Tag Archives: Presidential history

The Murder of Ida McKinley’s Brother

In 1898, First Lady Ida McKinley received shocking news. Her brother had been murdered. George Saxton, Libertine and Rake The Saxtons were one of the most prominent and wealthy families in Canton, OH. They had three children, born within three … Continue reading

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Harry Truman’s Mother-in-Law From Hell

Harry Truman was always an outspoken man who never minced words, but… Madge Wallace …Margaret Gates Wallace (1862-1952), called Madge from childhood, was perhaps the only exception.  Madge was the spoiled daughter of midwesterners George and Elizabeth Gates. George Gates … Continue reading

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George Washington’s Farewell to His Officers

“An army of asses led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by an ass.” The Quote and the Sentiment The quote about asses (donkeys) and lions is frequently attributed to George Washington, but it is … Continue reading

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Understanding Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge was the quintessential New Englander: quiet, determined, and living a well ordered life. Meet Calvin Coolidge: The Man Behind the Myth In 1960, more than 25 years after Coolidge’s death, a small volume of essays about him was … Continue reading

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The Abysmal Health of Woodrow Wilson

If his health history had been known in 1912, Woodrow Wilson might never have been nominated. The White House Physician: Cary T. Grayson Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson took the oath of office in 1913, there was a luncheon for … Continue reading

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The Funeral of Dolley Madison: End of an Era

On July 19, 1849, the largest funeral procession ever held in Washington DC till that time, commemorated the life and death of its most popular resident. The Venerable Mrs. Madison Dolley Payne Madison was 81 when she died on July … Continue reading

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Martha Dandridge, Mistress Custis

Nearly ten years before she became Mrs. George Washington, Martha Dandridge became Mrs. Daniel Parke Custis. The Turbulent and Eccentric Daniel Parke  Daniel Parke (1669-1710), the grandfather-in-law to Martha Custis, long dead by the time she married into the family, … Continue reading

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Theodore Roosevelt: Asthmatic

Theodore Roosevelt could arguably be the poster boy for asthmatic children. Asthma In General: Today Asthma is a medical condition that affects the lungs and airways, making breathing difficult. It can vary between a mild, occasional and annoying problem, or, … Continue reading

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President Grant and the Grant-Pops

Most historians concur that Ulysses S. Grant’s parents were a little eccentric. Grant and His Parents Jesse Root Grant (1794-1873), the father, was born in Pennsylvania and transplanted to Ohio, where he married and raised a family. He was self-educated … Continue reading

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The Bad Deal

One of life’s important lessons is playing “the hand you are dealt” the best way you can. FDR: Several Aces By the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was in his thirties, the hand he was dealt – a patrician-born New … Continue reading

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