GEORGE McKINLEY

GEORGE McKINLEY, agent of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company at Humboldt, is a worthy citizen of Allen county whose business life has been passed within its borders. He was born in Fairfield, county, Ohio, December 8, 1861. He is a son of William McKinley who came to Allen county and settled west of Humboldt, on Owl creek, in 1880, and improved a bottom farm. His is one of the large bodies of cultivated land in the county and in his relation with his fellow countymen he has maintained himself with honor, dignity and uprightness.

William McKinley was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1830, and

was the son of an Irishman by the same name. His mother was Betty Herring, born also in Ireland. They came to the United States in 1820 and settled a farm in Ohio. They reared a family of five children to become industrious and honorable men and women. When William was married, January 20, 1858, he continued the occupation of his father and maintained a substantial and progressive establishment from the first. The proceeds of the sale of his Ohio home he invested in land and its improvements near Humboldt and the same thrift and expansiveness which characterized him in the east he has maintained in the west. Mr. McKinley married Grace Mounts and eight of their ten children are living: Mary, wife of Monroe Ashbrook; George; Alice, wife of Charles E. Reeber, of Independence, Missouri; William, of Carlinville, Illinois; Charles, of Hutchinson, Kansas; Scott, John and Joseph, the last two with the Wells-Fargo Express Company at Iola.

George McKinley was almost grown when he came to Humboldt. His enviroment in early life was entirely rural and his education of the common school sort. When he decided his fate and selected his life work railroading was his choice. In 1884 he entered the office at Humboldt under the instruction of C. E. Blackmar and learned telegraphy. His first position was that of operator with the Santa Fe Company at Princeton, Kansas. He was employed at points on the system for some years and was then given charge of the Humboldt station. This position he has filled fourteen years and with what acceptibility his tenure of office will answer.

December 29, 1885, Mr. McKinley was married to Flora Deffenbaugh, a daughter of Henry and Susan Deffenbaugh, of Peoria, Illinois. The children of this marriage are Susan, Benjamin and George McKinley, Jr.

It would be a strange departure to announce the politics of the McKinleys as anything but Republican. They have ever maintained an interest in public affairs and their voices not infrequently respond to the roll-call in party conventions.

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