The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-10-26

Taft were Unitarians. Van Buren, and
Roosevelt were Of the Reformed
Dutch Faith. Harding was Baptist
and Garfield a Disciple.
Seventeen Of the Presidents were Of
English ancestry, six of Scotch-Irisl,
two were mostly Scotch and two Of
Dutch descent, one chiefly Welsh and
another Scotch and Dutch.
Fifteen Presidents were sons Of
farmers and planters, four were sons
Of lawyers, three of merchants, three
of clergymen, and one each Of a doc.
tor, constable, a tanner and an iron
maker.
Eight Presidents, as well as the
present nominees, were born of fam
lilies not blessed with worldly goods.
Others were born in varied circum-
stances, mostly middle-class. Although
born of poor parents, Washington be-
came one of the rich landowners Of
his day, while none Of the others at
tanned riches.
If fate should decree the election
of Herbert Hoover, whose wealth is
estimated at several million dollars,
he will probably enter the White
House as the richest President ever
to assume Office.
There have been twenty Presidents
who went to college, some Of them by
their own efforts. Mr.. Hoover is also
college man, but Governor Smith
went through the "School Of Expert
ence.' Fifteen Presidents were SOL
diers in one or more of the wars in
which America has participated.
Neither of the two present nominees
saw military service.
Both of the candidates this year
are a little over the average age of
their predecessors on Inauguration,
which was fifty-four years and four
months. Hoover is fifty-six and Smith
is fifty-five. The average age of
Presidents at their death was sixty
eight years and seven months Roose-
Welt was, at forty-two. the youngest
President to assume Office. Grant,
Cleveland, Pierce. Polk and Garfield
were Presidents before they were
fifty. William Henry Harrison was
the Gliding. being sixty-eight. Gar
field died youngest, forty-nine, the vic
tim Of an assassin's bullet. John
Adams lived the longest. to ninety.
Three Presidents, Lincoln, Garfield
and Mckinley have been assassinated.
Jackson was fired at while in Office,
and Roosevelt was wounded by a
crank, during the campaign in which
he was candidate for third term.
Ten of the Presidents have been
elected twice, They are Washington.
Jefferson. Madison, Monroe, Jackson.
Lincoln, Grant, Cleveland, Mckinley
and Wilson. Eight served eight COM
plete years-all of the above except
Lincoln and Mckinley, the victims Of
assassins' bullets. William Henry
Harrison had the shortest period of
service as President, dying after one
month in the White House.
Four who served as President were
never elected. being Vice Presidents
who served out the terms of their
Presidents who had died. They were
Tyler, Fillmore. johnson and Arthur.
Two Vice Presidents, however. who
were elevated to the Presidency. were
afterward elected in their own right.
They were Roosevelt and Coolidge.
Cleveland was a two-term President
whose record was unique. He served
one term. 1SS5-18S9. was defeated by
Benjamin Harrison in 1883 but was
elected again in 1892 and served from
1893 to 1897.
All Presidents were married when
elected, with the exception of Buchan-
an, Tyler. Fillmore, Benjamin Harri-.
son. Roosevelt and Wilson married
twice. Tyler had the most children,
seven by each marriage. Washington,
Madison. Jackson. Polk and Harding
were childless. John Adams was the
father of President and William
Henry Harrison the grandfather of
one.