Profile of the Day: William McKinley

On this day in 1901, William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, died eight days after he was shot by an anarchist. Immediately after his death, Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as the 26th President.

Image: William McKinley / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution CC0

McKinley was born on January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio to William McKinley, Sr. and Nancy Allison. At the outbreak of the Civil War, McKinley joined the Union Army and found a mentor and lifelong friend in Rutherford B. Hayes, who would go on to become the 19th President of the United States.

During McKinley’s presidency, the President led the nation to victory in the Spanish-American War, which resulted in the U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines.

Just six months into his second term, McKinley was shot twice in the chest by an anarchist. He died from his wounds days later on September 14, 1901, becoming the third U.S. President to be assassinated. After his death, Congress passed legislation formally making the Secret Service in charge of the President’s protection.

How are you related to William McKinley? Explore his family tree and share your connection to the 25th President.

View William McKinley’s Geni Profile