David McKinley

David McKinley, Tlingit name Dae tl'ikw tex', clan Wooshkeetaan, Tóos’ Déx’i Hít (Shark Backbone House).

David McKinley was born on July 16, 1884 in Hoonah. 

He married Fannie Wilson, and was the father of John McKinley (born June 12, 1912 in Hoonah), Frank McKinley (born Jauary 12, 1909 in Hoonah) and Julia McKinley (born 1925 in Excursion Inlet).

David McKinley was a song leader. In the book Haa Tuwunáagu Yís, for Healing Our Spirit: Tlingit Oratory edited by Nora Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer, they wrote:  “David McKinley of the Wooshkeetaan was the song leader for the mourning songs. During the speeches for the removal of grief from the Memorial for Jim Marks in Hoonah, 1968 he guided the host Willie Marks and his co-hosts through a Cry. They sang the mourning songs, at the end of which the matrilineal family of the deceased and the widow of the deceased cried heir last cry for Kuhaanx.”

David McKinley and his wife, Fannie McKinley, adopted George Bennett and raised George with his siblings Charles, Freddie and Beverly.

Sei Akdulxeitl was his personal name.

“My name is George Bennett. I was actually born in Juneau on the 13th of April, 1945. I was pretty much raised in Hoonah. After my biological parents, Florence and Oscar Bennett, were divorced I was taken in by a couple of elderly individuals who I learned to call my parents. They were Fanny and David McKinley. They were the ones that raised me. I was one of four siblings. I have an older brother Charles, a younger brother Freddie and a sister, Beverly.” (From Alaskan Sourdough Starter:  George Bennett: Circle of Tradition).

One of his grandson’s mentioned him during testimony (From SOUTHEAST FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE 2 REGIONAL COUNCIL MEETING, Mike's Place, Douglas, Alaska March 15, 2000) “We also actually mountain goat, we actually survived on mountain goat. And my grandfather, actually his name was David McKinley and he's the one that passed all these things on to us.” 

He passed away in Hoonah in September of 1972.