William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States from 1909 to 1913 and the tenth chief justice of the United States from 1921 to 1930. He is the only person to have held both of these important jobs.

Taft was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He studied at Yale and later became a lawyer. He held many positions, including solicitor general and a judge. In 1908, with help from President Theodore Roosevelt, Taft became president after defeating William Jennings Bryan.

As president, Taft worked on issues in East Asia and Latin America. However, his time in office had many disagreements within his party. He did not win re-election in 1912 and left office.

After his presidency, Taft returned to teaching and worked for peace. In 1921, he became chief justice, a role he had always wanted. He served until his health failed in 1930. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, the first president and first Supreme Court justice to be honored there.

Early life and education

William Howard Taft was born on September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Alphonso Taft and Louise Torrey. His family lived in a suburb called Mount Auburn. His father was a judge and had important government jobs.

William worked very hard, even though he wasn't the smartest child. His parents encouraged him and his four brothers to do their best. He went to Woodward High School and later Yale College, where he became popular and won a wrestling competition. He finished second in his class of 121 students in 1878. He then went to Cincinnati Law School and earned a law degree in 1880. While in school, he worked at a newspaper and learned more about law by working with his father. He passed the bar examination easily before he finished his studies.

Rise in government (1880–1908)

Ohio lawyer and judge

After becoming a lawyer in Ohio, Taft worked for a company. He later became an assistant prosecutor for Hamilton County, Ohio, where Cincinnati is located. He served in this role for a year before becoming the Collector of Internal Revenue for Ohio’s First District. He resigned to start his own law practice in Cincinnati. In 1887, he was appointed to the Superior Court of Cincinnati and was later elected to a five-year term.

Solicitor General

In 1890, Taft became the Solicitor General of the United States. In this role, he introduced a new policy where the U.S. government would admit when it had won a case in a lower court but thought it should have lost. This policy is still used today.

Federal judge

Taft became a federal judge, a position that allowed him to hear trials and appeals. During this time, he also taught law and supported workers’ rights to organize.

Philippine years

In 1900, Taft was asked to help organize a civilian government in the Philippines. He became the head of the commission and later the civilian governor. His goal was to help the Filipinos move toward self-government. He worked to treat Filipinos fairly.

Secretary of War

In 1904, Taft became Secretary of War. In this role, he continued to oversee affairs in the Philippines and helped with the building of the Panama Canal. He also served as Provisional Governor of Cuba for a short time in 1906 to help bring stability to the country.

Presidential election of 1908

See also: 1908 United States presidential election

Roosevelt had served almost three and a half years of McKinley's term. After being elected in 1904, Roosevelt said he would not run again in 1908. Roosevelt thought Taft was the best person to follow him. He used his power in the party to help Taft.

Taft's opponent was William Jennings Bryan. Taft agreed with most of Roosevelt's ideas. Taft won the election easily, getting 321 electoral votes to Bryan's 162.

Presidency (1909–1913)

Main article: Presidency of William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft became the 27th president of the United States in 1909. He started his job on March 4, 1909, after bad weather stopped the usual outdoor ceremony. In his speech, Taft talked about keeping the good work started by the president before him. He also talked about fair business rules, lowering taxes, and helping the Philippines become more independent.

Taft’s wife, Nellie, had health problems early in his time as president. She had a medical issue that made it hard for her to move and speak. Taft helped her every day, and she got better over the next year.

As president, Taft worked to organize the government’s foreign affairs department. He believed in using talks to support trade and peace. However, some of his plans, like new treaties with Britain and France, did not happen because of disagreements in the Senate.

At home, Taft continued efforts to control big businesses. He brought many lawsuits to stop unfair business practices. He also had disagreements in his party, especially after his predecessor returned and began criticizing Taft’s leadership. These disagreements led to a big split in the party during the 1912 election, which Taft lost.

Return to Yale (1913–1921)

After leaving the White House, William Howard Taft returned to teaching at Yale Law School. He became the Kent Professor of Law and Legal History in 1913. Instead of regular classes, he gave lectures about government. He also made money by giving speeches and writing articles.

During this time, Taft supported many important causes. He helped build the Lincoln Memorial and served as president of the American Bar Association. He also worked with groups trying to keep peace between countries. Taft believed in supporting the United States during World War I and joined the American Red Cross to help people affected by the war.

Chief Justice (1921–1930)

William Howard Taft became the Chief Justice of the United States in 1921. He was the only person to have been both President and Chief Justice. He was chosen for this job after the previous Chief Justice passed away.

As Chief Justice, Taft led the Supreme Court in important decisions about laws and government powers. His court often supported state laws and limited what the federal government could do. Taft also worked to improve how the courts operated. He pushed for more judges and better organization. He started efforts to give the Supreme Court its own building, but it wasn’t finished until after he passed away.

Declining health and death

William Howard Taft was one of the heaviest presidents. He was about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed around 335–340 pounds when he left office, but by 1929 his weight had dropped to about 244 pounds.

When Taft became the chief justice of the United States in 1921, his health began to get worse. He walked 3 miles each day from his home to the Capitol building to stay active. He followed a special diet plan and kept records of his weight, food, and exercise.

As time went on, Taft’s health kept getting worse. He was worried that if he stepped down, someone he didn’t agree with would take his place. Even so, he kept working until he could no longer. He passed away at his home in Washington, D.C., on March 8, 1930, at the age of 72. He was honored with a special ceremony at the United States Capitol and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, becoming the first president and first Supreme Court member to be laid to rest there.

Legacy and historical view

Some people think William Howard Taft did not get enough credit for his work. He worked on many important issues, even though he did not talk to reporters much. Because of this, many stories focus on his size or his face, instead of his achievements.

After his time as president, Taft became a chief justice, which many think he did very well. He helped improve how the court worked. Historians often place him in the middle among U.S. presidents, similar to James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and McKinley. Some believe he was a smart leader, even if he did not always get the best public attention.

Media

The article includes images and media related to William Howard Taft's life and career. These visuals help show important moments from his time as president and chief justice.