St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-12-12
Concerning Our Presidents.

nj the UUllCu OldtNo VIII IGVCdI MANY
curious and interesting condolences For
example, John Adams, second president,
was eight years older than Thomas JEFF.
ferson, who succeeded him in office; lei
terson was eight years older than James
Madison, who came alter him. and
Madison was eight years older than
lanes Monroe, who succeeded him. By
another coincidence, President Washing.
TON ended his term of office IN his sixty
fifth wear; and so, too, did John Adams,
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
Again, John Adams death took place
on the same day and very nearly at the
same hour as the death of Thomas
Jefferson. Stranger still, both of these
great men died on the Fourth of July,
1926 whilst the nation was joyously
celebrating the firtieth anniversary of the
Declaration o Independence, which both
these men bad signed and which one OF
them had written. Mr.. Adams was
asked il he knew what day it was, and
he answered: "Ob yes, it is the fourth
of IuIv. God bless i'll God bless you
all! 1t is a great and glorious day."
One other president passed out of life
while the JOY bells were ringing on
Fourth OF July-James Monroe, fifth
president. He died in 1881.
Still another strange coincidence, or
rather fact-a fact that would seem to
give countenance to the ot-repeated
statement that the blue eyed race is the
conquering race of the worlds that,
with one, or perhaps two exceptions,
every president of the United States has
had blue eyes OF the ty plcal Saxon. With
all the Marys there are in the world
and perhaps every family, either directly
or in a cola eral branth has its M ny
it seems odd that only one OF our p EST
dents had Mary for his wife, Mary
Todd wife of Abraham Lincoln; and
only three Marys have been mothers of
presidents: Mary Ball, mother OF George
Washington; Mary Armstead, mother of
Tohn Tyler; and Mary McDonough,
mother of Andrew Johnson. N ,ncys
have brought into The world two men
who, through strange providences, have
been called to Office IN great prlods OF
far reaching const quences to this ma ion:
Nancy Hanks, mother Of Abraham Lin
coin; md Nancy Campbe Allison,
mother of William Mex nley Gr' atlv and
widely adopted as is the ashton tor dou-
bic names, only seven, or less than one,
third OF our twenty FIVE presidents have
had double names. All the early presi-
dents except John Quincy Adams, bore
single names: as George Washing ton,
Thomas Jtfferson and James Madison.
Leaving the matter OF condolences,
other interesting facts connected with
the story of the presidents will readily
occur 10 the reader OF American history.
OF the twentv.four presidents, eleven
were of southern nativity, two having
been born in North Carolina, one in
South Carolina, one in Ken uckv, al d
seven in vi gina, thus bearing out the
right of Virg MIA to the title she early
acquired of "Mother of Presidents "
OHIO is nearest to bee ming Virginia
rival in this respect, having already to
her credit five presidents. Kentucky had
the honor OF being the mother OF the
men who occupied the Pr sidential chars
OF the opposing parties during the Civil
war, Lincoln and JEFFERSON Davis. he
tallest president was undoubtedly Abra-
ham Lincoln; he was six leet four inches
in height. The shortest was probably
Benz amin Harrison, although John
Adams and Martin Van Buren, were also
very short NTH. The Oldest President,
when inaugurated, was William Henry
Harrison, who was then Sixty-e ght
wears and one month. The youngest
was Ulysses S. Grant who was not quite
forty-seven.
The only baby ever born in the White
House to a ruling president was little
Esther Cleveland who was born IN 1913
though nine other babies have first open
ed their eyes in the executive manson.
Noting the seetari IN bias of the various
presidents, we find large number have
been Episcopa ians-Washing Madl-
son, Monroe, Will I'm Henry Harrison,
TYLER, Pierce and Chester A. Ar
thur. Washington laid claim to
great librraIity Of creed once
SAYING to a number OF friends who
were conversng on the different faiths:
Though am member OF the church OF
Enelan g.. | have no exclusive PARTIAL
ties" 4 lchary Taylor gave the subject
of religion very little thought, but he
regularly paid his wite's dues to the
Episcopal church, and probably favored
that church more tLan any other john
Adams and his son, John Quincy
Adams came OF long line OF Puritan
ancest ors. In his early life john Adams
had the intention OF en- eru 6 the minis
try in the Congregational church, but
soon found he could not assent to the
Puritan doctrines. He studied law in
stead and Joined the Unitarian church, o
which chu -ch his illustrlous son, too, be
came member. Thomas ! ffel son join
ed no church, and was accused by thu
religious people of his day OF being {
rank iu6del because of his delight IN read
ing the works of Thomas Paine. Blu
his lite was strictly moral one, and hi
writings do not show that he was al
unbeliever. He it was who declared tha
the principles of wi'e government IN
cluded equal and exact justice to al
men, of whatever state or persuasion
religious or political"
Andrew Jackson was VIGOROUSLY IRE
lgious in early life, but after his retire
ment from the presidency he became IN
verified and joined the PresbYteria'
church. 1t has been said that he wa
led to Christianity by the godly lie
his wife In his final illness DR.. Edga
asked him what he would have don
with Calhoun and the other nuIIihers
they had kept on. Hanged them, sll
as hugh as Haman!" was his reply. hi
last words were: IL hope and trust t.
meet you all in heaven, my dear chiIdie
and servants. Martin Van Buren, neve
made any profession OF religion. thoug
b;s oh WAS hove all Sus