William McKinley Timeline

Main

Birth

January 29, 1843

Born in Niles, Ohio in 1843.

College

1859 - 1860

Attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

High School Graduation

1859

Graduated from Poland Academy in Ohio.

Enlisted in Military

1861

Enlisted as a Private in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

First Promotion

April, 1862

Promoted to Commissary Sergeant in April; Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in September after the battle of Antietam.

Later Promotions

1863 - 1865

Promoted to First Lieutenant in 1863, Captain in 1864, and Brevet Major in 1865.

Admission to the Ohio Bar

March, 1865 - 1867

Studied law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar.

Became a Prosecuting Attorney

1869 - 1871

Served as a Prosecuting Attorney in Stark County, Ohio.

Marriage

January 25, 1871

Married to Ida Saxton in Canton, Ohio, and had 2 children: Katherine and Ida (who died at only 3 months).

House of Representatives

1877 - 1891

U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, except for several months in 1884 and 1885 as a result of contested election.

Ways and Means Committee

1889 - 1891

Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee.

Governor of Ohio

January 11, 1892 - January 13, 1896

Governor of Ohio (2 terms).

Elected President

March 4, 1897 - September 14, 1901

Elected to his first term of presidency.

War with Spain

April 20, 1898 - December 10, 1898

United States declares War on Spain because of an underwater mine attack, but signs a peace treaty in December.

Gaining Land

1899

The Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam formally acquired by the United States.

Second Election

March 4, 1901

Elected to second term as the president of the United States.

Assassination

September 6, 1901 - September 14, 1901

Shot by Leon Frank Czolgosz (an anarchist) while attending Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York on September 6. He then died because of the wound on September 14, 1901.