Today is "Presidents' Day"
Andrew Jackson was the first President born in a log cabin, and Jimmy Carter was the first President born in a hospital.
James Madison, at 5'4", was the shortest President, a foot shorter than Abraham Lincoln, the tallest at 6'4".
Martin Van Buren was the first President born in the "United States", and Herbert Hoover was the first President born west of the Mississippi River.
Franklin Pierce was the first President to have a Christmas tree in the White House, and Calvin Coolidge lit the first National Christmas tree in 1923.
William McKinley was the first President to ride in a car, and William Taft was the first President to own a car.
John Kennedy was the first Catholic President, the youngest President elected to office and the youngest to die in office.
Ronald Reagan, at 69, was the oldest President to be elected to office. John McCain, at 71, hopes to change that.
George Washington was the first white man to be elected President (followed by 41 more). Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama hope to change that.
The United States has had four Baptist presidents -- Warren G. Harding, Harry S. Truman, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Mike Huckabee hopes to add a Baptist preacher President to the mix. Ron Paul is also a Baptist, and would become the 5th Baptist president if elected.
The ballot is cast at the polls; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.
* Much of the information came from "Presidential Trivia", in American Profiles Feb 17-23, pp. 10-12
2 comments:
What a luxury it was indeed, for Jimmy Carter to be born in a hospital, coming from a rural area and the specific time period.
Neil
Neil, I too was kind of surprised that Jimmy Carter was born in a hospital. He was born in 1924. The first child in my own family born in a hospital was born in 1949. Of course, the Carters were probably a little more well-to-do than the average rural farm family. Plus, perhaps, Texas was still a little more "frontier" than Georgia, one of the original 13 colonies.
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