“All I am Iowe to my mother.”-George Washington, first president of the United States.
You've seen all the history book info on our 43 presidents (yes, current president Barack Obama is number 44, but Grover Cleveland was elected for two non-consecutive terms, making him both number 22 and number 24) but we've got some quirky tidbits you may not have heard. Here are some interesting little-known tidbits about our country's leading men.
George Washington (1789-1797) had teeth made from elephant and walrus tusks (not wood, as the legends say).
John Adams (1797-1801) was the first president to actually live in the White House.
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) spoke six different languages.
James Madison (1809-1817) was the smallest president at 5' 4″ tall and less than 100 lbs.
James Monroe (1817-1825) died on the 4th of July, 1831, following both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who died on July 4, 1826.
John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) was the son of second president John Adams.
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) was the first president to ride in a train.
Martin Van Buren (1837-1841) was the first President born an American citizen. (All before him were born in the British colonies)
William Henry Harrison (1841) was president for only 31 days. He died of pnueumonia on the thirty-first day.
John Tyler (1841-1845) had 15 children.
James K. Polk (1845-1849) was the first President to serve a nation from coast to coast.
Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) never voted for a President.
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) was the first President to have a stove and running water in the White House.
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857) memorized his entire 3,319 word inaugural speech.
James Buchanan (1857-1861) never married.
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) was both the tallest president and the first to be assassinated.
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) was buried wrapped in an American flag with a copy of the Constitution.
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877) was fined $20 for speeding with his horse and carriage.
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881) was the first president to use a phone. His phone number was 1.
James A. Garfield (1881) could write with both hands at the same time—in different languages.
Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885) owned 80 pairs of pants and changed his pants several times a day.
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889) was the first and only president married in the White House.
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893) was the first president to have electric lights and a Christmas tree in the White House.
Grover Cleveland (1893-1897) was the first and only president to ever serve two non-consecutive terms.
William McKinley (1897-1901) was the first president to use campaign buttons.
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) at 42 was the youngest person ever to become president.
William H. Taft (1909-1913) was the heaviest president at 332 pounds.
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) dreamed of being a stage performer.
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923) gambled away a set of White House china.
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) was the only president born on the 4th of July.
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) spoke chinese to his wife to keep their stories private.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) is the only President to have served more than two terms.
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) read every book in his hometown library.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) was a Commander of Allied Forces during World War II.
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) was the first Catholic president.
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969) was an auto mechanic and teacher before becoming president
Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974) recommended a play to the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.
Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977) held his daughter's high school prom in the White House.
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) was the first president born in a hospital.
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) at 69 was the oldest person elected president.
George Bush (1989-1993) survived four plane crashes during World War II.
William J. Clinton (1993-2001) played the saxophone on national TV.
George W. Bush (2001-2009) has a collection of over 250 signed baseballs.
Barack Obama (2009-present) is the first African-American to become president.
