By Cam Rodgers, Bucyrus High School Freshman

William H. Taft was the 27th President of the United States and the sixth president to come from Ohio. He was born on September 15, 1857, in the Mount Auburn section of Cincinnati, Ohio.

His parents were Alphonso Taft and Louise Torrey. He had a large, close-knit family with five siblings. William, also known as “Big Bill,” struggled with anxiety, worrying that he would not meet his parents’ expectations. Some believe this anxiety contributed to his weight struggles.

In his youth, Taft played sports and even took dance lessons. He loved baseball and was a second baseman and power hitter. He graduated second in his class from Woodward High School in Cincinnati in 1874, earning an impressive GPA of 91.5/100. He then attended Yale University, where he focused on academics rather than sports, graduating second in his class out of 132 students. Afterward, he studied law at the University of Cincinnati Law School while working part-time as a courthouse reporter for the Cincinnati Commercial. He passed the bar exam in May 1880.

Taft met Helen “Nellie” Herron at a bobsledding party in the late 1870s, and they later married on June 19, 1886. They had three children: Robert, Helen, and Charles.

Taft was the Republican nominee handpicked by President Theodore Roosevelt to be his successor. He defeated Democratic nominee William Jennings Bryan and was inaugurated on March 4, 1909. He served only one term, leaving office on March 4, 1913.

Highlights of Taft’s Presidency:

• New Mexico and Arizona became states.
• He advocated for an annual federal budget.
• He signed the Panama Canal Act, ensuring U.S. control over toll policies.
• The Titanic disaster occurred on April 14, 1912, and Taft lost a key aide, Major Archibald Butt, in the tragedy.
• His Vice President, James Sherman, passed away on October 30, 1912.

First Lady Nellie Taft played a key role in Washington, D.C.’s landscape by planting the famous cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Potomac Park. The trees were a gift from Japan to symbolize international friendship. Today, the National Cherry Blossom Festival continues this legacy, with the 2025 festival set for March 20 — April 13.

On November 5, 1912, Taft lost his re-election bid to Woodrow Wilson. After leaving the presidency, he later became Chief Justice of the United States, the only former president to hold that position.

Taft passed away on March 8, 1930, from heart disease, high blood pressure, and inflammation of the bladder. His funeral was the first presidential funeral to be broadcast on the radio. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery alongside his wife, Nellie.