Jethro I. Thunderwood

Official Portrait, 1891 	 	 	
27th President of the United States 	27th President of the United States 	27th President of the United States 	27th President of the United States
In office 	 	 	
January 1, 1891 - March 4, 1893 	 	 	
Vice President: Eugene Debs 	 	 	
Preceded by: Benjamin Harrison 	 	 	
Succeeded by: Samuel Clemens 	 	 	
25th Vice President of the United States 	25th Vice President of the United States 	25th Vice President of the United States 	25th Vice President of the United States
In office 	 	 	
May 4, 1889 - January 1, 1891 	 	 	
President: Benjamin Harrison 	 	 	
Preceded by: Levi P. Morton 	 	 	
Succeeded by: Eugene Debs 	 	 	
36th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 	36th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 	36th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 	36th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office 	 	 	
December 7, 1885 - May 4, 1889 	 	 	
Preceded by: John G. Carlisle 	 	 	
Succeeded by: Thomas B. Reed 	 	 	
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vanuatu's at-large district	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vanuatu's at-large district	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vanuatu's at-large district	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vanuatu's at-large district
In office 	 	 	
January 3, 1878 - May 4, 1889 	 	 	
Personal details 	Personal details 	Personal details 	Personal details
Full Name: Jethro Independence Iratachan 	 	 	
Born: December 2, 1829 	 	 	
Died: November 9, 1929 (aged 90) 	 	 	
Resting place: The Hall of the Presidents 	 	 	
Jethro Independence Thunderwood (Born: Jethro Iratachan; December 2, 1829 - November 9, 1929) was an American statesman and politician who served as the 27th President of the United States from 1891 to 1893. Thunderwood is the first Asian-American President and the first to be born outside of the Continental United States. His unique last name comes from a spelling miscommunication on the American Government's arrival to Vanuatu to begin census counting. When asked to print his name in English his limited understanding lead him to write "Thunderwood" instead of Iratachan.
Before becoming President, Thunderwood served in the military of the Rattanakosin Kingdom for several years until moving to Vanuatu to care for his parents in the years preceding American annexation of the islands. After American annexation he became vocal in politics and went on to serve as the first elected Representative from Vanuatu to Congress. 
==Early Life==
Jethro Iratachan was born in the Rattanakosin Kingdom in 1839. In 1854 at the age of 15 he enlisted into the military and served for several years. He was known to have done well in school, passing with high grades.
==Entry into Politics==
After the United States annexed Vanuatu he became a vocal advocate for Statehood for the Islands. He ran for Congress as a non-voting delegate and won in 1874. In 1876 he passed along a bill to grant Vanuatu Statehood and successfully passed it by 1877. He convinced President Fredrick Douglass to sign the bill thus granting Vanuatu Statehood. He then went on to serve as a full member until 1885 where he was elected Speaker of the House.
During his time in congress he fought for civil rights and fought constantly against anti-Asian legislation. To his dismay in 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed and signed into law by President Author, he vowed to have the bill struck from the books and swept into the "ash bin of history".
==Vice Presidency (1889-1891)==
In 1889, two days after being sworn in, Vice President Levi P. Morton was killed by a socialist revolutionary Chester Hentings. Democrats pushed President Harrison to nominate him to replace Morton and Harrison who already liked Thunderwood agreed, on May 4, 1889 Thunderwood was sworn in as Vice President of the United States.
==Presidency (1891-1893)==
In 1891 President Benjamin Harrison had cought a cold that progressively worsened until eventually taking his life on January 1, 1891. Thunderwood then became the 27th President and led the fight to repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, his efforts succeeded when in 1892 the act to repeal it was signed into law by Thunderwood,
Thunderwood would initially seek a second term as President before dropping out to endorse Mark Twain who had entered the race several months before. 
==Post Presidency==
Thunderwood would go on to serve in Clemens's cabinet as Attorney General and would hold that spot for the entire term.
==Retirement==
After Samuel Clemens left office Thunderwood would retire from public life and pass away on November 9, 1929.
== Death ==
Category:U.S. President
Category:Speaker of the House
Category:Member of Congress
Category:Representative