James T. Cheney

James Toussaint Cheney was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on March 4, 1843.¹ He moved north to Ohio at an early age.² In 1864 he enlisted in a U.S. cavalry regiment and fought for the remainder of the Civil War. Sometime during the war, Cheney met future president William McKinley, then an army officer from Ohio. A newspaper later reported that during the war McKinley “jokingly promised [Cheney] a position when he became president.”³ 

After the war, Cheney lived in Youngstown, Ohio, and worked as a barber.⁴ He was a prominent member of Youngstown’s Black community, a local politician, and frequently participated in meetings of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), a fraternal organization of Civil War veterans.⁵ McKinley often patronized Cheney’s barbershop when visiting Youngstown. When McKinley ran for president in 1896, Cheney campaigned for him and even wrote a song titled “McKinley Will Save the Country” and performed it at a campaign rally.⁶

In 1897, when McKinley became president, he appointed Cheney to the position of White House doorkeeper. The job entailed managing access to the White House, maintaining order, and assisting with the president’s schedule. Cheney earned $1,000 a year.⁷ It is unclear at this time how long Cheney held the position. The 1900 Census identifies him as a barber living in Ohio, suggesting he may have ceased his White House work by then.⁸ He passed away on October 6, 1902 and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio.⁹ His obituary noted that Cheney was nicknamed Senator “on account of the interest which he always displayed in politics.”¹⁰