That’s one thing about Ohio. We’ve had a lot of presidents. When I was in grade school, we learned that there were eight from the Buckeye state. And most Ohioans still claim eight: William Henry Harrison, Ulysses Grant, Rutherford Hayes, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Taft, and Warren Harding.
All of these men are Ohio natives, born on this soil. All except for William Henry Harrison, who was born in Berkeley Plantation, Virginia, in 1773. We always tuck Harrison under our wing, because as an adult, Harrison moved to Ohio, where he served as a U.S. representative and U.S. senator from his newly adopted home state of Ohio. And, he was living right here when he won the presidency in 1840. Well, not Camden, but North Bend.
As a note of interest, Harrison has the dubious distinction of being the first president to die while in office. You know, he caught pneumonia a month after his 1841 inauguration. He gave that crazy-long speech in the dampest and cold conditions. It made for a short term as president. Coincidentally, three other Ohio natives, Garfield, McKinley, and Harding, also died in office. The curse of Ohio, maybe?
But, today is the birthday of one of those Buckeye-bred POTUS’s. William Howard Taft was born on September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati. Alphonso Taft and Louise Torrey were dad, and mom, respectively. Note the date of his arrival though. That was four years before the start of the Civil War. The Taft family was not wealthy by any means. They lived in a modest home in the outskirts of Mount Auburn. But his Dad Alphonso served as a judge, and in the cabinet, as War Secretary and Attorney General under Ulysses S. Grant. I just guess the pay was crappy for all those positions.
As a boy, William Howard Taft was not known for his intelligence. But it was said that he was a hard worker. But his parents really pushed him and his four brothers, wanting them to succeed. Here is something though. Either they had connections, or our boy William had some brains because he attended Yale. He entered in 1874. That made him 17 years old if my math is good. He was a big boy, and jovial too. People liked him. Taft’s size also helped him become the intramural heavyweight wrestling champion at school. But Taft must have worked hard there at Yale too, because he finished second in his class out of 121 students. A law degree came just after, from the Cincinnati Law School.
He did a whole lot after graduating, but Taft won the office of the presidency just after Teddy Roosevelt, serving only one term (1909-1913). I won’t get into all the nitty-gritty about his policies. As a president, he is ranked about 22nd on the list. Middle of the road, I would say. Although he would probably not like this distinction, he was our heaviest president, though Donald Trump seems to be giving him a run for his money. Taft was 5’11” and weighed about 335 pounds near the end of his term.
After his presidency, he stayed busy. He became Supreme Court Judge and Chief Justice (1921–1930). He is, to this date, the only person to serve as president and chief justice.
Taft died at his home in Washington on March 8, 1930. Cardiovascular disease is listed as the cause of death. His heaviness did him in. In one historical account, a White House housekeeper known as Mrs. Jaffrey disclosed that “President Taft generally tucked into a 12-ounce steak for breakfast each morning, along with two oranges, several pieces of buttered toast, with plenty of milk-and-sugar-fortified coffee.” Truthfully? That doesn’t sound so bad to me. My guess is that he hid a pie or two in the top drawer of his desk, with one spoon. He probably opened that drawer up while no one was watching and snuck pie bites all day. Although, this is speculation. I assure you, I am no Bob Woodward.
So there you have a brief look at POTUS 27. Just one more reason to hug Ohio. Take that, how you will.
========
“Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.”
― William Howard Taft
========
“A man never knows exactly how the child of his brain will strike other people.”
― William Howard Taft
=========
“Enthusiasm for a cause sometimes warps judgement.”
― William Howard Taft
==========
