Born Today

September 15: Happy Birthday Will!

On this day in 1857, William Howard Taft was born in Cincinnati. I haven’t been able to find how much he weighed, but it is known that Will was a big boy. His mother Louisa Maria mentioned in a letter that at 7 weeks old her son Will couldn’t fit in any of the dresses made with belts because of his large waist and that he was “very large of his age.”

taft-1870 — 1870 class photograph. William Taft seated in the center

He grew up in Cincinnati, went to school at Yale where he became a heavyweight champion wrestler, and he was extremely fit throughout his adult life despite his size. He was 6 foot or so (sources vary between 6’0″ and 6’2″) and when he graduated from college he weighed a very muscular 243 pounds.

After graduating from Yale, Will returned to Cincinnati where he studied law. He also got involved in local politics. However, he always seemed to prefer law over politics. His goal was to become Chief Justice of the United States, but that didn’t fit with his wife’s idea of success.

Helen Herron, or Nellie as her friends called her, seemed to always have an eye on becoming the Chief Lady of the White House. When she was just 16 years old, she actually visited the White House when Lucy Hayes occupied the center of American power with her husband Rutherford. Lucy invited the daughter of her husband’s law partner to an afternoon social. After this engagement, Nellie wrote that she would much like to return to the White House someday… as First Lady!

Not long after the White House visit, Nellie met the young, but 4 year older, Will Taft, at a sledding party in Cincinnati. They hit it off in many different ways that eventually brought them together as husband and wife in 1886. While it is not certain what part she played behind the curtains, it is certain that she encouraged her husband to strive for higher achievements.

As young Will became an accomplished attorney, his life would increasingly be drawn to the political arena. After having been a state judge, Will became Solicitor General of the United States, a federal judge, he was appointed to oversee the American civil government in the Philippines, and later was appointed by President Teddy Roosevelt as his Secretary of War. Teddy would later in his term offer Will the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming Chief Justice of the United States.

He discussed this opportunity with Nellie who was adamantly opposed to the idea. Her idea was that since Teddy Roosevelt had already promised the nation he would not seek a second term, it would be wiser for her husband to seek the presidency. In her mind, you could always become a Chief Justice, but the odds of becoming President of the United States were extremely high.

So following his wife’s advice, the extremely large fellow from Cincinnati, William Howard Taft, was elected President of the United States, the largest man to ever sit behind the Oval Office desk. Having achieved her dream of becoming First Lady, it would take several more years before Taft achieved his dream of becoming Chief Justice.

It was during another Ohioans term in office that President Harding made him Chief Justice of the United States where he would remain for the rest of his life. Taft would later write after becoming Chief Justice “I don’t remember that I ever was President.”

Today is the birthday of the only man ever to serve as President of the United States and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Taft's boyhood home in Cincinnati is a museum today. — Taft’s boyhood home in Cincinnati is a museum today.

August 29: Boss Kettering is Born

By John Merrill

As you probably know, this is the 10 year anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina first made landfall near New Orleans. It was a Cat 4 storm and caused more than 1300 deaths and almost $200 billion in damage. One hundred and forty years before that story, another event occurred in a little town in northeast Ohio. It was the birth of a little boy that would make a huge impact on the American people and the world. That would be in the years to come. On this day, Martha Kettering was happy he was a healthy boy. His father, Jacob was glad his wife had survived the ordeal of childbirth.

Anyone that has a driver’s license has probably used a key to start their car. For those that don’t know what happens when they turn that key, in its most basic concept, allows a jolt of electricity to run from the battery to a motor that actually turns or cranks the engine. Sparks are then ignited in the piston chambers that cause a mixture of air and vaporized gasoline to explode. Once all of the cylinders start revolving, the starter motor quickly disengages from the engine and it continues on its own.

Sure, everyone knows that you say. But if you ever see any of those old movies where the guy has to stand in front of the car and turn a crank to get the engine started can appreciate what it was like before the self-starter was invented.

Thirty -nine years after this day in 1856, Charles F. Kettering, got his patent for the electric car starter. Kettering’s electric starter had been first installed on the 1912 Cadillac. By the early 1920s Kettering’s self-starting motor would be installed on just about every car made. That refinement in automobile ownership made the automobile more attractive, especially to women. It was the beginning of the automobile culture that continues to this day.

Kettering and his company, DELCO (Dayton ELectronics COrporation), went on to create a number of improvements to the automobile including shock absorbers, the automatic transmission, quick-drying automotive paint, and safety glass.

Although he was most famous for his contributions to the auto industry, Charles Kettering is also known for developing several medical innovations such as an incubator for premature infants, venereal disease treatments and a number of magnetic diagnostic devices. During his time at DELCO and later at General Motors (GM), Mr. Kettering accumulated a great fortune. In 1945 he and Alfred Sloan, another GM vice president, used their wealth to establish the Sloan-Kettering Institute for cancer research.

In 1856 on this day Charles Kettering was born in Loudonville, Ohio and over the next 82 years of his life he would be awarded 140 patents for things that we take for granted today. Charles is 159 years old– be sure to wish him a happy birthday and say thanks!

August 28: Lucy Webb is Born

By John Merrill

Lucy Webb would become a woman of many firsts throughout her life. She would become the first wife of a president to be called the “First Lady.” She would be the first wife of a president to have graduated from college. She would be responsible for bringing the first telephone to the White House, the first typewriter to the White House and her and her husband would initiate the children’s “Easter Egg Roll” in the front yard of the White House.

While being First Lady, Lucy Webb Hayes, wife of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th U.S. President, endured the endless social schedule involved with that title, but what she loved to do was entertain her wide circle of friends in the White House. That circle of friends included several women that would someday have those same responsibilities. Ida McKinley, wife of congressman William McKinley was a frequent guest even substituting for Lucy at some White House functions when Lucy had other commitments. Lucy invited to one of her private socials, Rutherford’s former law partner’s sixteen year old daughter, Helen Herron who found the get together the “climax of human bliss” and vowed that she would someday return to the house as First Lady (she did as Howard Taft’s wife 30 some years later).

Lucy’s strong religious beliefs had always guided her life and just because she was a temporary resident of the White House, it was no reason to amend those beliefs. She and when he was in town, Rutherford, regularly attended services at the Foundry Methodist Church less than a mile from the White House. Not only did she attend regular Sunday morning services, but also actively involved herself in church activities walking to and from the church. Lucy grew up in a Methodist household and graduated from a Methodist college, and she had long embraced the churches stance on Temperance. Feeling no compulsion to change her belief system when her husband narrowly won a hard fought election, Lucy banned all alcohol from the White House. Years after Rutherford left office, his wife would sometimes be referred to as Lemonade Lucy– but never to her face.

Certain previous First Ladies had been sharply criticized for reasons that today would seem unfathomable: her hair is too frizzy, her wardrobe is outrageously scandalous, exposed neckline, bare arms, powdered face. Lucy seemed to have a personality or air about her that did not immediately draw poison from the press’ pens. Quite the opposite.

Lucy was the modest woman from Ohio who wore no jewelry, and more often than not wore only black, that matched her black hair that was always parted in the middle and pulled back in a tight bun. Only on special occasions would she adorn her hair with a hair beret as an accent. She was finely accustomed to the elevated requirements of a politicians wife. Her husband had been elected governor twice, and he had served in the US House of Representative. Those requirements were mere nothings compared to what she endured being close to the blood of battle and smell of death as she attended soldiers fighting under her husbands leadership during the War of the Rebellion.

Lucy seemed not to use her position in life as the First Lady to adopt causes even when she believed in those causes. Her position was the result of a marriage and nothing other than support her husband had she done to garner power that could be wielded across the country. That support of her husband could not be so easily dismissed as powerless. Lucy had great influence with her husband if she chose to use it. It had always been that way between them, even after they first met.

Lucy had first met Rutherford Birchard Hayes, who was born in Delaware Ohio, while she attended classes there along with her older brothers. She was just 14 years old the first time she met Rutherford who was 23. By that time Rutherford had already attended a private school in Connecticut that would later become a part of the Wesleyan University. In 1842 he received his degree from Kenyon College and then went to Harvard College to become a lawyer and graduated in 1845. It was probably after his graduation when he returned briefly to Delaware to see his family that he encountered the young Lucy. While in Delaware, Lucy’s mother became friends with Hayes’ mother and the two women most certainly discussed ways of getting their two children together.

Although Rutherford would begin practicing law in Lower Sandusky (now known as Fremont) it was a small town with really not enough legal work to suit his drive. In 1847 he had some health issues and decided to take a trip to Texas where he spent some time before returning to Ohio and in 1848 he relocated to Cincinnati to open a new law practice there. Here he became involved with the Abolitionist movement and became reacquainted with the much older Lucy, now 18 and a college graduate of Wesleyan Woman’s College in Cincinnati.

Rutherford began mentioning her in his diary: “Her low sweet voice is very winning … a heart as true as steel…. Intellect she has too…. By George! I am in love with her!”

In less than two years of her graduating from college, Lucy and Rutherford B. Hayes were married and together they would fight many political battles and wars, but they would never lose sight of their profound love for each other. They would spend their remaining days at their home in Fremont. On June 25, 1889 while Rutherford was attending a meeting in Columbus, Lucy had a stroke and died in the early morning hours. Three and half years later, Rutherford died of a heart attack at his home in Fremont.

Both Lucy and Rutherford are buried on their estate called Spiegel Grove in Fremont Ohio.

On this day in in 1831, Lucy Webb was born the third child of Dr. James and Maria Cook Webb in a two story framed house at 90 West Sixth Street in Chillicothe, Ohio.

August 27: Charles Gates Dawes is Born

By John Merrill

If you had a good history teacher at any time during your formative years, you know about the famous ride of Paul Revere. What would be the sign of a really good teacher is that you also know about William Dawes. He too spread the message among the colonials living between Boston and Concord, that the British were coming. William Dawes actually started his long ride before Revere ordered the signal lights be placed in the bell tower of Christ Church.

Early in the evening of April 18, 1775, it wasn’t clear yet to the colonials whether or not the British would be marching to Concord by first crossing the Charles River by ferry, or by taking the longer route up river where they could ford the river. Instead of waiting to know which route the British would take, it was felt that it would be better to make sure the warning got out as quickly as possible. That’s why Dawes left before Paul Revere had the lanterns hoisted in Boston.

The reason the British were planning their surprise incursion to Concord was two fold. On the way to Concord, they were hoped to capture colonial insurgents Sam Adams and John Hancock who were thought to be in Lexington. The British also suspected a large cache of arms were in Concord.

Before the exact route was determined, Dawes took off by horseback took the longer route the British would take and once Paul Revere learned the exact route, he took the shorter route, being ferried in a small rowboat across the mouth of the Charles River. And then together with Dr. Samuel Prescott, the two rode to Lexington and then planned on then going to Concord.

Revere and Prescott arrived in Lexington just before midnight and Dawes arrived less than an hour later. Having warned Adams and Hancock in Lexington, Revere, Dawes and Prescott rode on to Concord warning colonials along the way. The 3 men took turns stopping to relay the message farmers. While Dawes was stopped at one house to give his warning, Revere and Prescott rode ahead and ran into a British patrol. They were stopped, but Prescott escaped and went on. As Dawes caught up with the men he spotted the patrol and rode around them and on to Concord as did Prescott. Revere’s horse was confiscated by the British and he walked back to Lexington to join Adams and Hancock as they prepared to depart.

The following day, April 19, about 70 British troops marched into Lexington. Thanks to the warning of Paul Revere and Charles Dawes, 38 colonial militia from around the area had been warned and were ready, armed with muskets and squirrel guns on Lexington Commons. Eight colonial militia were killed during this confrontation before the militia could disperse when the firing started. After this brief encounter a smaller group of British regulars went on to Concord. Those that remained in Lexington began rounding up the militia and looking for Adams and Hancock.

When the British arrived in Concord, they were faced with an entirely different confrontation than they arrived in Lexington. Instead of a few militia facing them, they saw 500 militia. Gun fire erupted briefly at the North Bridge resulting in a number of casualties. The British regulars, greatly outnumbered, began a withdrawal. As the British troops retraced their steps back to Lexington, the Massachusetts militia dogged them with periodic engagements and caused many casualties among the British.

On this day in Marietta Ohio, in 1865, Charles Gates Dawes was born to Rufus and Mary Beman Gates Dawes becoming the great-great-grandson of William Dawes. As an adult, Charles Dawes would later win the Nobel Peace Prize for working on reparations of Germany after World War I. Charles would later become an ambassador to Great Britain, after he first served as Vice President of the United States under Calvin Coolidge. Charles Dawes also had a younger brother names Beaman Dawes, the man who liked to collect trees from around the country and plant them on his property just south of Newark, Ohio. His little farm in Licking County would later become the world famous Dawes Arboretum.

August 19: Bubs the printer is born

By John Merrill

It was on this day in 1871 that Bubs was born in Dayton, Ohio. He would be the sixth of seven children for Rev. Milton and his wife Susan.

Throughout his life Bubs had an intense desire to learn and discover, yet he never graduated from high school. It wasn’t because he was stupid or didn’t care, he did care, but having already decided on his life’s work, he didn’t feel it necessary to have a simple piece of paper to succeed. He had decided he wanted to be a printer, but not just a printer, he wanted to be a publisher.

Even before his high school days were over, Bubs had started a printing business with Ed Sines, a classmate and friend who already owned a small printing press and enough type to set a full page folio.
While not specifically detailed, I’m sure Bubs got the printing bug when as a young boy he would visit his father’s office was located above a local print shop that had a large steam powered press.

During his summer vacation, Bubs got a job in a local print shop cleaning up the shop and helping wipe down the presses between runs. What he was actually doing was picking up the techniques of the printing trade– learning the jargon, learning the tools of setting justified type and running proofs. These summer months working there were invaluable to him and helped set him on the right course.

By the time Bubs was sixteen, he was ready to expand his joint venture with Ed. Bubs thought a new press was in order along with more type fonts that would greatly expand the print shop’s capabilities, but Ed wasn’t interested in expanding their business. So instead of expanding their venture. Bubs bought out his friend’s interest and then hired him to help.

To do what he wanted to do, Bubs realized he needed more help. He couldn’t do the sales work, write the stories, set the type and run the press. What he could do was convince his older brother Ullam to join him. Bubs told him that he could be the Editor and Bubs would be the Publisher.
When a seasoned printer visited Bubs’ father, Milton, he took a look at the press Bubs had put together in the backyard shed. The printer agreed with Milton that the press works, but he couldn’t see how it worked.

That printing press was made out of odds and ends Bubs had found including a discarded tombstone that was used as the printing press bed. Once all the type was locked in and inked, the press could produce 1,000 sheets an hour.

With his printing equipment all set, the two boys began selling subscriptions and advertising. They generated enough revenue they could afford a small office. This was the beginning of a partnership that would last all their lives.

Several years later they decided to expand their business to include a manufacturing bicycles. They moved into a new building where they could do the printing on the second floor and manufacture and sell bicycles on the first floor.

In 1899 they decided to change directions entirely and they stopped the presses for good and concentrate on the bicycle shop. They also began investigating the world’s accumulated knowledge on what the two brothers would become best known: being the first men to build and fly a heavier that air machine.

Orville “Bubs” Wright and his older brother Wilbur “Ullam” Wright. To their friends they were just Will and Orv, but to their family they were known as Ullam and Bubs, the two brothers from Dayton that changed the world.

Read more about the brothers >>

August 14: A Star is Born

By John Merrill

On this day Judith Ann Berry gave birth to a beautiful daughter she named Ann. Ann’s father was a hospital attendant and her mother a psychiatric nurse in Cleveland. Little did they know that their beautiful little girl would go on to become one of the world’s most stunning actresses.

While attending Bedford High School, Ann becomes an editor on the school newspaper. With this experience she decides that maybe a career in journalism would be good. But then, she becomes captain of the cheer leading squad, and then in her senior year she is elected class president and homecoming queen.

When Ann turned 17 she represented Ohio in the Miss Teen All-American Pageant. The next year she again represented Ohio in the Miss USA Pageant and later that year she would be a finalist in the Miss World competition. She attended Cleveland’s Cuyahoga Community College. In 2001 she would become the first African American to win an Academy Award. On this day in 1966, her parents gave her a name we all know today: Halle Ann Berry. Happy B-Day Halle!

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