Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-11


"Old Hickory" for General jackson, "Old
Tippecanoe'' for William Henry Harrison,
"Rough urd Ready" for Taylor 'Old
Buch' for buchanan, "Old Abe" for Lin
coin and Little Ben" for President Har-
rison.
When Mr.. Cleveland came to the White
House eight years ago next March he was
a bachelor, the second bachelor ever chosen
to the presidency, Buchanan being the 9th
er. But Mr.. Cleveland returns not only q
husband but father. Baby Cleveland will
be the first Ruth that ever lived in the
White House, so far as am able to learn,
though OF course history has not preserved
the names of all the children of the White
House. Only four of the married presi-
dents were Washington, Madi-
son, Jackson and Polk. The first Harrison
had the greatest number of children-ten.
Including Baby Ruth the children of all
our presidents number eighty-five, of whom
fifty-three were boys and thirty-two girls
Twelve Of our twenty-three presidents
had military experience. Sixteen Of them
had been in the state legislature, ten Of
them in the national house of representa-
tives, eleven in the senate, and ten had
been governor of their state. Six had held
seats in the cabinets Of former presidents
all in the state department, excepting Gen
eral Grant, whose service as secretary OF
war was merely temporary. Five had
served their country as minister to foreign
countries.
II is somewhat remarkable that the par
ents of sixteen Of our presidents were
farmers or planters. OF these the parents
of John Adams, Fillmore, Buchanan,
Grant and Garfield were in humble cir
my cf In To o11
Lincoln sprang from ''the poor white
trash" of the south.
Thirteen presidents were college gradu-
ates, and one John @. Adams, was college
professor. OF the others two or three were
very ignorant men, so far as book learning
goes. The great Jackson could not much
more than read and write, and he never
had the patience to read books. A men,
Der of Jackson's family once said the gen.
eral did not believe the world was round.
Some of Zachary Taylor's photography was
a sight to see. Andrew Johnson's educa-
tional experience was most romantic
While village tailor he was taught to
read by the young woman who afterward
became his wife.
Cleveland has broken several records.
He is the only president to be married in
the White House, and he married at
more advanced age than any of his prede-
cessors. Extremes meet in Cleveland and
Harrison in this respect, for Harrison mar
ried younger than any other president. He
was only twenty; Cleveland was fifty Tyler
and Fillmore married twice Several of the
presidents, notably Washington, Jefferson,
jackson and Buchanan, were unsuccessful
in their early loves.
Some ingenious statistician has figured
out that men who become president OF
the United States do not live as long as
men who are satisfied to occupy less exalt-
ed stations, all of which is very comforting
to the millions of us who can't be presi-
dent. 1t has also been discovered that of
the twenty dead presidents seven died in
the month of July, while still another
Garfield-was assassinated in this fatal
month. Four died in June, thus placing
against these two months the odium of
having destroyed majority Of all dead
American presidents Why June and July
should be so much more fatal to presidents
than December and April is not explained.
Another inexplicable fact is that only two
presidents were born in the summer
General Harrison's grandfather and Ty-
Ter, who were elected on the same ticket,
were both born in Charles City county, Va.
Westmoreland county, same state, pro
duced two presidents Washington and
Monroe. 1t is rather odd fact that the
three citizens of Tennessee who were
elected to the presidency-Jackson, Polk
and Johnson-were natives of North Car
olina.
The president elect is the heaviest man
who ever sat in the chief magistrates
chair. Mr.. Cleveland weighed about 230
when he came to the White House four
years ago. His weight now must be at
least thirty pounds greater. jackson,
though one Of the tallest presidents (6 feet
inch), was probably the lightest in avoir-
dupois. as he only tilted the weight at 145
pounds. 1t is claimed Washington was the
tallest president, and that he measured
feet inches. The shortest president was
Madison, who was feet 6 inches tall.
Mr.. Cleveland is a record breaker sure
enough. He is the first president to wear
a mustache and no other beard. All the
presidents, with two exceptions, from
Washington to Lincoln had customarily
smooth shaven faces. The exceptions were
j. Q. Adams and Van Buren, who wore
high side whiskers. Grant, Hayes, Gar
field and Harrison have set the style full
bearded in recent years.
Two-thirds of the presidents had blue
eyes. Mr.. Cleveland's eyes are brown
Pierce had shining black eyes and ebony
hair. Jefferson stands alone as the red
haired president. ROBERT GRAVES.