William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was an American politician, the 27th President of the United States, and the 10th Chief Justice of the United States. He was the only person in history to have led both the Executive and Judicial branches of the United States government, and the last President to hold public office after his term ended. A Republican, Taft served as Secretary of War, federal judge for the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Governor-General of the Philippines before being nominated for president in the 1908 Republican National Convention with the backing of his predecessor and close friend Theodore Roosevelt.

Chief Justiceship

From 1921 until 1930, Taft served on the Supreme Court as Chief Justice of the United States. He was the only President to do so, and thus the only former president to swear in future presidents. He gave the oath of office to both Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. In an effort to make the Court work more efficiently, he advocated passage of the 1925 Judges Act enabling the Supreme Court to give precedence to cases of national importance.

Related Topics:
1921 - 1930 - Supreme Court - Chief Justice of the United States - Calvin Coolidge - Herbert Hoover - 1925 - Judges Act

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taft retired as chief justice on February 3, 1930, due to ill health. He died 33 days later on Saturday March 8. During the last summer of his life, Taft weighed about 244 pounds, one pound more than his average weight in college. Three days later, on March 11, he became the first American president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Helen, was reported to have said that his service as Secretary of War was what qualified him for burial there while, in fact, anyone who serves as president and thus Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces is entitled to burial at Arlington. He is one of two presidents (the other being John F. Kennedy) and one of four chief justices buried at Arlington (the others being Earl Warren, Warren Burger, and William Rehnquist).

Related Topics:
February 3 - 1930 - March 8 - March 11 - Arlington National Cemetery - Helen - Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces - John F. Kennedy - Earl Warren - Warren Burger - William Rehnquist

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A third generation of the Taft family entered the national political stage in 1938. The former president's oldest son, Robert A. Taft I, was elected to the United States Senate. A vociferous critic of the New Deal, Robert Taft was a Republican leader in the Senate from 1939-1953. His other son, Charles Phelps Taft II served as mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1955 to 1957. Two more generations of the Taft family later entered politics. The President's grandson, Robert Taft Jr., served a term as a Senator from Ohio from 1971-1977; the President's great-grandson, Robert A. Taft II, is the current Governor of Ohio. William Howard Taft III was U.S. ambassador to Ireland. William Howard Taft IV is a high official in the United States Department of State.

Related Topics:
1938 - Robert A. Taft I - United States Senate - New Deal - 1939 - 1953 - Charles Phelps Taft II - Cincinnati, Ohio - 1955 - 1957 - Robert Taft Jr. - Senator - 1971 - 1977 - Robert A. Taft II - Governor of Ohio - William Howard Taft III - Ambassador - Ireland - William Howard Taft IV - United States Department of State

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~