William Howard Taft

Date of Birth: September 15, 1857

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: March 8, 1930

Biography

William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States, serving from 1909 to 1913, and later the 10th Chief Justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Taft was a distinguished jurist and statesman who is the only person in American history to have held both the presidency and the chief justiceship. After graduating from Yale College, he embarked on a legal career, eventually becoming a federal judge. Taft’s presidency was marked by his efforts in antitrust enforcement and improvements in the postal system. Despite his judicial mindset, which sometimes clashed with the more progressive elements of the Republican Party, Taft’s contributions to the legal and political landscape of America remain significant.

5 Interesting Facts about William Howard Taft

1. William Howard Taft is the only person to have served as both President and Chief Justice of the United States.

2. Taft was known for his large size, weighing over 300 pounds during his presidency, which led to the installation of a custom bathtub in the White House.

3. He was a close friend and protégé of Theodore Roosevelt but later became his political rival.

4. Taft was an avid golfer and was the first president to regularly play the sport.

5. He lost the 1912 presidential election to Woodrow Wilson, largely because of a split in the Republican vote caused by Theodore Roosevelt’s third-party candidacy.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from William Howard Taft

1. “Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.”

2. “Politics, when I am in it, makes me sick.”

3. “The world is not going to be saved by legislation.”

4. “Substantial progress toward better things can rarely be taken without developing new evils requiring new remedies.”

5. “I don’t remember that I ever was President.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career, William Howard Taft’s net worth was estimated to be around $3 million, adjusted for inflation.

Children

William Howard Taft had three children with his wife, Helen Herron Taft: 1. Robert Alphonso Taft (1889–1953) – A prominent U.S. Senator. 2. Helen Taft Manning (1891–1987) – An educator and dean of Bryn Mawr College. 3. Charles Phelps Taft II (1897–1983) – A civic leader and politician who served as Mayor of Cincinnati.