The Portland daily press., 1900-10-17
ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS.
Fourteen the Sons Of Farmers; Eighteen
Lawyers by PrOfession.
IN. Y. SUM-

N L Ouus
The majority of the Presidents OF the
United States. from Washington to Nc
Kinley, have been the sons of farmers
and planters, that is fourteen out Of
twenty -four.
The father OF one only, President Nc
Kinley, was a manufacturer. Of only
one, William Henry Harrison, is it re-
corded that he was statesman. One
was tanner and a sexton, the fathers
Of Grant and johnson, Buchanan and
Hayes were sons Of merchants. Arthur
and Cleveland were sons Of clergymen
Law was the profession of the fathers of
Tyler and John Quincy Adams, Two
Presidents only were farmers or planters
Washington, who was also a surveyor,
and Lincoln, who soon abandoned the
farm forathe law Office.
Eighteen Presidents, more than two
thirds of the whole number, lived and
thriyed on the law. OF these four began
life as teachers-Adams, Garfield, Ar
thur and Cleveland. One only was doc
tor, William Henry Harrison. One be-
gan life as a tanner, Grant; two as sail
ors, Fillmore and johnson, the former
later joining the ranks Of lawyers. Jack
son and Taylor were soldiers, as was
Grant.
Fifteen of the Presidents were college
men, i've received their education at
public schools, three were self-taught,
and Grant was the only West Point man.
Regarding the ancestry of our Presi-
dents, one-third, or eight, were Of Scotch
and Scotch-Irish descent; one, Madison,
was a Welshman, or of Welsh ancestry,
and Van Buren, was OF Dutch, the re-
mainder, or fourteen, had English for
bears.
Elizabeth has been the fayorite name
for the mothers OF Presidents. Let all
Elizabeths with sons make note of this
| There was Elizabeth Jones, the mother
of Monroe; Elizabeth Hutchinson, moth
ct OF jackson; Elizabeth Bassett. moth
er of the first Harrison; Elizabeth Speer,
mother of Buchanan; and Elizabeth IT.
win, mother of Benjamin Harrison. The
name Mary is also well represented, be-
ginning with Mary Ball, Washington s
7 mother, then Mary Hoes, the mother OF
Van Buren,; Mary Armistead, Tyler's
mother; and Mary McDonOugh, the
mother of johnson. Of James, there are
two, Jane Randolph, mother Of Jefferson
and Jane Knox, mother of Polk. Ol
Nancys there are also two, Nancy Hanks
mother of Lincoln, and Nancy Allison,
mother of Mckinley.
f The Presidents all married American
born women except John Quincy Adams,
whose wife Louisa 9. johnson, was
born in London, England, where they
, were married.
New York was the birth state of the
wives Of six Presidents, Virginia and
Ohio each gave four Presidents wives
Eight other states are epresented-NeW
Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Maryland, North Carolina, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Missouri. There has been
only one bachelor President, Buchanan.
1t seems that not even in the good old
times of lC0 years ago was it the fashion
| to have large families. Washington and
Madison had no children, nor had Polk.
Tyler carries off the palm in the way Of
olive branches with Uhirteen The first
Harrison comes next with ten and Hayes
follows with eight. Four children have
been the Presidential average number
beginning with John Quincy Adams
who had four; SO had Van Buren,. lay
lOr, Lincoln, Grant and Cleveland. Two
is the next faYorite, or the number O
children born to Monroe, Fillmore, Ar
thur, Harrison and Mckinley. jackson
and Pierce each had three. John Adams
} johnson and Garfield had five, and JEFF
ferson six, all girls.
2 Cleveland and Harrison are the only
ex-Presidents living. None lived to thI
3 allotted three e-scOre and ten years. Jhl
? first Harrison coming nearest to tina
5 age, or 6S. Grant died at 81 years, anl
Pierce at 4S, Washington at 81, and tn
others at ages varying from %, Lincoln
age, TO 65.
Natural decline was assigned as thl
3 cause Of death Of three-John Adams
3 who was only 81, Madison, who was 5
and Monroe, 50,
-Four died Of paralysis; one, Buchanan
3 of gout; one OF cancer, Grant, and tW,
= were assassinated. Fever, asthma, drop
5 sy and neuralgia Of the heart were th
S other causes of death. What is usual,
? regarded as an inTantile disease-mem
bFanous Group, carried eff Washington.
Nest of the Presidents were Southern
! born. New England has given fOu
? Presidents. New York, New Jersey ant
one Of the Western states have been rep
S resented at the White5 House. Virginia
has the honor OF giving seven Presidents
I Ohio has the next place with Grant
3 HAYES, Garfield, Harrison and Mckinley
North Carolina gave jackson, Polk ant
: Johnson; Massachusetts, John Adam
< and his son Quincy Adams; New York
0 Van Buren. and Fillmore; New Hamp
: shire, Pierce; Pennsylvania, Buchanan