This Presidents' Day, Grab a Razor
Have you ever had your portrait painted?
Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. Grab your razor for this one—it may require a close shave.
Only five U.S. presidents have had beards, most recently Benjamin Harrison in 1893.
When I was in third grade, my teacher said she was going to quiz us on the U.S. presidents and their terms. I memorized those things like my life depended on it. To this day, I can still rattle ‘em off.
For example, John Tyler: 1841-1845. William McKinley? He was a classic 1897-1901er.
It turns out I had misheard the directions, and the quiz was merely “name any five U.S. presidents.” Oops. Much easier to do.
(Side note: George Washington died on December 14, 1799. I wonder if he and Martha were planning some kind of raucous end of the century New Year’s Eve bash).
Back then, becoming president of anything seemed like a big deal. Heck, I even reluctantly accepted a student council job in fifth grade, winning by one vote over my friend (who I voted for. Sorry that wasn’t enough, Adam). And that didn’t even have a presidential title tied to it.
Now, the current administration seems to be actively attempting to drive the United States into the ground while also spending time doing things like criticizing Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show because there wasn’t enough English in it.
What I didn’t do in third grade was memorize which presidents had facial hair. I’m sure my teacher would have been mighty impressed if my five presidents were the ones with beards.
Since none of us were alive in the 1890s (and if you were, please let us know your immortal secrets), let’s head back in time.
From 1889 to 1893, Benjamin Harrison was the U.S. president, the 23rd to be exact. He was proud to have lasted longer in office than his grandfather, William Henry Harrison did.
Granted, ol’ Willie Henry was president for exactly one month before dying of septic shock, possibly spurred on by complications from pneumonia, since he frequently went out in cold weather without a coat or a hat.
Perhaps learning from his grandfather, Benjamin Harrison made sure to always leave the house with warm layers on. Or at least one warm layer in the form of a beard.
If someone asked you to name ten U.S. presidents, I imagine Benjamin Harrison would not be among your list. So, here are three things he did while in office:
He brought six new states into the union: North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming. No other U.S. president has admitted as many states during their presidency.
He offered support to and expanded the U.S. Navy from three modern steel war ships to 22.
He took 13 million acres of public domain land and put it toward national forest reserves.
Arguably the most notable accomplishment is that he’s the most recent U.S. president who sported a beard.
I am tickled by this Wikipedia page that breaks down presidential facial hair. Sure, guys like John Quincy Adams and Martin Van Buren had absurd sideburns, but we’ve only got a quintet of beards:
Abraham Lincoln (16th president): 1861-1865
Ulysses S. Grant (18th president): 1869-1877
Rutherford B. Hayes (19th president): 1877-1881
James A. Garfield (20th president): 1881
Benjamin Harrison (23rd president): 1889-1893
Is it morbid to point out that two of these presidents (Lincoln and Garfield) were assassinated in office?
Maybe a better note to end on is Ulysses S. Grant’s last words, or word, in this case: “Water.”
He was requesting some in his situation, but it’s also a good command. Remember to hydrate, this weekend.