President of the Day
Which president was the first man to serve three terms as Ohio's governor?
- He graduated first in his undergraduate class.
- He was elected to his first political office while serving the Union.
- He practiced law by representing fugitive slaves.
- He was called as "His Fraudulency," due to controversy surrounding his election.
Rutherford B. Hayes
Whom did Hayes defeat for an unprecedented third term as governor?
Hayes could not stay retired from public service for long. He defeated Judge Alphonso Taft (father of future President William Howard Taft) for the Republican nomination, and then ousted Democratic incumbent William Allen to become the first man to serve three terms as governor of Ohio.
Was Hayes a good college student?
Hayes was an exceptional student, graduating first in his class in 1842. He made many important contacts in college, including future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stanley Matthews and future Michigan congressman Rowland E. Trowbridge. While in college, he delved into literature and theater, and engaged in political discussions. He also began reading law at the law firm Sparrow & Matthews in Columbus.
When was Hayes first elected to Congress?
While still fighting for the Union, supporters nominated him as a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Hamilton County, Ohio. He refused to leave the war effort to campaign but still won the election, as news of heroism in war served him well. He served two terms in the House and played a key role in the passage of a measure that expanded the Library of Congress.
How did Hayes's legal practice deal with the slavery issue?
Hayes became more active in politics and supported abolition. He began to represent fugitive slaves, who sought their freedom once they set foot in a free state like Ohio. With future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase, he helped secure the freedom of Rosetta Armstrong.
Because of the disputed election, what unfavorable nicknames did Hayes acquire?
Some called him "Rutherfraud." Others called him "Ole 8-7." Still others referred to him as "His Fraudulency." Hayes's presidency was tainted in many people's eyes by the unusual nature of the election.
From The Handy Presidents Answer Book, Second Edition by David L. Hudson, Jr., JD., (c) Visible Ink Press(R) More than 1,600 things you never knew about our nation's leaders
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