An Interesting Fact about every US President

In the nearly 250-year history of the United States, 45 men have held the position of President. This article shares 46 intriguing facts about these Presidents— one for each person, with an additional fact for the individual who served as both the 22nd and 24th President.

1. President George Washington achieved the highest rank in the United States Army, General of the Armies. This title was posthumously bestowed in 1976, making him one of only two individuals to hold this esteemed position, the other being John J. Pershing, promoted to General of the Armies in 1919.
2. John Adams, a Founding Father and US President, notably never owned an enslaved person.
3. Thomas Jefferson passed away on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's ratification (July 4th, 1826). Remarkably, this is the same day the 2nd US President, John Adams, also breathed his last. Adams’ final words were reported to be “Thomas Jefferson lives,” unaware that Jefferson had passed away a few hours earlier.
4. James Madison holds the record as the shortest President in US history, standing at 5ft 4in (1.63m) tall.

   

   Portrait of James Madison painted by Gilbert Stuart, 1809

   
   
5. James Monroe, the last Founding Father to hold the office of President.
6. John Quincy Adams, the first US President with a presidential father—John Adams, the 2nd President.
7. Andrew Jackson, the 7th President, faced the first assassination attempt on a US President. On January 30th, 1835, Richard Lawrence tried to shoot Jackson, but both guns misfired. Jackson fought back, subduing Lawrence with his cane.
8. Martin Van Buren, the only President not fluent in English; Dutch was his first language.

   

   Portrait of Martin Van Buren, circa 1860.

   
   
9. William Henry Harrison, the shortest-serving President, died just 32 days into his first term, also the first President to die in office.
10. John Tyler, the first unelected President, succeeded William Henry Harrison.
11. James K. Polk, the first President without a pet during his term. 

    

    Photograph of the White House taken during James K. Polk’s presidency, 1846.

    
    
12. Zachary Taylor, a military man for 40 years before becoming President, died 16 months into his presidency.
13. Millard Fillmore, the last non-Democrat or Republican President, affiliated with the Whig Party.
14. Franklin Pierce, the only elected President who failed to receive his party’s nomination for reelection. 

    

    Section of a campaign poster for the successful Franklin Pierce bid to be the 1852 Democratic presidential nominee.

    
    
15. James Buchanan, the first bachelor President.
16. Abraham Lincoln, the first President born outside the original Thirteen Colonies.
17. Andrew Johnson, the 17th President, self-taught by a tailor named James J. Selby.
18. Ulysses S. Grant clarified that the “S.” in his name didn’t stand for anything.
19. Rutherford B. Hayes, wounded four times during the Civil War. 

    

    Rutherford B. Hayes in Union Army uniform, 1861.

    
    
20. James A. Garfield, the first left-handed President, ambidextrous and skilled in Latin and Greek.
21. Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President, had no Vice President throughout his term.
22. Grover Cleveland won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College in his reelection bid. 

    

    Grover Cleveland, 1888.

    
    
23. Benjamin Harrison, the first President with a recorded voice.
24. Grover Cleveland, the only President with non-consecutive terms.
25. William McKinley's pet parrot, Washington Post, could sing Yankee Doodle.
26. Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest President at 42, succeeding McKinley. 

    

    William McKinley (left) and Theodore Roosevelt (right) photographed together, circa 1900.

    
    
27. William Howard Taft, the only one to serve as both President and Chief Justice.
28. Woodrow Wilson, the only President with a Ph.D. in political science.
29. Warren G. Harding won the 1920 presidential election on his 55th birthday.
30. Calvin Coolidge sworn in by his father, a notary public, following Harding's death.
31. Herbert Hoover attended Stanford University when it admitted its first students. 

    

    Young Herbert Hoover in Perth, Australia, 1898.

    
    
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt served three terms, prompting the 22nd Amendment limiting terms.
33. Harry S. Truman, the first President and a veteran of World War I.
34. Camp David named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower's grandson. 

    

    David Eisenhower posing with the Camp David sign, October 1960.

    
    
35. John F. Kennedy, the only President to win a Pulitzer Prize for "Profiles in Courage."
36. Lyndon B. Johnson had a near-death experience during World War II.
37. Richard Nixon, the first President to visit all 50 states while in office.
38. Gerald Ford lost only one election in his 28-year public service.
39. Jimmy Carter, at 98, the longest-lived US President.
40. Ronald Reagan appeared in 81 films and television shows during his acting career. 

    

    Ronald Reagan sitting in the General Electric Theater director’s chair, 1950s.

    
    
41. George H. W. Bush, captain of the Yale Bulldogs baseball team.
42. Bill Clinton’s father, William Jefferson Blythe Jr., died before his birth.
43. George W. Bush, the only President with twins – Barbara and Jenna. 

    

    George W. Bush and Laura Bush with their twin daughters Jenna (left) and Barbara (right), 1990.

    
    
44. Barack Obama nominated for 3 Grammys, winning 2.
45. In 2007, Donald Trump won a "Battle of the Billionaires" match at WWE Wrestlemania 23.
46. Joe Biden, the oldest President sworn into office at 78 years and 61 days.