Rerun: Presidential Fun Facts

These were originally run on the old site. After the extended, you'll find Coolidge, the Adams family, and Coolidge again.

Calvin Coolidge, President 1923-1929.

Americans respected the views of the shy, silent Coolidge. His reputation for wisdom was based on his common sense and dry wit. He issued few unnecessary public statements and rarely wasted a word.

"If you don't say anything, you won't be called upon to repeat it." -Calvin Coolidge.
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In-breeding in the Adams family.

President John Adams married his third cousin, Abigail. President John Quincy Adams was their oldest son. John Quincy Adams's son, John Adams II, married his first cousin. They had a daughter, Mary Louisa Adams. Mary Louisa Adams married her cousin, who was descended from President John Adams. Both bride and groom were descendants of President John Adams, but only the bride was descended from John Quincy Adams. This was the first marriage of descendants from two Presidents.

There will be a quiz tomorrow, so try to keep that all straight. ;-) _______________________________________________________

Calvin Coolidge, President 1923-1929.

During President Coolidge's White House stay, the nation was saddened as his son Calvin, Jr. slowly died of blood poisoning.

One day a Secret Service agent noticed a young boy standing outside the White House, his sad face pressed against the fence. The agent asked the boy what he wanted. To see the president, was the reply. "I wanted to tell him how sorry I am that his little boy died."

The agent brought the boy inside to meet President Coolidge and, since the boy was too overcome with emotion to speak, delivered his message for him.

Coolidge also couldn't speak for a moment, but afterward he told the agent, "Whenever a boy wants to see me always bring him in. Never turn one away or make him wait."

Posted by Jennifer at July 7, 2004 09:00 AM

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