[1][2] He was married to Lillian Elder on October 7, 1886, and they had a son, James W. McKinley Jr.

[2] McKinley died of a paralytic stroke in his home, 508 West Adams Street, on May 11, 1918.

[1] A funeral service at St. John's Church drew hundreds of attendees.

[3] In 1881 he was admitted to the bar in New Castle, and two years later he came to California and formed a law partnership with J.F.

[1][4] In 1889 he was appointed judge in the Superior Court and then was elected to the post, serving until January 1897.