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Zachary Taylor was born on November 24, 1784 near
Barboursville, Virginia. His father was Lieutenant Colonel
Richard Taylor and his mother was Sarah Dabney Strother
Taylor. He
received no formal education. He served as our nation’s 12th
President from March 4, 1849 to July 9, 1850.
General Taylor was a military man. He was elected to the
Presidency on the heels of his victory in The Mexican-American
War of 1846-1848. His nickname was “Old Rough and Ready.”
His election on November 7, 1848 marked the first time that a
Presidential election was held on the same day in every state.
President Taylor kept his horse, “Whitey,” on The White
House lawn. Visitors often took home horsehairs as souvenirs.
General Taylor married Margaret Mackall Smith in 1810. They
had six children: Ann, Sarah, Octavia, Margaret, Mary and
Richard. He held no other governmental positions prior to
becoming President. His entire career was spent as a soldier.
He moved around so much, while in the army, that he
never established an official residence and never voted in any
election (including his own) until he was 62. He always
refused delivery of “Postage Due” mail. Because of this,
he didn’t find out that he had been nominated for President
for several days afterward.
President Zachary Taylor died in office on July 9, 1850 in
Washington, D.C. The cause of his death was gastroenteritis. |
