President William McKinley was shot in Buffalo, New York on this day in 1901. McKinley was born on January 29, 1843 to William and Nancy McKinley, who were of Scottish and Irish descent. After serving in the Civil War, McKinley opened up his own law practice and eventually became the Prosecuting Attorney of Stark County, Ohio. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1876 and served seven terms, until he became governor of Ohio from 1891-1894 and subsequently President in 1897. While shaking hands in Buffalo on September 6, 1901, Polish anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot McKinley twice in the chest. McKinley’s last words were “my wife, be careful how you tell her.” He died several days later on September 14.
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