William McKinley

William McKinley (January 29, 1843 – May 10, 1924) was an American politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1877 to 1884, and then from 1885 to 1891. Afterwhich he became Governor Ohio, for his first term, from 1892 to 1896. After a failed bid for the Presidency in the 1896 U.S. Presidential Election, McKinley briefly resumed his law practice in Ohio before being drafted for another bid for Governor of Ohio in 1899. Owing to his prior notoriety, McKinley won re-election for the governorship of Ohio and served from 1900-1904. After his second governorship McKinley returned to his private law practice for nearly a decade, when, in 1912 following the appointment of Charles J. Bonaparte to the Supreme Court of the United States, President Theodore Roosevelt contacted McKinley and appointed him as the new Attorney General of the United States.

Early life & family
William McKinley Jr. was born in Niles, Ohio, in 1843 as the seventh of William McKinley Sr. and Nancy (née Allison) McKinley's nine children. descendants of Scots-Irish and English immigrants, the McKinley family settled in western Pennsylvania in the 18th century. The family's immigrant ancestor was David McKinley, who was born in Dervock, Country Antrum, in the present-day Irish Republic. William McKinley Sr. was born in Pine Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

The family moved to Poland, Ohio, in 1852 so they could enroll their children in the higher quality schools. McKinley enrolled at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania for one year, after graduating from the Poland Seminary in 1859. After one year at Allegheny, McKinley returned home after his health took a turn for the worst. He also studied at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, as a board member. Although his health recovered, family finances declined and McKinley was unable to return to Allegheny. As a result, he began working as a postal clerk and later took a job teaching at a school near Poland.

Training
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Western Virginia
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Army of the Potomac
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Shenandoah Valley campaign
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Legal career & marriage
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House of Representatives
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Governor of Ohio (1892-1896)
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Election of 1896
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Governor of Ohio (1900-1904)
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United States Attorney General
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Return to law
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Death
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