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1.
George Washington, 1789-1797
Washington had his six horses' teeth brushed every morning. He himself had only one tooth left at the time of his inauguration. |
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2.
John Adams,
1797-1801
Died on the Fourth of July, 1826. His last words were: "Thomas Jefferson survives." |
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3.
Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809
Considered the smartest president, he also died on the Fourth of July, 1826. Jefferson wrote his own epitaph without mentioning that he had been president. |
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4.
James Madison,
1809-1817
Lying in bed due to illness, to save his strength he was asked not to talk. Madison said, "I always talk most easily when I lie." |
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5.
James Monroe,
1817-1825
He was the father of the bride in the first White House wedding ever. |
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6.
John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829
As president, liked to swim nude in the Potomac River. Once, a female journalist sat on his clothes on the riverbank to get an interview. |
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7.
Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837
Army Colonel Jackson led the winning troops in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. Because of poor communications, they hadn't known that the war already was over. |
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8.
Martin Van Buren, 1837-1841
The term "OK," meaning all right, was popularized because of Van Buren, who came from Old Kinderhook, NY. |
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9.
William Henry Harrison, 1841
He gave a long speech and didn't wear a hat at his inauguration, caught pneumonia, and died a month later. |
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10.
John Tyler,
1841-1845
Fathered a son when he was in his 70s; that son did the same. Therefore, although Tyler was born in 1790, his grandson is alive today. |
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11.
James K. Polk,
1845-1849
Hosted the first-ever Thanksgiving dinner in theWhite House. Annexed Texas.
Yee-hah! |
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12.
Zachary Taylor,
1849-1850
Refused to pay for postage-due mail, so he sent back the letter informing him of his nomination. Died from eating ice cream and cherries on a hot day after an outdoor ceremony. |
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13.
Millard Fillmore, 1850-1853
Signed legislation that Taylor was going to veto, which held off the Civil War for ten more years. |
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14.
Franklin Pierce,
1853-1857
Was considered the handsomest president, until John F. Kennedy. |
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15.
James Buchanan, 1857-1861
Only bachelor president. |
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16.
Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865
After being called "two-faced," Lincoln replied, "If I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?" |
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17.
Andrew Johnson, 1865-1869
Mistaking a hat for a spittoon, Johnson once spit in the hat of an influential politician visiting him in the White House. |
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18.
Ulysses S. Grant,
1869-1877
As president, once received a speeding ticket from a Washington policeman. |
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19.
Rutherford B. Hayes, 1877-1881
Didn't get the most votes, but because of disputed votes was named president by a Congressional commission. |
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20.
James A. Garfield,
1881
Shot by an assassin, President Garfield lingered on for months in the hot summer, prompting invention of an air conditioner. |
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21.
Chester A. Arthur, 1881-1885
He knew when to keep his mouth shut: Arthur never made an inaugural address. |
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22. and 24.
Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889, 1893-1897
When running for office once, he and his opponent decided to limit themselves to drinking one beer per day. They failed. |
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23.
Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1893
His father's body was stolen by grave robbers, who tried to sell it to a medical school. |
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25.
William McKinley, 1897-1901
The speaker of the house said that the cautious McKinley kept his ear so close to the ground that it was full of grasshoppers. |
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26.
Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909
After being shot by a would-be assassin during a speech, insisted on finishing the speech before being taken to the hospital. |
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27.
William Howard Taft, 1909-1913
First president to throw out the first baseball of the season and the originator of baseball's seventh inning stretch. |
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28.
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921
Invented the first modern press conference. Also won a Nobel Prize. |
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29.
Warren G. Harding, 1921-1923
Was told by his father, "It's a good thing you weren't born a girl, because you can't say no." |
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30.
Calvin Coolidge,
1923-1929
A woman told "Silent Cal" she bet a friend she could get him to say more than two words. The president replied: "You lose." |
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31.
Herbert Hoover,
1929-1933
After being blamed for the Great Depression, cried when Truman finally brought him back to government service more than ten years later. |
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32.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1945
When told a potential rival had "his eye on the presidential chair," Roosevelt replied, "but look what I've got on it." |
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33.
Harry S Truman, 1945-1953
Wrote an irate letter to a critic of his daughter's saying if Truman ever met up with him he would "need a new nose...and a supporter below." |
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34.
Dwight D. Eisenhower1953-1961
What he really cared about was golf. Had a putting green installed on the White House lawn. |
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35.
John F. Kennedy,
1961-1963
Threatened to begin IRS audits of steel manufacturers' presidents if they didn't cut steel prices. They did. |
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36.
Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-1969
Missed an airplane during World War II because he was in the bathroom. The plane was shot down, and all aboard died. |
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37.
Richard M. Nixon, 1969-1974
Financed his first Congressional campaign through his World War II poker winnings. Fellow card players complained he would never show his cards after a hand. |
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38.
Gerald R. Ford,
1974-1977
The joke at the time of his pardon of Nixon was that he asked, "Do you spell pardon with an 'e' or a 'u'?" |
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39.
Jimmy Carter,
1977-1981
Chicago Carter supporters drove a car into Lake Michigan in 1980 in "honor" of rival Ted Kennedy's visit. Carter won Illinois. |
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40.
Ronald Reagan,
1981-1989
Said trees cause pollution, but oil slicks are good for the environment. |
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41.
George H.W. Bush, 1989-1993
After he was advised that his message should be that he cares, actually said in a speech, "Message: I care." |
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42.
Bill Clinton,
1993-2001
Has been called "the greatest president of the second half of the 20th century." Of course, it was Al Franken who said it. |
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| Here are a few more interesting facts about various presidents: |
- George Washington had to borrow money to go to his own inauguration. His inaugural speech was 183 words long and lasted 90 seconds.
- James Buchanan was the first president to be stymied by the alliance of Northern Republicans and Southern conservatives, who blocked his programs in his last months as president.
- Abraham Lincoln was the first president to have a beard, which he grew at the suggestion of an 11-year-old girl.
- Grover Cleveland was the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms. He personally answered the White House telephone.
- Herbert Hoover never held elective office before being elected president. He was the first president born west of the Mississippi River.
- As a young man, Harry Truman read every book in the Independence, MO, library, including the encyclopedias.
- As a naval officer in World War II, John F. Kennedy rescued some U.S. Marines trapped on an island despite orders to the contrary.
- As a Congressman, Lyndon Johnson forced an electric company to provide power to West Texas after management had refused, figuring the company would not make enough money.
- Bill Clinton’s first budget passed with zero Republican votes in Congress. When it kicked off the prosperity of the 1990s, however, the Republicans took credit for it.
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