- Title
- William Howard Taft Biography: 4 Years as President and 9 Years as Chief Justice
- Meta description
- William Howard Taft biography covers his birth on September 15, 1857, his Yale education, his presidency from 1909 to 1913, and his tenure as chief justice from 1921 to 1930.
Who Was William Howard Taft?
William Howard Taft was the 27th president of the United States and the 10th chief justice of the United States. He is the only person to have served in both offices. He served as president from 1909 to 1913 and as chief justice from 1921 to 1930.
When and Where Was William Howard Taft Born?
William Howard Taft was born on September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents were Alphonso Taft and Louisa Maria Torrey. His father served as attorney general under President Ulysses Grant.
What Education Did William Howard Taft Receive?
Taft graduated from Yale University in 1878 and from Cincinnati Law School in 1880. He graduated second in his class at Woodward High School in Cincinnati in 1874. He also graduated second in his Yale class. At Yale he joined Skull and Bones, a society his father helped found. He passed the bar in May 1880.
What Was William Howard Taft’s Early Legal Career?
Taft held 4 judicial and academic posts in Cincinnati and Washington before 1900:
- Judge of the Ohio superior court (1887 to 1890)
- Solicitor General of the United States (named by President Benjamin Harrison in February 1890)
- Judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (appointed at age 34)
- Dean and professor of law at the University of Cincinnati (1896 to 1900)
What Did William Howard Taft Do in the Philippines and the Roosevelt Cabinet?
President William McKinley appointed Taft governor-general of the Philippines in 1900. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him Secretary of War in 1904. One of his main assignments was supervising construction of the Panama Canal. He twice refused Roosevelt’s offer of a Supreme Court seat.
How Did William Howard Taft Become President?
Taft won the 1908 election as the Republican nominee and defeated William Jennings Bryan. His family and Roosevelt persuaded him to accept the nomination. His term ran from March 4, 1909, to March 4, 1913.
What Did William Howard Taft Accomplish as President?
Taft’s presidency produced 4 notable actions, according to the Miller Center and a Dutch university’s presidential biography:
- Dissolving Standard Oil in 1911 (his administration brought more antitrust cases than Roosevelt’s)
- Instituting an eight-hour day for federal employees
- Supporting the Sixteenth Amendment, which allowed the income tax and was ratified in 1913
- Promoting Dollar Diplomacy, his method for developing the economies of Latin America and Asia
His support for the 1909 Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act broke a campaign promise to lower tariffs and angered progressive Republicans.
Why Did William Howard Taft Lose the 1912 Election?
Taft lost in 1912 because the Republican Party split between him and Theodore Roosevelt. Conservatives controlled the 1912 convention and renominated Taft, so Roosevelt’s progressive supporters formed the Progressive, or Bull Moose, Party. The 1912 election became a three-way race. The split assured the election of Woodrow Wilson.
What Did William Howard Taft Do After the Presidency?
Taft served as Kent Professor of Constitutional Law at Yale from 1913 to 1921.
What Did William Howard Taft Do as Chief Justice?
Taft served as chief justice from 1921 to 1930 and led 3 court reforms. President Warren Harding nominated him in June 1921, and the Senate confirmed him with 4 negative votes. His reforms were:
- The Judges Act of 1922, the first major reform of the federal judiciary since 1789
- The Judiciary Act of 1925, the result of his work on administrative reform of the court
- The construction of the Supreme Court Building, designed by architect Cass Gilbert
Taft was conservative on business issues, and individual rights advanced under his court. He wrote that he did not remember ever being president, and he treated the chief justice appointment as his greatest honor.
Who Was William Howard Taft’s Family?
Taft married Helen Herron in 1886. Their children were Robert, Helen, and Charles. Helen “Nellie” Taft encouraged him to pursue higher office.
When and How Did William Howard Taft Die?
William Howard Taft died on March 8, 1930. He remained chief justice until a month before his death. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, the first president and first Supreme Court justice buried there.
What Is the Timeline of William Howard Taft’s Life?
The table lists 13 events in William Howard Taft’s life by year.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1857 | Born on September 15 in Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 1878 | Graduated from Yale University |
| 1880 | Graduated from Cincinnati Law School |
| 1886 | Married Helen Herron |
| 1887 | Named to the Ohio superior court |
| 1890 | Named Solicitor General |
| 1900 | Appointed governor-general of the Philippines |
| 1904 | Appointed Secretary of War |
| 1909 | Inaugurated as the 27th president on March 4 |
| 1912 | Lost re-election to Woodrow Wilson |
| 1913 | Became Kent Professor of Constitutional Law at Yale |
| 1921 | Appointed chief justice by Warren Harding |
| 1930 | Died on March 8 |
People Also Ask
Was William Howard Taft both president and chief justice?
Yes, William Howard Taft is the only person to have served as both U.S. president and chief justice.
Who appointed William Howard Taft chief justice?
President Warren G. Harding appointed William Howard Taft chief justice in 1921.
Why did William Howard Taft lose the 1912 election?
Theodore Roosevelt’s Bull Moose candidacy split the Republican vote and assured Woodrow Wilson’s victory.
Where is William Howard Taft buried?
William Howard Taft is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
What Is the Summary of William Howard Taft’s Biography?
William Howard Taft was born on September 15, 1857, in Cincinnati, graduated from Yale in 1878, and became the 27th president, serving from 1909 to 1913. He served as the 10th chief justice from 1921 to 1930. He died on March 8, 1930, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources: White House Historical Association; Miller Center; National Park Service; Ohio Supreme Court; Biography.com; University of Groningen presidential biographies; Ballotpedia; Wikipedia.