American Historian

Nicknames

LBJ

Religion

Disciples of Christ

Higher Edu.

Southwest Texas State Teachers College, 1930

Georgetown Law School, 1934

Profession

Teacher. lawyer

Military Service

WWII: joined naval reserve in January 1940

Lieutenant commander in U.S. Navy (December 1941 - July 1942)

Family

Father: Sam Ealy Johnson Jr. (1877 - 1937)

Mother: Rebekah Baines Johnson (1881 - 1958)

Wife: Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Taylor Johnson (1912 - 2007); wed November 17, 1934, in San Antonio, TX.

Children: Lynda Bird (1944 - ); Luci Baines (1947 - )

Political Life

Administrator of the National Youth Administration in Texas (1935 - 1937)

U.S. representative (1937 - 1939)

U.S. senator (1949 - 1961)

Vice President (1961 - 1963)

Presidency

One term: November 22, 1963 - January 20, 1969 (took office upon President Kennedy’s assassination)

Democrat

Reason for leaving office: declined to run for a second term

Vice President: Hubert Humphrey (1965 - 1969)

Nicknames

Jack

JFK

Religion

Roman Catholic (*the first to be elected president of the U.S.*)

Higher Edu.

Harvard College, 1940

Profession

Politician, author

Military Service

WWII: enlisted in the navy in September 1941 as an ensign; later promoted to lieutenant; earned Purple Heart in August 1943 off Solomon Islands as skipper of PT-109

Discharged April 1945

Family

Father: Joseph P. Kennedy (1888 - 1969)

Mother: Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (1890 - 1995)

Wife: Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy (1929 - 1994); wed on September 12, 1953, in Newport, RI.

Children: Caroline Bouvier (1957 - ); John Fitzgerald Jr. (1960 - 1999); Patrick Bouvier (1963)

Political Life

U.S. representative (1947 - 1953)

U.S. senator (1953 - 1961)

Presidency

One term: January 20, 1961 - November 22, 1963

Democrat

Reason for leaving office: assassinated

Vice President: Lyndon B. Johnson

Nicknames

Ike

Religion

Presbyterian

Higher Edu.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 1915

Profession

Soldier

Military Service

Commissioned second lieutenant in 1915; promoted to first lieutenant in 1916, then captain in 1917; remained in U.S. during WWI. After WWI, promoted to major in 1920; became lieutenant colonel in 1936 and the  colonel in 1941

WWII: promoted to major general and then made commander of all U.S. forces in Europe with promotion to lieutenant general. In February 1943, promoted to general and in December 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt selected Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander to plan the invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord). After the success of D-Day, he won promotion to five-star general in December 1944. He accepted Germany’s surrender in May 1945 and then resigned from the army in February 1948

Family

Father: David Jacob Eisenhower (1863 - 1942)

Mother: Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower (1862 - 1946)

Wife: Marie “Mamie” Geneva Doud Eisenhower (1896 - 1979); wed on July 1, 1916, in Denver, CO.

Children: Doud Dwight (1917 - 1921); John Sheldon Doud (1922 - )

Political Life

Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (1951 - 1952)

Presidency

Two terms: January 20, 1953 - January 20, 1961

Republican

Reason for leaving office: completion of term

Vice President: Richard M. Nixon

Nicknames

Give 'Em Hell Harry

Religion

Baptist

Higher Edu.

University of Missouri at Kansas City Law School, 1923 - 1925, did not graduate

Profession

Farmer, businessman

Military Service

Served with Missouri Nation Guard (1905 - 1911)

World War I: rejoined Nation Guard in May 1917, which was absorbed into US Army

Served with 129th Field Artillery (Aug. 1917 - May 1919); entered as a lieutenant, promoted to captain; commanded Battery D

He stayed in the US Army Officers' Reserve Corps and commanded an artillery regiment as a full colonel in the 1930s

Family

Father: John Anderson Truman (1851 - 1914)

Mother: Martha Ellen Young Truman (1852 - 1947)

Wife: Elizabeth "Bess" Wallace Truman (1885 - 1982); wed on June 28, 1919, in Independence, Missouri

Child: Margaret (1924 - 2008)

Political Life

Jackson County, Missouri judge (administrative position) 1922 - 1924

Jackson County Presiding judge (chief county executive) 1926 - 1934

US senator (1935 - 1945)

Vice President (January - April 1945)

Presidency

Two terms: April 12, 1945 - January 20, 1953 (took office upon death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Democrat

Vice President: Alben Barkley (1949 - 1953)

Religion

Episcopalian 

Higher Edu.

Harvard, 1903

Columbia Law School, 1905 - 1907, did not graduate (dropped out in 1907 after passing NY bar exam)

Profession

Lawyer, senator, governor

Military Experience

None

Family

Father: James Roosevelt (1828 - 1900)

Mother: Sara Delano Roosevelt (1854 - 1941)

Wife: (Anna) Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

Children: Anna Eleanor (1906 -1975); James "Jimmy" (1907 - 1991); Franklin Delano Jr. (1909; died at eight months); Elliot (1910 - 1990); Franklin D. Jr. (1914 - 1988); John Aspinwall (1916 - 1981)

Political Life

New York state senator (1911 - 1913)

Assistant secretary of the Navy (1913 - 1920)

Governor of New York (1923 - 1933)

Presidency

Four terms: March 4, 1933 - April 12, 1945

Democrat

Reason for leaving office: died in office

Vice Presidents: John Nance Garner (1933 - 1941); Henry A. Wallace (1941 - 1945); Harry S. Truman (1945)

Nickname

Bert

The Chief

Religion

Quaker (Society of Friends)

Higher Edu.

Stanford University, 1895

Profession

Engineer

Military Service

None

Family

Father: Jesse Clark Hoover (1846 - 1880)

Mother: Huldah Randall Minthorn Hoover (1848 - 1883)

Wife: Lou Henry Hoover (1874 - 1944); wed on February 10, 1899, in Monterey, California

Children: Herbert Charles (1903 - 1969); Allan Henry (1907 - 1993)

Political Life

Relief efforts during World War I: Belgium Relief (1914 - 1919); US Food administrator (1917 - 1918); War Trade Council (1917 - 1920); Sugar Equalization Board (1918 - 1920); European Coal Council (1919); American Relief Administration (1919 - 1920); economic director of Supreme Economic Council (1918 - 1920); economic adviser to President Woodrow Wilson at Versailles Peace Conference  

Secretary of commerce (1921 - 1928)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1929 - March 4, 1933

Republican

Reason for leaving office: defeated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 election

Vice President: Charles Curtis (1929 - 1933)

Nickname

Silent Cal

Religion

Congregationalist 

Higher Edu.

Amherst College, 1895

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

None

Family

Father: John Calvin Coolidge (1845 - 1926)

Mother: Victoria Josephine Moor Coolidge (1846 - 1885)

Wife: Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge (1879 - 1957); wed on October 4, 1905, in Burlington, Vermont

Children: John (1906 - 2000); Calvin (1908 - 1924)

Political Life

Northampton (Massachusetts) city council (1899 - 1900)

Northampton city solicitor (1900 - 1902)

Hampshire County clerk of courts (1903)

Massachusetts General Court member (1907 - 1908)

Northampton mayor (1910 - 1911)

Massachusetts state senator (1912 - 1915); Senate president (1914 - 1915)

Lieutenant governor of Massachusetts (1916 - 1918)

Governor of Massachusetts (1919 - 1920)

Vice President: (1921 - 1923)

Presidency

One term: August 3, 1923 - March 4, 1929; became president upon death of Warren G. Harding

Republican

Reason for leaving office: declined to run for another term

Vice President: Charles G. Dawson (1925 - 1929)

Election of 1924

Electoral vote:

Coolidge 382;

John W. Davis 136;

Robert M. LaFollette 13

Popular vote:

Coolidge 15,723,789;

Davis 8,386,242;

Religion

Baptist

Higher Edu.

Ohio Central College, 1882

Profession

Newspaper publisher, editor

Military Service

None

Family

Father: George Tyron Harding (1843 - 1928)

Mother: Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson Harding (1843 - 1910)

Wife: Florence "Flossie" Mabel Kling DeWolfe Harding (1860 - 1924); wed on July 8, 1891, in Marion, Ohio

No children by his wife; one alleged illegitimate child, Elizabeth Ann Christian (1919 - 2005) with mistress Nan Britton

Political Life

Ohio state senator (1899 - 1903)

Lieutenant governor of Ohio (1903 - 1905)

US senator (1915 - 1921)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1921 - August 2, 1923

Republican

Reason for leaving office: died in office

Vice President: Calvin Coolidge

Election of 1920

Electoral vote:

Harding 404;

James M. Cox 127

Popular vote:

Harding 16,147,885;

Nicknames

Schoolmaster in Politics

Religion

Presbyterian 

Higher Edu.

College of New Jersey (Princeton), 1879

Profession

Professor, college administrator 

Military Service

None

Family

Father: Joseph Ruggles Wilson (1822 - 1903)

Mother: Janet "Jessie" Woodrow Wilson (1830 - 1888)

First wife: Ellen Louise Axson Wilson (1860 - 1914); wed on June 24, 1885, in Savannah, Georgia

Children:  Margaret Woodrow (1886 - 1944); Jessie Woodrow (1887 - 1933); Eleanor Randolph (1889 - 1967)

Second wife: Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (1872 - 1961); wed on December 15, 1915, in Washington, D.C.

No children

Political Life

Governor of New Jersey (1911 - 1913)

Presidency

Two terms: March 4, 1913 - March 4, 1921

Election of 1912

Electoral vote:

Wilson 435;

Taft 8;

Roosevelt 88;

Eugene V. Debbs 0

Popular vote:

Wilson 6,296,184;

Taft 3,486,242;

Roosevelt 4,122,721;

Debbs 901,551

Election of 1916

Electoral vote:

Wilson 277;

Charles Hughes 254

Popular vote:

Wilson 9,126,868;

Nickname

Big Bill

Religion

Unitarian

Higher Edu.

Yale, 1878

University of Cincinnati Law School, 1880

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

None

Family

Father: Reverend Alphonso Taft (1810 - 1891)

Mother: Louisa "Louise" Maria Torrey Taft (1827 - 1907)

Wife: Helen "Nellie" Herron Taft (1861 - 1943); wed on June 19, 1886, in Cincinnati, OH.

Children: Robert Alphonso (1889 - 1953); Helen Herron (1891 - 1987); Charles Phelps (1897 - 1983)

Political Life

Assistant prosecutor of Hamilton County, Ohio (1881 - 1882)

Internal revenue collector of Ohio's First District (1882 - 1883)

Assistant solicitor of Hamilton County (1885 - 1887)

Cincinnati Superior Court judge (1887 - 1890)

US solicitor general (1890 - 1892)

Sixth US Circuit Court judge and ex officio member of Sixth US Circuit Court of Appeals (1892 - 1900)

Commissioner (1900 - 1901) and Governor-General (1901 - 1904) of Philippines

Secretary of War (1904 - 1908)

Chief Justice of the United States (1921 - 1930)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1909 - March 4, 1913

Republican

Reason for leaving office: lost election to Woodrow Wilson (with the fewest popular votes of any incumbent president seeking reelection)

Vice President: James S. Sherman (1901 - 1912)

Election of 1908

Electoral vote:

Taft 321;

William Jennings Bryan 162

Popular vote:

Taft 7,676,320;

Nicknames

Teddy

TR

Trust Buster

Religion

Dutch Reformed 

Higher Edu.

Harvard College, 1880

Profession

Lawyer, author, public official

Military Service

Spanish-American War, commanded First US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment 

"Rough Riders" from May to September 1898; started as a lieutenant colonel and rose to colonel

Family

Father: Theodore Roosevelt Sr. (1831 - 1878)

Mother: Martha "Mittie" Bulloch Roosevelt (1834 - 1884)

Wife: Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt (1861 - 1884); wed October 27, 1880, in Brookline, MA.

Children: Alice (1884 - 1980)

Second wife: Edith Carow Roosevelt (1861 - 1948); wed December 2, 1886, in London, England. 

Children: Theodore (1887 - 1944); Kermit (1889 - 1943); Ethel Carow (1891 - 1977); Archibald Bulloch (1894 - 1979); Quentin (1897 - 1918)

Political Life

New York state assemblyman (1882 - 1884)

US Civil Service Commission (1889 - 1895)

New York City Police Board commissioner (1895 - 1897)

Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1897 - 1898)

Governor of New York (1898 - 1900)

Vice President (March - September 1901)

Presidency

Two terms: September 14, 1901 - March 4, 1909 (succeeded to presidency upon McKinley's death and completed that term)

Republican

Reason for leaving office: declined third term

Vice President: Charles W. Fairbanks (1905 - 1909)

Election of 1904

Electoral vote:

Roosevelt 336;

Alton B. Parker 140

Popular vote:

Roosevelt 7,630,457;

Nickname

Idol of Ohio

Religion

Methodist  

Higher Edu.

Allegheny College, 1860 (did not graduate)

Albany Law School, 1866 - 1867 (did not graduate)

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

Civil War: enlisted as a private in the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry in June 1861 and rose to brevet major when he was discharged in July 1865

Family

Father: William McKinley Sr. (1807 - 1892)

Mother: Nancy Allison McKinley (1809 - 1897)

Wife: Ida Saxton McKinley (1847 - 1907); wed on January 25, 1871, in Canton OH.

Children:Katherine (1871 - 1875); Ida (1873)

Political Life

Stark County, Ohio, prosecutor (1869 - 1871)

US representative (1877 - 1883; 1885 - 1891)

Governor of Ohio (1892 - 1896)

Presidency

Two terms: March 4, 1897 - September 14, 1901

Republican

Reason for leaving office: assassinated 

Vice Presidents: Garret Augustus Hobart (1897 - 1899), died in office; Theodore Roosevelt (March - September 1901)

Election of 1896

Electoral vote:

McKinley 271;

           William Jennings Bryan 176

Popular vote:

McKinley 7,112,138;

Bryan 6,508,172

Election of 1900

Electoral vote:

McKinley 292;

Bryan 155

Popular vote:

McKinley 7,228,864;

Nicknames

Little Ben

Kid Gloves Harrison

Religion

Presbyterian 

Higher Edu.

Miami (Ohio) University, 1852

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

Civil War: served with 70th Indiana Infantry Regiment, rising from second lieutenant to brigadier general (served July 1862 to June 1865)

Family

Father: John Scott Harrison (1804 - 1878)

Mother: Elizabeth Irwin Harrison (1810 - 1880)

Wife: Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison (1832 - 1892); wed October 20, 1853, in Oxford, OH.

Children: Russell Benjamin (1854 - 1936); Mary Scott (1858 - 1930)

Second wife: Mary Scott Lord Dominick Harrison (1858 - 1948); wed on April 6, 1896, in New York City

Child: Elizabeth (1897 - 1955)

Political Life

Indianapolis city attorney (1857 - 1860)

Indiana supreme court reporter (1861 - 1862)

US senator (1881 - 1887)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1889 - March 4, 1893

Republican

Reason for leaving office: lost 1892 election to former president Cleveland

Vice President: Levi P. Morton (1889 - 1893)

Election of 1888

Electoral vote:

Harrison 233;

Grover Cleveland 168

Popular vote:

Harrison 5,443,892;

Nicknames

Uncle Jumbo

Big Steve

Religion

Presbyterian 

Higher Edu.

None

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

None; although he was drafted in the Civil War, he paid a substitute to serve for him instead

Family

Father: Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland (1804 - 1853)

Mother: Ann Neal Cleveland (1806 - 1882)

Wife: Frances Folsom Cleveland (1864 - 1947); wed June 2, 1886, at the White House

Children: Ruth (1891 - 1904); Esther (1893 - 1980); Marion (1895 - 1977); Richard Folsom (1897 - 1974); Francis Grover (1903 - 1995)

Political Life

Sheriff of Erie County, NY. (1871 - 1873)

Mayor of Buffalo, NY. (1882)

Governor of New York (1883 - 1885)

Presidency

Two separate terms

Democrat

First term: March 4, 1885 - March 4, 1889

Second term: March 4, 1893 - March 4, 1897

Vice Presidents: Thomas A. Hendricks (1885 - 1889); Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1893 - 1897)

Election of 1884

Electoral vote:

Cleveland 219;

James G. Blaine 182

Popular vote:

Cleveland 4,874,621;

Blaine 4,848,936

Election of 1892

Electoral vote

Cleveland 277;

Benjamin Harrison 142;

James B. Weaver 22

Popular vote:

Cleveland 5,553,898;

Harrison 5,190,819;

Nicknames

Gentleman Boss

Elegant Arthur

Chet

The General

Religion

Episcopalian 

Higher Edu.

Union College, 1848

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

Civil War: enlisted in New York state militia in February 1858 as brigade judge advocate; rose to quartermaster general by the time he retired in December 1862

Family

Father: Reverend William Arthur (1796 - 1875)

Mother: Malvina Stone Arthur (1802 - 1869)

Wife: Ellen "Nell" Lewis Herndon Arthur (1837 - 1880); wed October 25, 1859, in New York City

Children: William Lewis Herndon (1860 - 1863); Chester Alan (1864 - 1937); Ellen Herndon (1871 - 1915)

Political Life

Collector of the port of NY.

Vice President (March - September 1881)

Presidency  

One term: September 19, 1881 - March 4, 1885

Not elected as president; was President Garfield's Vice President and assumed the presidency upon his death

Republican

Reason for leaving office: lost party's nomination

Religion

Disciples of Christ

Higher Edu.

Eclectic Institute at Hiram, OH.

Williams College, 1856

Profession

Teacher, lawyer

Military Service

Civil War (1861 - 1863); commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in Ohio Forty-second Regiment and rose to major general

Resigned his commission in 1863 to take a seat in Congress

Family

Father: Abram Garfield (1799 - 1833)

Mother: Eliza Ballou Garfield (1801 - 1888)

Wife: Lucretia "Crete" Rudolph Garfield (1832 - 1918); wed on November 11, 1858 in Hiram, OH.

Children: Eliza Arabella (1860 - 1863); Harry Augustus (1863 - 1942); James Rudolph (1865 - 1950); Mary (1867 - 1947); Irvin McDowell (1870 - 1951); Abram (1872 - 1958); Edward (1874 - 1876)

Political Life

Ohio state senator (1859 - 1861)

US representative (1863 - 1880)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1881 - September 19, 1881 (shot on July 2, 1881, and died September 19)

Republican

Reason for leaving office: assassinated 

Vice President: Chester A. Arthur (1881)

Election of 1880

Electoral vote

Garfield 214;

Winfield Scott Hancock 155

Popular vote:

Garfield 4,453,295;

Nickname

Dark-Horse President

Religion

No formal affiliation, but attended Methodist services after his marriage. 

Higher Edu.

Kenyon College, 1842

Harvard Law School, 1845

Profession

Lawyer

Military Service

Civil War: served with Twenty-Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment June 1861 to June 1865; began as a major and rose to rank of major general

Family

Father: Rutherford Hayes (1782 - 1822)

Mother: Sophia Birchard Hayes (1792 - 1866)

Wife: Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831 - 1889); wed on December 30, 1852, in Cincinnati, OH.

Children: Birchard "Birch" Austin (1853 - 1926); James Webb Cook (1856 - 1934); Rutherford "Ruddy" Platt (1858 - 1927); Joseph Thompson (1861 - 1863); George Cook (1864 - 1866); Frances "Fanny" (1867 - 1950); Scott Russel (1871 - 1923); Manning Force (1873 - 1874)

Political Life

Cincinnati city solicitor (1858 - 1861)

US representative (1865 - 1867)

Ohio governor (1868 - 1872; 1876 - 1877)

Presidency

One term: March 4, 1877 - March 4, 1881 (inauguration held on March 5 since the 4th was a Sunday)

Republican

Reason for leaving office: announced at start of presidency he would not seek a second term

Vice President: William A. Wheeler (1877 - 1881)

Election of 1876

Electoral vote (disputed and went to committee which determined results):

Hayes 185;

Samuel Tilden 184

Popular vote:

Hayes 4,036,572;