Universal York

While researching the Bacon family, friend Jean Robinson shared an August 24, 1909 obituary from the York Dispatch that she found on the newspaper microfilms at York County Heritage Trust. It reads:

Agnes Bacon
Mrs. Agnes, widow of George Bacon, died at the home of her son, George W. Bacon, 142 East Market Street, yesterday afternoon at 2:15 o’clock from infirmities due to old age. She was 89 years, 6 months and 18 days old.

The maiden name of Mrs. Bacon was Agnes McKinley. She was a second cousin of the martyred president, William McKinley. During the life time of the president it was his custom to send Mrs. Bacon a bunch of red carnations, one for every year of her age, to which Mrs. Bacon reciprocated in like manner.

Mrs. Bacon was a member of the Presbyterian church in Chanceford, where interment will be made. She is survived by two sons, George W. Bacon and Dr. W. F. Bacon.

The McKinleys came to York County from County Antrim, Ulster, settling in the southeastern part of the county by 1745, joining many other Scots-Irish immigrants. David McKinley, born in Chanceford Township in 1755, served in the Revolutionary War. Several generations later, President McKinley’s immediate family had migrated to Ohio, where the future president was born in 1843. After serving in the Civil War, William McKinley was a member of Congress and then Governor of Ohio before becoming president in 1897.

(Susquehanna Real Estate and National Penn Investors Trust Company now occupy the 142 East Market Street site.)