Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-05
THE PfESiD ms.
Some Interesting Facts About the Tenants Of
the White House.

mon Polk was the exception. he was
no,,or robust and vet he was by no
means an invalid OF the remainder or
the % presidents-or perhaps 1t would
he better to say "a, bearing in MIND
the fact that Grover Cleveland counts
twice. that is, as the 22d and the 4th
nresidcnt-there was not one who dld
not enjoy robust health up to and be-
vond middle life, and most of them
continued to do so up to a good old
age.
II will surprise many to know that
the average age of the p presidents
who have died, from Washington to
Arthur inclusive, is the allotted three
score and ten, or to be more exact, 20
wears. 8 months and 16 days. By an
odd coincidence, this was almost the
exact age of rutherford b. Hayes.
who lived 20 years, 3 months and IL
days.
The presidents lived longer in the
early DAYS than in more recent times.
The average age of the first 10, from
Washington to Tyler inclusive, Is -
years. 10 months and 8 days. That oil
the II from Polk to Arthur inclusive
is 63 years. months and days. TINS
great ulItItIlte II dtNpuAitN'
part by the circumstance that two OF
the II presidents, Lincoln ana Garhelu'
were stricken down by an assassin at
the comparatively early ages OF 90 anu
40 respectively. Both of them We're men
Of unusual health and strength, anu
had ii not been for their ASSASSINATION
one or both might have lived IN the
natura! course Of events to be at least
the average age Of the other presl-
dents.
OF the first 10 presidents, Washing
ton was the youngest to die, and yet ne
reached the considerable age OF 81
only three of the II presidents from
Polk to Arthur attained a greater age
These were Fillmore, Buchanan and
Hayes.
John Adams, one of the sturdiest of
all the presidents. reached the most
advanced age. He lived to be 80. and
is the only nonagenarian among them.
Curiously enough, the second in lon
gevity was Madison. though at the age
of u, shortly after he was graduated
from Princeton College, he was in so
poor health that he wrote to a friend
intimating that he did not expect a
long or healthy life. Yet Madison
grew stronger in due time, and lived to
the ripe old age of So.
Next in longevity comes Madison's
lifelong friend and counsellor, Thomas
Jefferson. who lived to be SO. John
Quincy Adams reached SO.
The Youngest Of all the presidents to
die was Garfield, who was cut down in
the prime of life by an assassin's bull
let Had he lived just two months
more. he would have reached so.
The youngest Of the presidents to die
a natural death was Polk, who lived to
be 50. Next to him came Arthur, VINO
died at Sc.
The ages Of all the dead presidents.
arranged in order Of longevity. are:
John Adams 90, Madison s., Jefferson
81. John Quincy Adams so, Van Buren,
70. jackson Is, buchanan u. Fillmore
Il. Monroe -. Tyler Il. Hayes 90,
William Henry Harrison GS. Washing
ton e.. johnson 66. Taylor c., Pierce Ga,
Grant G3. Lincoln Sc. Arthur Sc, Gar
field 49, It viii be seen that no two
of the presidents died at the same age
except Lincoln and Arthur.
The most remarkable coincidence re
latfng t. the deaths of the presidents
is tho circumstance that John Adams
ana Thomas jefferson died on the
same day. July 4. 1926. just 50 years
after the Declaration Of Independence
which Jefferson himself had written,
and which both Adams and jefferson
had done much to bring to pass
Adams died after having remarked:
Thomas jefferson still lives" But as
a matter Of fact. jefferson had died a
few hours before.
Five years later, on Independence
day. 1881, died James Monroe, the
originator Of the Monroe doctrine.
Washington was the only president
to pass his life entirely in the last cen
fury. and Pierce was the first to be
born during the present century.
Four Of the presidents died in office,
William Henry Harrison, who served
only one month; Zachary Taylor, who
served one year and four months; Lin
coin, who served one full term and
about six weeks of his second term,
ana Garfield, who died after he had
held the office six months.
of the three presidents now living.
Hcniamin Harrison is &c, and resides
1T indianapolis; Grover Cleveland is
63. and lives at Princeton; President
Mckinley is -.
1t Is 4 singular thing that two Of the
states. Virginia and Ohio, have fur
nishcd more than half the presidents
Ia the nation. Virginia, "the mother
Of presidents" is the birthplace OF
eight: Ohio of five, Massachusetts,, New
York ana North Carolina Of two each,
ana New Hampshire. Pennsylvania
kentucky, Vermont and New Jersey of