John Fitzer McKinley
 

JOHN FITZER McKINLEY, an honored citizen of Clinton township, Boone county, Ind., and gallant ex-soldier, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 25, 1840. His father was William McKinley, a native of Ohio and of Irish descent and his mother was Cynthia (Holmes) McKinley, daughter of Capt. Wilkes Holmes, for a number of years a commander of an Ohio river steamboat. William McKinley was a ship carpenter by occupation and he became the father of the following children: Zelotes A., William, John F., Anderson and one daughter. John F. McKinley was six years old when his mother died, and when ten years of age was called upon to mourn the death of his father, who was killed by a fall while engaged in repairing a ship. After the latter event young John went to live with a man by the name of Jesse O'Neal, who proved anything but a kind task-master, in consequence of which the boy started out for himself, working at different places and at anything honorable which his hands could find to do until the breaking out of the great rebellion. He was one of the first to respond to the country's call for defenders, being moved to enter the army, after listening to a patriotic speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln in Indianapolis in October, 1861. He soon afterward enlisted in company C. Fifty-first Indiana infantry, and accompanied his command to Louisville, thence to Bardstown, Ky., and later to Mill Springs, the brigade to which his regiment was assigned being commanded by Gen. James A. Garfield, afterward president of the United States. To narrate in detail the many army experiences of Mr. McKinley while battling for the national honor would far transcend the limits of a sketch of this character, accordingly but a brief epitome of the campaigns and battles in which he participated is herewith attempted. From Mill Springs the regiment proceeded to Bowling Green, and from that point marched over the greater part of the state of Kentucky and various parts of Tennessee, and was engaged in the last day's fight at Pittsburg Landing. The next movement was to Corinth, Miss., where Mr. McKinley bore a gallant part in the subjugation of that place and then joined in the pursuit of the rebel Gen. Bragg through Kentucky, being thus actively engaged for a period of thirty-three days, or until getting ahead of the enemy's forces at Louisville, Ky. While at the latter place Mr. McKinley met with an accident which for some time incapacitated him for active service in the ranks, but he followed his regiment by railway overtaking the command at Bowling Green, and later participated in the bloody battle at Perryville. At Nashville the brigade was sent to Decatur, Ala., to guard bridges and gather in the loyal residents hidden in the mountains to keep them from being conscripted into the service of the Confederacy. From Bridgeport the command proceeded to Nashville, thence to Stone River, in the battle of which place it took part, and was also engaged in the bloody battle of Murfreesboro. At Day's Gap the brigade had a hard fight, in which James W. Sheets, the first captain of Mr. McKinley's company, was killed, while acting in the capacity of lieutenant-colonel of the regiment. Hotly pressed by Gen. Forrest's cavalry, the brigade reached the Green Mountain iron works, where the enemy were casting cannon. which was captured and destroyed, as were also several important bridges in the vicinity, the loss being a severe blow to the Confederacy. During the raid in which the above events took place, Mr. McKinley acted as brigade orderly, in which capacity he did valiant service. The further particulars of this celebrated raid, which forms an interesting page in the history of the war, were as follows: The ammunition was carried on mules, as well as two twelve-pound cannon, and at the "Gap" a full battery with horses was captured, which was used until the ammunition was exhausted, when the guns were spiked, and for a number of miles the road was completely destroyed. After various engagements, hard marching, and other vicissitudes, the Federals, under Gen. A. D. Streight, were compelled to surrender, but not until after certain conditions had been agreed to, among which were that each soldier was to keep his own private property and that the force was to march out with colors flying. The regimental flag of the Fifty-first was taken in charge, but the boys soon succeeded in stealing the precious emblem, which they at once proceeded to cut in pieces, giving to each soldier a small fragment, which was presented as a memento. Mr. McKinley succeeded in secreting in the waistband of his trousers about $40 in greenbacks, which afterwards proved the means of procuring him many comforts while a prisoner. After great suffering of forty days duration, all, with the exception of the officers, were paroled, and Mr. McKinley, with others, went to Washington city, thence to Columbus, Ohio, where he received new clothing. From the latter place Mr. McKinley returned to Indianapolis, and after his exchange, which was effected March 3, 1863, he again went to the front and took part in the siege of Chattanooga, battles of Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge and Chickamauga. He veteranized in January, 1864, and after a furlough of thirty days was again sent to Chattanooga, where for some time he did guard duty. Subsequently his regiment participated in the various battles of the Atlanta campaign, Franklin and Nashville, and later Mr. McKinley accompanied his command to Texas, where he did guard duty until mustered out of the service, at San Antonio, in December, 1865. He was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, January 13, 1866, and on the thirteenth of the following month was united in marriage to Mrs. Lucy A. (Kelly) Harlan, whom he had previously met in a hospital, where she was attending her former husband, who received his death wound in one of the battles near Atlanta. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. McKinley have been born the following children: Marion E., Mary M., Levi L., Attagara, wife of James Evans; Zelura N., Reona A. and Cynthia E. Mrs. McKinley was born in Marion county, Ind., August 22, 1840, the daughter of Joseph A. and Mary (Randall) Kelly, both parents natives of Kentucky. She was married October 28, 1857, to Martin M. Harlan, who died at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., July 4, 1864, and by him had two children: Pametta M. and John C. Harlan. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. McKinley went to housekeeping not far southeast of Indianapolis, at the home of the latter, where they lived until 1872, when they moved to their present in Clinton township, Boone county. In addition to farming, Mr. McKinley has for some years been engaged in contracting ditch work, and it is probable that no man in Boone county has laid more drain tile than he. Years ago he learned the trade of brick laying, to which he now devotes the greater part of his attention. In politics Mr. McKinley is an uncompromising republican, and at this time holds the office of justice of the peace in the township of Clinton. He is an ardent member of the G. A. R. and with his wife belongs to the Baptist church.

Transcribed by Chris Brown
Source: "A Portrait And Biographical Record of Boone and Clinton Counties, Ind.," pp 372-374, published in 1895 by A. W. Bowen & CO. Chicago