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 easily 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 worked as a judge and held important government jobs.

William wasn't known as the smartest child, but he worked very hard. 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 even 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 full-time 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 from this position 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 full 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. He made several important court decisions that were upheld by higher courts.

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 and without discrimination.

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. On the night of his own election in 1904, Roosevelt publicly declared that he would not run for reelection in 1908. Roosevelt believed Taft was his logical successor. Roosevelt used his control of the party to support Taft.

Taft's opponent in the general election was William Jennings Bryan. Taft supported most of Roosevelt's policies. In the end, Taft won by a comfortable margin, defeating Bryan with 321 electoral votes to 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 was sworn in on March 4, 1909, after a winter storm made the usual outdoor ceremony impossible. In his speech, Taft talked about continuing the good work started by his predecessor and making sure fair business practices were kept. He also mentioned lowering taxes and helping the Philippines become more independent.

Taft’s wife, Nellie, faced health problems early in his term. She had a serious medical issue that left her with limited movement and speech. Taft spent time each day helping her recover, and she gradually improved over the next year.

As president, Taft focused on organizing the government’s foreign affairs department to better handle international relations. He believed in using diplomacy to support trade and peace. However, some of his plans, like new treaties with Britain and France, didn’t pass because of disagreements in the Senate.

Domestically, Taft continued efforts to regulate big businesses, bringing many lawsuits to break up unfair business practices. He also dealt with disagreements within his party, especially after his predecessor returned from a trip and began criticizing Taft’s leadership. These conflicts led to a big split in the party during the 1912 election, which Taft ultimately lost.

Return to Yale (1913–1921)

After leaving the White House, William Howard Taft decided to return to teaching at Yale Law School. He became the Kent Professor of Law and Legal History there in 1913. Instead of teaching a regular class, he gave a series of lectures on government topics. He also earned money by giving speeches and writing articles.

During this time, Taft supported many important causes. He helped with the building of the Lincoln Memorial and served as president of the American Bar Association. He also worked with groups that aimed to keep peace between countries. Taft believed strongly in supporting the United States during World War I and took an active role in war efforts, including joining the American Red Cross to help those affected by the war.

Chief Justice (1921–1930)

William Howard Taft became the Chief Justice of the United States in 1921, making him the only person to have served as both President and Chief Justice. He was chosen for this role 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, pushing for more judges and better organization to handle the growing number of cases. He started efforts to give the Supreme Court its own building, though it wasn’t completed until after he passed away.

Declining health and death

William Howard Taft was known for being one of the heaviest presidents. He stood about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed around 335–340 pounds by the end of his time as president, though 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 started walking 3 miles each day from his home to the Capitol building to stay active. He followed a special diet plan and kept careful 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.