States series, narrated by actor Edward Hermann: