Ravings of a Mad Man: vol. 6.44
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid then open it and remove all doubt
-Mark Twain
With it being President's Day I would normally take the day off and reflect to myself about the importance of Presidents. But I feel it important to bring to light several fun facts about lesser known presidents throughout our countries history. From last year we know that I give my biggest tip of the hat to Grover Cleveland, a man who won the presidency then lost it then won it again for his second term (so he is counted as the 22nd and 24th president). A man who as president did what he thought was right and made sure what he said was going to happen, happened. He was not a politician rather a man that didn't concern himself with the next election rather he did what he thought would be best for the country for continual progression. Consequently the country did progress during both of his shifts. So here are some fun facts about lesser known presidents (www.littleknownfactsshow.com/presidents.html).
The 12th president of the United States Zachary Taylor: No formal education. Taylor served in the regular Army for 40 years and never voted, never belonged to a political party nor took any interest in politics until he ran for president at age 62. He was elected in the first national election held on the same day in all states (November 7, 1848). He pastured his old Army horse, Whitey, on the White House lawn and visitors would take horse hairs as souvenirs. Died in office of gastroenteritis (extreme diarrhea) on July 9, 1850.
The 13th president of the United States Millard Fillmore: No formal education. Vice President under Taylor. Fillmore did not meet Taylor until after they were elected. When he moved into the White House, it didn't have a Bible. He and his wife, Abigail, installed the first library. He installed the first bathtub (So what did they do before this? Was it like in Cinderella and they had birds wring out sponges over their heads in the morning? Or maybe it was like how I had to bath myself with a gallon of water because the land lady wouldn't let us turn on the pump before 8 AM.) and kitchen stove in the White House. Fillmore couldn't read Latin and refused an honorary degree from Oxford University, saying a person shouldn't accept a degree he couldn't read.
The 19th president of the United States Rutherford Birchard Hayes: Graduated Kenyon College (1842) and Harvard Law School (1845). On September 8, 1880 Hayes arrived in San Francisco to become the first president to visit the West Coast. He was the first president to graduate from law school. Mrs. Hayes, Lucy Ware Webb, was known as "Lemonade Lucy" because she refused to serve alcohol in the White House (I don't know how many others there have been since her but there could be another dry White House starting next year, but then again they might tolerate alcoholic beverages who knows. I mean Utah was the state that ended prohibition). The first telephone was installed in the White House by Alexander Graham Bell himself. The first Easter egg roll on the White House lawn was conducted by Hayes and his wife. He kept his campaign pledge and refused to run for a second term.
The 25th president of the United States William McKinley: Attended Allegheny College. On February 15 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine was blown up in Havana harbor. On April 25, the U.S. declared war on Spain. May 1, Admiral George Dewey led a major U.S. victory over Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay. February 6, 1899, the Treaty of Paris, ending the war was approved by the U.S. Senate. Spain ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam and agreed to the independence of Cuba. September 6, 1901 McKinley was shot twice in the chest at point blank range by Leon Czolgosz while visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo (who says Buffalo isn't exciting?), New York. He died on September 14 whispering his favorite hymn "Nearer my God to Thee." McKinley's wife, Ida, was an epileptic and suffered a seizure during the second inaugural ball. He was the first president to use the telephone while campaigning He is thought to hold the record for presidential handshaking - 2,500 per hour. McKinley exercised very little. Had he been in better shape, his doctors said he might have survived his assassin's bullets.
The 27th president of the United States William Howard Taft: Graduated Yale College (1878); Cincinnati Law School (1880). Secretary of War under Roosevelt. February 3, 1913 the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution authorizing income taxes was ratified. It states simply: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." (So if you hate income tax, he is the man you should talk to in the afterlife.) Taft is the only person to serve as both President and Chief Justice (1921-1930) of the U.S. He inaugurated the custom of the president throwing out the first ball to start the baseball season. Mrs. Taft was responsible for the planting of the Japanese cherry trees in Washington. Taft, who weighed 332 pounds, got stuck in the White House bathtub the first time he used it. A larger one was ordered. The Taft's owned the last presidential cow and the first White House automobile.
Trivia Time: Sharks don't got bones. How much time can be wasted on board games?
Quote of the Week: "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." – Ronald Regan (I am not sure but I think the dinner table is a maximum security prison, just a thought.)
Have a good week I know I will
Eric Jones
This message was approved by Eric Jones
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