LibGuides: U.S. Presidents: William Taft

Profile

Occupation	Supreme Court Justice U.S. President (March 4, 1909 - March 4, 1913) Academic
Date of Birth	September 15, 1857
Date of Death	March 8, 1930
Place of Birth	Cincinnati, OH
Place of Death	Washington, D.C.
Education	Yale College University of Cincinnati College of Law
Nicknames	"Big Lub" "Old Bill"
Parents	Louise Torrey Alphonso Taft
Spouse	Helen Herron
Political Party	Republican
Number of Children	Three

Did You Know?

President Taft...

...was the last president to rock facial hair while in office.
...valued being on the Supreme Court over his presidency.
...swore in two other presidents as Chief Justice (Coolidge and Hoover).
...tended to fall asleep at public functions.
...recently became one the Washington Nationals' racing mascots.

Biography

William Howard Taft was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 15, 1857. From a prominent political family, he followed his forebears into law and was on track to be a career jurist, well on his way to his dream job of sitting on the Supreme Court, when he was sidetracked for a term as the 27th U.S. president by his wife and Theodore Roosevelt. Taft finally achieved his dream of being appointed chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1921, becoming the only person to have served both as a chief justice and president. Taft died in Washington, D.C., on March 8, 1930.