The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-02-04

Physically, the average President OF the
United States is a magnificent specimen OF
manhood. He is three inches taller than
the ordinary american. He weighs $50
pounds-a heavy, broad shouldered man,
man of immense vitality. The average
Presidents forehead is high, and there
never has been sDub-nosed President.
In height, our Presidents have varied
from Lincoln, who stood feet in his
stockings to Harrison, who was only feet
inches. In weight, they range from
Cleveland's 300 pounds to John Adams
40 giving an average OF $50.
The youngest President ever inaugurated
was Cleveland, who was only 48 when he
took Office. while the oldest was W. HaIri
son, who was 80. Pierce was 40, aud
Buchanan 66. The average WAS So.
The most youthful husband who ever
became President was Benjamin Harrison,
who married when only 90. The next
youngest was johnson, who married when
81, and whose wife taught him to read.
The oldest was Cleveland who did not
marry until he was 40. Madison married
at 10, and Tyler married for the second
time when So. The average matrimonial
age vas 30. Buchanan was the only
bachelor.
John Adams lived to the greatest age Of
all our Presidents, reaching his 9lst year.
Jackson lived till 50 and Madison till s5
Garfield died younger than any Other
President, having been assassinated by
Guiteau when scarcely 80 years old Polk
died at 81. The average age attained by
our Presidents is great, being a little more
than 20 years, showing that they muss
have been men Of great vitality. This,
indeed, we should have supposed in any
case.
Several Presidents were conspicuCusly
slender, among them Jackson and Tyler
while Others were as conspcuously stout
as Cleveland and Fillmore. Where any
of them had corporation" is fact care
fully omitted by biographers The bulk
of evidence seems to show that the average
Presidents was rather solidly built man,
with a slight tendency to embongpont
Jackson, Jefferson, Tyler, John Adams
and Madison had narrow faces, while Van
Buren,, John Quincy Adams, Taylor, Fill
more and Cleveland had broad ones. The
rest were OF normal width. Cleveland and
J. Q. Adams were wider in the jaw than
through the eyes. Monroe and Jefferson
had oval faces. Tyler and Buchanan had
very long faces. A composite picture
would undoubtedly show the average
President to possess an oblong face, with a
strong jaw and family exaggerated cheek
bones.
The average President had good nose,
long and straight. Nearly every President
was excellently equipped in this respect
no possessor OF really insignificant nose
ever having occupied the White House
Van Buren,, Polk and Benjamin Harrison's
were probably the shortest Of the lot.
In another characteristic, too our Presi
dents have been strangely alike. They
have all possessed fine foreheads, high and
intellectual Strange TO say, however, the
facial angles are not large, the forehead, as
rule, continuing nearly in the line with |
the nose, and in some cases even falling
behind it. This was conspicuous in the
case Of Washington,
The early Presidents wore their hair in
peruke. Then came number with hair
fuffed out above their ears, or brushed up
from their foreheads in mop. Last came
the close clipped fashion of later days. In
nearly every case the hair was plentiful, or
capable of becoming 80 if allowed to grow.
There was little tendency to badness until
in quite recent times, and what there was
showed itself Just above the forehead
rather than the crown Of the head. Jack
son had a mass of iron gray hair, while
John Quincy Adams and Van Buren, were
nearly bald. Most Of the Presidents kept
the color Of their hair until quite late in
life, few of them showing more than
sprinkling Of gray. The average hair wac
dark brown in color, though Jefferson had
red hair, Tyler black and Fillmore light.
John Quincy Adams was the first Presi-
dent to wear any hair on his face, he hav-
ing q Iuxuriant growth Of v,hiskers. 1t
was not until Grant became President that
any occupant Of the White House ventured
to wear a mustaohe or beard. Since then
every President has had mustache except
Mckinley and two others-Hayes and
Garfield,
The majority Of the Presidents have had
blue eyes, though Of varying shades.
Cleveland and Arthur had dark brown
eyes, Pierce had black ones, while Jeifer