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Stephen Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. He was the fifth of nine children born to Yale-educated Presbyterian minister, Richard Falley Cleveland and his wife Anne Neal Cleveland.
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Father died when he was 16, meaning he had to forego college and get a job to support his brothers and sisters. He worked with his older brother in New York City and then as a clerk and part-time law student in Buffalo, NY.
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Although he'd never been to college, he was admitted to the bar at age 22.
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Avoided going into service by paying another man to be his substitute
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Was repealed after Cleveland challenges its constitutionality. The act had required that the President gain Senate approval to remove from office any individuals who had received Senate confirmation upon appointment. Congress had passed the bill in order gain control over President Andrew Johnson.
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Fun Fact!- Met Franklin D Roosevelt when he was just five years old and reportedly said, "My little man, I am making a strange wish for you. It is that you may never be President of the United States."
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During his presidency he pushed two legislative initiatives, the repeal of the Bland-Allison Silver Purchase Act of 1878 and tariff reduction
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Cleveland, 1st democrat elected after the Civil War, was the first president to deliver his inaugural address without notes. He is the only president at this point to serve two inconsecutive terms. Historians tend to see him as an essential preface to modern presidencies. For this term, his vice president was Thomas A. Hendricks. As President, he made $50,000 annually. He was 48 when inaugurated.
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Major World Event
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Francis Folsom, also known as Frankie, was 27 years Grover's junior, and 21 years of age at the time of marriage. She was a college graduate who spoke 3 languages, played piano, and was an avid reader. She avoided controversial topics and quietly supported women's suffrage. Together they had five children.
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Major U.S Event. As President Cleveland accepted the statue on behalf of American citizens, he declared "we will not forget that liberty here made her home; nor shall her chosen altar be neglected." (Primary Source) Fun Fact!- his pets included a poodle, canaries and mockingbirds
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Grover signs a bill admitting North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Montana as states. Major U.S Event Fun Fact!- He enjoyed fishing
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Major World Event
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Five children were born to Grover and Francis. Ruth (1881-1904), died of diptheria. It's rumored that the candy bar, "Baby Ruth", was named in honor of her. Esther (1893-1980), only child born in the White House. Marion (1895-1977), was a major supporter of the Girl Scouts, Richard (1897-1974), was a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School, a marine officer in World War I and a lawyer at a firm in Baltimore. Francis (1903-?) He also had an illegitimate child, Oscar with Maria Crofts Halpin
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"It is a plain dictate of honesty and good government that public expenditures should be limited by public necessity"
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Cleveland faced an small depression. He dealt directly with Treasury crisis rather than with business failures, farm mortgage foreclosures, and unemployment. He obtained repeal of the mildly inflationary Sherman Silver Purchase Act and, with the aid of Wall Street, maintained the Treasury's gold reserve. His VP was Adlai E. Stevenson. Grover Fun Fact!- Cleveland used his veto power a record 584 times.
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The operation took place on a private yacht on it's way to the President's summer home. Despite all the care taken to prevent publicity, the story broke on August 29th. It was firmly denied and they claimed that the President had had a bad tooth extracted
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Major World Event
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Stipulating that Cleveland should be its incumbent as long as he lived. The job was accepted and he lectured once or twice each year before capacity audiences on campus on such subjects as "The Independence of the Executive,'' "The Venezuelan Boundary Controversy,'' and "Government in the Chicago Strike.''
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Became active in the affairs of Princeton University as a lecturer in public affairs and as a trustee
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Played an active part in University Affairs, paid very close attention to detail. He thought it a "very serious thing to be a trustee of Princeton" Fun Fact!- His nickname was Uncle Jumbo and Big Steve
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Presidential Problems (1904)
Fishing and Hunting Sketches (1906) -
Grover died of gastro-intestinal disease complicated by an ailment of the heart and kidneys. Funeral was attended by family, President Roosevelt, other political heads and Princeton friends. He was summarized as the "Happy Warrior". He was 71. He remains to be the most conservative Democrat to have occupied the White House since the Civil War. His risk factors included smoking, gout, obesity and depression.
