Manuscript

Archive

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McKinley Birthplace Museum

Name/Title

Manuscript

Entry/Object ID

2016.2.99s

Scope and Content

After he graduated from Poland Seminary, he attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania but he became ill and had to return home. (Picture of Allegheny College) In 1866 he entered Albany School of Law graduating in 1867. He was admitted to the Bar in Warren, Ohio in the same year. (Pictures of Albany School and Warren Courthouse.) (this was the first time he had tasted ice cream. He thought the hostess have frozen the custard.) The McKinley's were very devoted Methodists; William attended church and Sunday School regularly, joining the church when he was fifteen years old. He studied Old Testament Hebrew under Rev. W.F. Day, of the Methodist for his entire life. He lived his beliefs; no idle talk could injure McKinley's good name. What type of jobs did William do? As a child, he rounded up the cows from the pasture and probably brought in fire wood for the cook stove. To make money to attend law school he taught school at Kerr District near Poland, Ohio for a year, then as Assistant Postmaster in the Poland Post Office. Sgt. Billy June 11, 1861, there was a call for soldiers to fight in the Civil War. William enlisted as a private in Company "E" of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was a wonderful soldier. As Regimental Commissary Sergeant, the men called him Sgt. Billy. He loaded wagons with food and took it to the front lines for his men while under fire. It was the first time anyone had thought to take food to the fighting men on the front lines. (Antietam Battlefield) He was commissioned Second Lieutenant Loaded wagons with hot food and coffee As Second Lieutenant, William served under Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes described him as, handsome, bright, gallant, brave and a fine officer. William did well in Company D, taking orders cheerfully and doing his job in a systematic way. He also became an expert horsemen. In a short time he was promoted to First Lieutenant., of Company E. He saw more hard and bloody battles. During this time he turned 21 years old and voted for President Lincoln, while on march to Martinsburg, West Virginia. An ambulance and empty candle can served as a voting booth.

Collection

Blaney

Acquisition

Accession

2016.2.0

Source or Donor

Eileen B. Blaney

Acquisition Method

Gift