Ida Saxton McKinley | |
|---|---|
 Portrait, c. 1900 | |
| First Lady of the United States | |
| In role March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 | |
| President | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Frances Cleveland |
| Succeeded by | Edith Roosevelt |
| First Lady of Ohio | |
| In role January 11, 1892 – January 13, 1896 | |
| 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 | Brooke Hall Seminary |
| Signature |  |
Ida McKinley (née Saxton; June 8, 1847 – May 26, 1907) was the first lady of the United States from 1897 until 1901, as the wife of President William McKinley. McKinley also served as the First Lady of Ohio from 1892 to 1896 while her husband was Governor of Ohio.
Born to a successful Ohio family, McKinley met her future husband and later married him during the early Reconstruction years. She never recovered from losing their daughters as children and remained in a fragile state of health for the rest of her life, including having seizures. During campaigns and while in office, her husband took great care to accommodate her needs, as they were a devoted couple. McKinley's ability to fulfill the role of First Lady was nevertheless limited. She was brought further grief by the death of her brother and the assassination of her husband. McKinley reportedly visited her husband's resting place daily until her own death.