The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-27

from the New York Sun.
II TIE presidents of the United States,
have as a rule, been strong and robust
men, Polk was the exception. He was
never robust, and yet he was by no
means an invalid. OF the remainder of
the twenty-five presidents-or perhaps
it would be better to say twenty four
bearing in mind the fact that Grover
Cleveland counts twice; that is, as the
twenty-second and the twenty-fourth
president--there was not one who did
not enjoy robust health up to and be-
yond middle life. and most of them
continued to do so up to good old age.
1t will surprise many to know that
the average age of the twenty-one
presidents who have died from Wash
ington to Arthur inclusive, is the al
loted three score and ten, or to be
more exact 20 years, months and 1G
days. BY an odd coincidence, this was
almost the exact age of Rutherford b.
Hayes, who lived 10 years, months
and 13 days.
The presidents lived longer in the
early days than in more recent times.
The average age of the first ten, from
Washington to Tyler inclusive, is II
years, 10 months and days. That of
the eleven, from Polk to Arthur in
elusive, is SO years, months and I
days. This great difference is account
ed for in part by the circumstance that
two of the eleven presidents, Lincoln
and Garfield, were stricken down by
an assassin at the comparatively early
ages of Sc and 40 respectively. Both OF
them were men of unusual health and
strength, and had it not been for thei,
assassination, one or both might have
lived in the natural course of events
to at least the average age of the other
presidents.
ADAMS THE OLDEST.
OF the first ten presidents, Washing.
ton was the youngest to die, and ye;
he reached the considerable age of 81
Only three of the eleven presidents
from Polk to Arthur attained a great,
er age. These were Fillmore, Buchan'
an and Hayes.
John Adams, one of the sturdiest O.
all the presidents, reached the most ad
vanced age. He lived to be 80, and il
the only nonagenarian among them
Curiously enough, the second in long
evity was Madison, though at the ag
of 21, shortly after he was graduated
from Princeton college, he was in 81
poor health that he wrote to frieni
intimating that he did not expect
long or healthy life. Yet Madison
grew stronger in due time, and lived t
the ripe old age of S5.
Next in longevity comes Madison
lifelong friend and counsellor
Thomas jefferson. who lived to be 81
John Quincy Adams reached so.
The youngest of all the presidents t
die was Garfield, who was cut down il
the prime of life by an assassin's bullet
Had he lived just two months NOR
he would have reached so.
The youngest of the presidents to di
natural death was Polk. who live,
to be 59. Next to him came Arthur
who died at So.
A TABLE OF AGES.
The ages of all the dead presidents
arranged in the order of longevity
are: John Adams, 90; Madison. 81
jefferson, SO; John Quincy Adams, SO
Van Buren, 70; Jackson. rs; Buchanan
II: Fillmore, "A; Monroe, 49,; Tylel
a; Hayes, 30; William Henry Harrl
son, 6S; Washington, 81; Johnson, sc
Taylor, 65; Pierce, 64; Grant, 6S; Lin
coin, Sc; Arthur. Sc; Garfield, 40. ]
will be seen that no two of the presi
dents died at the same age excep
Lincoln and Arthur.
The most remarkable coincidence re
lating to the deaths Of the president
IS the circumstance that John Adam