Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat to be elected as president after the Civil War.  He was a single man when he was elected his first term, and he became the first president to be wed in the White House. Frances Folsom was twenty seven years younger than her husband when they were wed.  Grover Cleveland was not only the first to be married in the White House, but the first to have children while in office.  The Baby Ruth candy bar is named for one of his children.

The Cleveland Wedding

When Grover Cleveland was accused of fathering a child out of wedlock, he immediately admitted that the accusation was true.  He also admitted that he had paid a substitute to take his place in the Civil War.  

"What is the use of being elected or reelected unless you stand for something?" was Grover Cleveland's response to being warned, that if he should fight for lower tariffs, it could cost him the election of 1888.  Benjamin Harrison was his successor in the Electoral College, even though Cleveland won the popular vote of over 90,000 votes.  However, he failed to win the votes of his home state, New York.  

"As president, he signed the Indian Emancipation Act, established the Departments of Agriculture and of Labor, lowered tariffs, and successfully defended the gold standard." -Digital History.