Ida Saxton McKinley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ida Saxton McKinley
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McKinley c. 1900
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| First Lady of the United States | |
| In role March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 |
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| President | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Frances Cleveland |
| Succeeded by | Edith Roosevelt |
| First Lady of Ohio | |
| In role January 11, 1892 – January 13, 1896 |
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| Governor | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Maud Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Ellen Bushnell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ida Saxton
June 8, 1847 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 26, 1907 (aged 59) Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Resting place | McKinley National Memorial |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Brook Hall Seminary |
| Signature |  |
Ida McKinley (born Ida Saxton; June 8, 1847 – May 26, 1907) was the First Lady of the United States from 1897 to 1901. She was the wife of President William McKinley.
Ida grew up in a successful family in Ohio. She met and married William McKinley during the years after the American Civil War. Sadly, she never fully recovered from losing her two young daughters. This left her with delicate health for the rest of her life. She also experienced seizures.
During her husband's political campaigns and while he was president, he always made sure to take care of her needs. They were a very loving couple. However, Ida's health challenges sometimes made it hard for her to do all the duties of a First Lady. She faced more sadness when her brother died, and then her husband was assassinated. Ida visited her husband's burial place every day until she passed away.
Contents
Early Life and Marriage
Ida Saxton was born in Canton, Ohio. Her father, James Saxton, was a well-known banker. Her grandfather, John Saxton, started the city's first newspaper in 1815. Ida went to Brook Hall Seminary, a special school for young women. She was described as charming and pretty.
Ida met William "Bill" McKinley at a picnic in 1867. They started dating after she returned from a trip to Europe in 1869. Before she married, Ida worked as a cashier in her father's bank. This was a job usually done by men back then.
William McKinley, who was 27, married Ida Saxton, who was 23, on January 25, 1871. Their wedding took place at the First Presbyterian Church in Canton. After the wedding, they had a reception at Ida's parents' home. Then, they went on a trip to the eastern United States.
Ida's Health Challenges
Ida had a sensitive and nervous personality. She faced a lot of sadness when her mother and two young daughters died close together. Because of these losses, Mrs. McKinley became very ill. She developed epilepsy and relied completely on her husband.
Sometimes, her seizures happened in public. She had one at her husband's special ball when he became Governor of Ohio. Even though she struggled with her illness her whole life, she stayed busy. Her favorite hobby was crocheting slippers. She made thousands of pairs as gifts for friends and charities. These slippers were often sold for a lot of money to help others.
The McKinley Children
The McKinleys had two daughters. Sadly, both of them died when they were very young. Their names were Katherine "Katie" McKinley (1871–1875) and Ida McKinley (April 1873–August 1873).
The Loss of Katie McKinley
Katie was born on Christmas Day in 1871. Her father was a lawyer in Canton, Ohio at the time. Her parents loved her very much. She was the center of their world. Ida gave Katie a lot of love, especially before her second daughter was born in 1873.
Ida's mother died about two weeks before her second daughter was born. This made the birth very difficult. The baby, also named Ida, died just four months later. Ida was heartbroken. She felt that God was punishing her by taking her daughter. This loss deeply affected her. She developed health problems and became very afraid of losing Katie, her first child.
Ida wanted William and Katie to show her constant love. She would spend hours in a dark room, holding Katie, kissing her, and crying. William's brother, Abner, once saw Katie playing outside. He invited her for a walk. Katie said she couldn't leave the yard because "God would punish [her] mama some more."
In June 1875, Katie became sick with typhoid fever. She died within a few days. Ida was completely devastated by Katie's death. Both Katie and her younger sister Ida were later moved to the McKinley National Memorial. Ida and William were also buried there later.
First Lady of the United States
President McKinley was very caring and made sure to help Ida with her health. He broke with tradition by having his wife sit next to him at state dinners. Usually, the First Lady would sit at the other end of the table. When greeting guests, Ida was the only one who remained seated.
Many of the social duties of the First Lady were handled by Mrs. Jennie Tuttle Hobart. She was the wife of Vice President Garret Hobart. Guests noticed that when Mrs. McKinley was about to have a seizure, the President would gently place a napkin over her face. This hid her features. When the seizure passed, he would remove it and continue as if nothing had happened.
The President's loving care for his wife was well-known in Washington. Senator Mark Hanna once said, "President McKinley has made it pretty hard for the rest of us husbands here in Washington."
The First Lady often traveled with the President. In May 1901, Mrs. McKinley went to California with him. But she became very ill in San Francisco. Because of this, their planned trip to the Northwest was canceled. She was also with him on a trip to Buffalo, New York, in September 1901. This was when he was assassinated, but she was not present during the shooting.
President McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901. He died eight days later at the age of 58.
Later Life and Death
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After her husband, President McKinley, was assassinated in September 1901, Mrs. McKinley lost much of her desire to live. She stayed strong in the days after the shooting. However, she could not bring herself to attend his funeral. Her health got worse as she stayed in her home in Canton. Her younger sister took care of her.
Ida visited her husband's burial place every day until she died. She lived for less than six years after the President. Ida passed away on May 26, 1907, at the age of 59. She was buried next to her husband and their two daughters. They are all at the McKinley Memorial Mausoleum in Canton.
Legacy
Ida's childhood home, the Saxton House, is still standing in Canton. Ida grew up in this house. She and her husband also lived there from 1878 to 1891. During this time, William McKinley was a representative for Ohio in Congress. The house has been restored to look like it did in the Victorian era. It became part of the First Ladies National Historic Site in 1998.
See also
In Spanish: Ida McKinley para niños
