From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 

Contributed by Linda Fluharty.

Pages 600-603

DANIEL F. McKINLEY. Beyond his standing as a Wheeling merchant of 
unblemished integrity, Mr. McKinley enjoys a yet more subtle and diffusive 
appreciation by virtue of heroic service during the Civil War, crowned by a 
deed of splendid valor, inspired by utter self-forgetfulness.  The early 
days of this soldier and merchant were spent in Washington county, Maine, 
where he was born November 9, 1839.  He is a son of James and Ann (McBride) 
McKinley, the former a native of Rahra Island, between Ireland and 
Scotland, and the latter born in New York City.
     James McKinley was an expert cabinetmaker, and upon coming to the 
United States located in Maine, and went to Chicago in 1854.  At a later 
period he sought to improve his prospects by removal to California, from 
which land of sunshine he returned to Chicago, where his death occurred in 
1892, at the age of eighty-four years.  Early in the Civil War he was 
attached to the regiment commanded by General Thomas, in the capacity of a 
carpenter, and served thus for nearly a year.  He is survived by his wife, 
who is still a resident of Chicago, and who also has attained the ripe age 
of four score and four years.  Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
McKinley, five died when very young, and of the three who survive, 
Alexander is living in Chicago, and Mary is still at the old home.
     Daniel F. McKinley was schooled in Main, and in his youth was a 
fisherman.  Upon coming to Wheeling in 1859 he became identified with the 
La Belle Iron Works, in the nail department, and was with this enormously 
large concern, in all, about thirty-eight years.
     With the culmination in war in 1861 of the differences that had long 
existed between the North and South, Mr. McKinley became one of the 
original 75,000 men called for by Abraham Lincoln.  As a soldier of Gen. B. 
F. Kelley's West Virginia volunteer regiment, he participated in the first 
battle of the war, June 3, 1861, at Phillippi, and was one of the noble 
band of six who pulled down the Confederate flag from the flag-staff of the 
enemy, the others being Lieutenant Griffin, James Emery, Thomas Williamson, 
William Travis and Robert Kelley.  This was the first flag to be disturbed; 
it happened that when the enemy were about to retreat and had unfastened 
the flag from its attachment, the Union fire was so severe that they were 
obliged to leave the emblem of the lost cause behind.  This historic flag 
is now the property of Lieutenant Harris' widow, who lives back of the La 
Belle Mill.  During the fray General McKinley was one of those who acted as 
his body-guard to Grafton.  It is with pleasure that he recalls the many 
nights that he subsequently stood guard at the door of his superior 
officer.  In the summer of 1863 Mr. McKinley reenlisted in Company A, 4th 
Reg. W. Va. Cav., as a sergeant, and was honorably discharged at the 
expiration of eight months.  During the latter service he took part in 
several minor engagements, and was on detached duty much of the time.
     With the restoration of peace, Mr. McKinley returned to Wheeling and 
to his former position with the La Belle Iron Works.  His amicable and 
unusually long association with this firm terminated in 1899, when he 
assumed control of the store of which he is now proprietor and manager, and 
which had been opened by his children several years before.
     In 1868 occurred the marriage of Mr. McKinley and Clementine Moore, a 
native of Marshall county, West Virginia, and a daughter of Charles and 
Eliza Moore, who died at the respective ages of seventy-two and sixty-five 
years.  To Mr. and Mrs. McKinley have been born three children, viz:  Ella, 
who is a graduate of Webster School, and has been a teacher in that 
institution for more than ten years; William, who is a graduate of Webster 
School and the University of Pennsylvania, and is practicing dentistry in 
Wheeling; and Mary, who is a graduate of the Wheeling High School.  Mr. 
McKinley is a member of the Catholic church, while his wife and children 
are connected with the Methodist Episcopal church.  Politically, he 
entertains very liberal views, and although at heart a Democrat, usually 
votes the Republican ticket in national elections.  He is one of the most 
profoundly esteemed men in Wheeling, and in all his walks of life has 
adhered to high principles and to the golden rule. 
           
(Note:  Regarding the Civil War service under Gen. B. F. Kelley, it seems 
this would have been the original 1st (West) Virginia Infantry - 3 month 
service.  Many re-enlisted in the 3 year organization that followed but 
some did not.  It is difficult to find the service information on the men 
who served only in the 3 month 1st Infantry.  According to the 3 month 
roster, there is a "Finley McKinley" in Company B.  This is apparently 
Daniel F. McKinley because "Finley" is also in the 4th Cav., as stated in 
this bio.)