William B. McKinley

For the President of the United States with the same name, see William McKinley.

William Brown McKinley was a United States Senator and congressman from the State of Illinois; He was born near Petersburg, Illinois on September 5, 1856.

After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, McKinley became a drug clerk in Springfield. He returned to Champaign to become a banker. In 1902, he was elected a trustee of the university. McKinley ran for U.S. House of Representatives in 1905, winning his first of four consecutive terms. In 1913, he ran for the U.S. Senate against Lawrence Yates Sherman and lost. He ran for Congress again in 1914 and won, serving from 1915 until 1921. In 1920, McKinley ran against Sherman for the Senate, this time winning. In 1926, he ran for re-election and lost to Frank L. Smith, but died on December 7, 1926, shortly before his term would have ended.

Preceded by Lawrence Yates Sherman	United States Senator (Class 3) from Illinois 1921 – 1926 Served alongside: Joseph M. McCormick, Charles S. Deneen	Succeeded by Frank L. Smith (not allowed to take his seat)