Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; /ˈkuːlɪdʒ/; July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. His younger sister, Abigail Grace Coolidge (1875–1890), died at the age of 15, probably of appendicitis, when Coolidge was 18. As the US vice president, Coolidge and his vivacious wife Grace were invited to quite a few parties, where the legend of 'Silent Cal' was born. It is from this time that most of the jokes and anecdotes involving Coolidge originate, such as Coolidge being 'silent in five languages'. Although Coolidge was known to be a skilled and effective public speaker, in private he was a man of few words and was commonly referred to as 'Silent Cal'.