William Howard Taft

This c. 1910 portrait of William Howard Taft by William Valentine Schevill hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC.

"William Howard Taft would have much preferred it if his White House predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt, had appointed him to the Supreme Court. But Roosevelt had other plans for this man who had been one of his most trusted advisers. In November 1908, the good-natured Taft found himsetf elected to the presidency as Roosevelt's hand-picked successor.

In many respects, Taft's administration continued Roosevett's progressive reforms that sought to monitor the nation's economic life. But many of Taft's old allies questioned the sincerity of his commitment and ultimately regarded him as a betrayer of the Roosevelt legacy. As a result, in Taft's bid for reelection ih 1912, he faced a challenge not only from Democratic hopeful Woodrow Wilson but also the third-party presidential candidacy of the man who had put him in the White House, Theodore Roosevelt. In the three-way contest, Taft came in a distant third." -- National Portrait Gallery

This 1909 Harris and Ewing photo of Taft speaking on the Telephone resides in the Library of Congress.

And this image of Taft appeared in the Audubon Republican,  March 4, 1909.

After Taft's death on March 8, 1930 his face appeared on a 4 cent stamp issued on June of that year.. (Wikipedia)

Although the rumor that Taft once got stuck in the White House bathtub is false, Taft was the last president to sport facial hair.

"Good Times"

 

Taft and his wife Hellen are buried  in Arlington National Cemetery.

William Howard

Taft

1857 - 1930

President

of the

United States

---

Chief Justice

of the

United States

His wife

Helen Herron

1801 - 1943