Claim: William Howard Taft declined offers of appointment to a United States court in 1555.
Evidence: William Howard Taft -LRB- September 15 , 1857 -- March 8 , 1930 -RRB- served as the 27th President of the United States -LRB- 1909 -- 1913 -RRB- and as the tenth Chief Justice of the United States -LRB- 1921 -- 1930 -RRB- , the only person to have held both offices.