Description:

William McKinley TLS to Fellow Civil War Veteran & OH State Executive Robert P. Kennedy

A 1p typed letter boldly signed by American politician William McKinley (1843-1901), future 25th U.S. President, as "W McKinley" at center. The signature measures over 3.25" x 1.75" alone. April 2, 1896. [Canton, Ohio.] Typed in purple ink on watermarked stationery with "William McKinley, / Canton, Ohio" letterhead. A manuscript comma has been added on line 2. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds. Minor smudging to the lower right corner, and a partially rusted paper clip impression just touching the letterhead. Mounting traces verso. Else very good to near fine. 5.5" x 8.5."

William McKinley addressed this letter to his friend Robert P. Kennedy (1840-1918). In part: "Yours of the 30th. ult. enclosing letter from your friend, Mr. Firebaugh, [not included in this lot] has been received and read with interest…"

Kennedy had belonged to McKinley's Civil War unit, the 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment. Kennedy outranked McKinley by the end of the war: the former had enlisted in 1861 as a second lieutenant and by 1865 was brevetted lieutenant colonel and brigadier general of volunteers; whereas McKinley, who joined in 1861 as a private, had only attained the rank of brevet major by war's end.

McKinley and Kennedy shared other connections: they were both Republican, and former Ohio state executives and Congressmen. McKinley had just concluded his second term as 39th Governor of Ohio a few months earlier, in January 1896. Robert P. Kennedy had served McKinley's gubernatorial predecessor Joseph B. Foraker as Lieutenant Governor from 1885-1887. The pair also served as Ohio Congressmen during the same time, with their respective terms overlapping between 1887-1891.

In April 1896, McKinley was gearing up for the Republican National Convention that would take place in St. Louis, Missouri in mid-June 1896. McKinley was nominated on the first ballot. He would be elected president five months later, on November 3, 1896.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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