If you read this blog, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen fascinating and little-known facts about our nation’s presidents. I find them interesting, and I hope you do, too.
Which president served the shortest term? William Henry Harrison was president for only 32 days. For nearly 175 years, it was believed that Harrison, who delivered his two-hour inaugural address in freezing rain without an overcoat, died of pneumonia a few weeks later, in 1841. But in 2014, medical historians determined that he died from enteric fever after drinking contaminated water that led to severe gastroenteritis. Harrison suffered from dyspepsia, chronic stomach pain, which worsened the gastroenteritis.
Which president never voted in any election — local, state or federal — until he voted for himself in 1848? That was Zachary Taylor, whose presidency was cut short when he died suddenly on July 9, 1850. Like William Henry Harrison, historians believe Taylor suffered from gastroenteritis, due to poor sanitary conditions in Washington.
Who was the first president to hire a female staffer? Benjamin Harrison, who served from 1889 to 1893, hired Alice Stanger, who started work at the White House on Jan. 2, 1890. Some historians believe her hire served as a catalyst to involve women in federal government.
Who was the poorest president? Poor is relative when you’re talking about our presidents, but nine presidents are believed to have had a net worth of less than $1 million at the time of their deaths. Harry Truman, who served from 1945 to 1953, is often singled out as the poorest. His financial situation contributed to the doubling of the president’s annual salary to $100,000 in 1949. (It has been $400,000 per year since 2001.) Three years after Truman left office, Congress voted to create a pension for former presidents, presumably because he was struggling financially. The pension equals about 60 percent of the salary.
Which three presidents had no pets? James K. Polk, the 11th president, Andrew Johnson, the 17th, and Donald Trump, the 45th. If Kamala Harris were to win the 2024 presidential election, she will be the fourth to enter the White House without a pet.
Which president advocated taking over Cuba more than a century before the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961? in 1854, when James Buchanan served as Minister to England, he helped write the Ostend Manifesto, a document written in Ostend, Belgium, that stated that the United States would buy Cuba from Spain, and if Spain refused, the U.S. would seize it. After news of it leaked, nothing came of it.
Which president may have had Marfan Syndrome? If you’re familiar with this condition, you probably know the answer: Abraham Lincoln. Marfan is a genetic disorder that causes people to be very tall and long limbed. Lincoln, our tallest president, was 6-foot-4, but a decision was made not to test his DNA, so it’s not known if he suffered from the disease. Those who do live to be about 70, a significant improvement from just 40 years ago, when their life expectancies were about half that.
Which president was named for the doctor who delivered him? Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885), who was named in honor of Dr. Chester Abell.
Who was the first president to use a telephone in the White House? Rutherford B. Hayes, who served from 1877-1881.
Which president’s wife spoke eight languages? Herbert Hoover’s wife Lou Henry Hoover. Like her husband, she was born in Iowa in 1874, attended Stanford University, where they met, and became a geologist. Herbert Hoover spoke Latin fluently and some Mandarin Chinese. The Hoovers once translated a mining book into Latin. Sounds like fun. Not!