Basic Facts:
Birth: September 15, 1857 at Cincinnati, Ohio
Death: March 8, 1930 at Washington, D. C.
Married: Helen Herron (1861-1943) on June 19, 1886
Children: 3: Robert, Helen, Charles
President: One term beginning March 4, 1909
Family
Helen Louise Herron was known as “Nellie”. She met William Howard Taft in 1879. They didn’t marry until June 19, 1886. They took a three-month tour of Europe for their honeymoon.
The Tafts had two sons and a daughter:
- Robert A. Taft (1889–1953) was a politician and statesman; A 1957 Senate committee named Taft as one of America’s five greatest senators, along with Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, and Robert M. La Follette Sr.
- Helen Taft Manning (1891–1987) was an American professor of history and college dean.
- Charles Phelps Taft II (1897–1983) served as Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Nellie Taft was the first First Lady to publish her memoirs, the first First Lady to own and drive a car, the first First Lady to support women’s suffrage, the first First Lady to smoke cigarettes, and the first First Lady to successfully lobby for safety standards in federal workplaces. She was also the first First Lady to follow her husband in the inauguration parade.
Other
Taft was Solicitor General of the U.S., appointed by President Harrison 1890-1892.
Taft was the first civil governor of the Philippine Islands, appointed by President McKinley (1901-1904).
Taft was Secretary of War, appointed by President T. Roosevelt (1904-1908).
Taft was President from 1909-1913.
Taft was Chairman of the National War Labor Board, appointed by President Wilson 1918-1919.
Taft was Chief Justice of the U.S., appointed by President Harding from 1921-1930.
Taft was 6″ tall and weighed 243 pounds in college. He weighed more than 330 pounds as President.
Taft was Solicitor General in the Benjamin Harrison administration, at the age of 32. His career goal was to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a goal he met in 1921. As Chief Justice, he administered the oath of office to fellow conservatives Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover.
William Howard Taft, was Teddy Roosevelt’s Secretary of War after leaving the Philippines. Taft and James Monroe were the only two Presidents to serve as Secretary of War.
Taft initiated the custom of the President throwing out the first pitch on opening day of the Baseball season.
Taft died on March 8, 1930 due to heart failure. Three days later, he became the first president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Taft was the first president to own a car. He converted the stables into a garage.
Taft was the last president to keep a cow at the White House to provide fresh milk. Her name was Pauline.
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Sources:
Internet Public Library
Constitution Center.org
Interesting Facts World.com
Republican Presidents.net
Greenman, Barbara. The Timeline History of U. S. Presidents and First Ladies. Thunder Bay Press, San Diego, California, 2009.
Whitney, David C. The American Presidents. Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NY 1969.