Stephen Grover Cleveland (1837-1908)

Figure 1.--Political campaigns were major events in the 19h century. Without modern mass media, there were fewer diversions at the time. Thus political campaigns became important social events with more real "upla" than today. This boy was involved in a band involved in the campaign.

President Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th presidents of the United States. He is one of the most highly regarded presidents. He was honest and corageous. He vetoed more bills than all other presidents combined up to that time, even more than Andrew Jackson who was noted for his vetos. He fought for needed reforms when other presidents of the era refrained from major iniatives. He was the First Democrat elected after the Civil War, causing great concern among blacks in the South. He was only president to be married in the White House to Frances Folsom in 1886--and the first to have a child born in the White House, in 1893, just as he was leaving office. He was also the only President to leave the White House and return for a second term 4 years later. His second term was marred by one of the worst depressions in American history.

Parents

Grover was one of nine children of a Presbyterian minister, Richard Cleveland. His mother was Anne who came from an affluent southernn family. Shr had to tone her life style down when she mairred Richard. His father was a well educated man, graduating from Harvard. Some of his partioners, however, criticised his sermons.

Childhood

Grover was born in New Jersey in 1837. He was raised in upstate New York.

Stephen, the fifth of nine children, was named after Stephen Grover, whose church Stephen's father, Richard Falley Cleveland, had recently taken over. Stephen was very adventuresome in his early years. Once, when he was four years old he ran into the road and fell under the wheels of a horse drawn apple cart. Luckily a school teacher happened to be passing by and saved our future president. Grover's first name was Stephen, but a lot of the Cleveland children were called by their middle name. Grover's renowned honesty probably came from his upbrining as well as his work ethic. He worked to support the family when his father died. He did not, however, ever join the Church himself.

When Stephen was five his family moved to Fayetteville, New York, ( a small farming community near the Erie Canal) where his father preached at a local church. When Stephen was growing up he had to memorize Bible verses, read books like The Pilgrim's Progress and Shakespeare. Every evening they had a family worship service in their home. Stephen went to school at Fayetteville's district school house, where he was a good student but not brilliant. Stephen decided he didn't like his first name so everybody called him Grover. Grover enjoyed swimming, fishing, and playing pranks like taking the neighbors gate off its hinges or ringing the school bell.

Grover as a boy got up to all kind of high jinks, despite being a pastor's son. Grover and his friends would climb the belfry and ring the church bell at night. They would take off fence gates. He was chubby and round-faced, with blue eyes and sandy hair. By the time he was 13, "Grove" could outswim and out-wrestle most of the other boys of his age. He learned to fish, and that remained his favorite sport all his life. Generally, his childhood was not much different from that of most American boys of his time, although as a minister's son he probably had to attend church more often than most. Like most boys, he sometimes got into mischief. There are stories about Grover's rigging up a device to ring the school bell at midnight, and helping to carry off garden gates on Halloween.

Grover was the 5th of 9th children. His oldest brother was William. Two of his brothers died in a steamship on a trip to the Bahamas where they had realestate interests.

Grover was aprenticed at the age of 14. When Grover was thirteen his family moved to Clinton, New York. Grover went to school at the Clinton Liberal Institute. Grover's father was district secretary for the American Home Missionary Society and made $1,000 a year. That was a lot in the 1850's, but with nine children they still could not pay the bills.

So when Grover was 14 he quit school and got a job as a clerk at the general store back in Fayetteville to help his family. The owner hired Grover as an apprentice for room, board, and one dollar a week. Grover worked long hours in the store, getting up early to sweep and dust the shelves. The room he shared with another young clerk above the store was not heated, so during the winter they were very cold. During the day Grover would wait on customers, run errands, and do odd jobs. His second year at the store the owner doubled his pay to $2 a week. Here he learned something about bookkeeping, and here, too, his true character began to show. The clerks in the Fayetteville stores often entertained each other at ham-and-eggs suppers by filching the refreshments from the stores. Cleveland refused to attend any party unless everything was paid for. This made enemies of some of the clerks. But it was the only honest thing to do, and he was brave enough to do it. Grover realized he had no future at the store so when his apprenticeship contract expired he moved back home to Clinton.

Education

In his early years, Grover attended school in a one-room, one-teacher schoolhouse. However, in 1850 the family moved to Clinton, New York, where Grover attended the Liberal Institute. He was a good student, but more because he worked hard than because he as unusually bright.

Grover wanted to go to College at Hamilton College in Clinton, but when he was 16, in 1853, they had to move to Holland Patent, New York because of financial trouble. Rev. Cleveland had gotten a job as the minister of the Presbyterian Church in Holland Patent. Unfortunately he wasn't minister for very long, because he died suddenly on October 1,1853.

In 1853, when Grover was 16, his father died suddenly. Grover had hoped to go to college to study law, but now, with four young children for Mrs. Cleveland to take care of, there was no money for college. One of his older brothers was a teacher at a school for the blind in New York City, and Grover got a job there as an assistant instructor. But after a year in the school, he made up his mind to go someplace where a young man's chances were better. He decided on the city of Cleveland, Ohio.

Grover decided to forget about college and help his family. Grover's older brother William got him a job at the New York Institute for the Blind, where William was a teacher. There were 116 students at the Institute, ages 12-25. Grover taught writing, arithmetic, and geography. He was unhappy there because the superintendent treated the students like prisoners, if they broke his rules they received whippings and other punishments. After one year Grover quit his job and moved back to Holland Patent.

Grover had always wanted to go west and be a lawyer, so when a wealthy church member offered to pay for Grover's college tuition if he promised to become a minister, Grover thanked him but said no. Instead Grover decided to go to Cleveland, Ohio, because it was founded by a relative.

Career

As a lawyer in Buffalo, he became notable for his single-minded concentration upon whatever task faced him.

He also served as a hangman. He did not want to ask underlings to somehing that he would not due himself.

Political Career

At 44, he emerged into a political prominence that carried him to the White House in 3 years. Running as a reformer, he was elected Mayor of Buffalo in 1881, and later, Governor of New York. He worked with New York legislator Theodore Roosevelt on reform issues.

Election

Cleveland won the Presidency with the combined support of Democrats and reform Republicans, the "Mugwumps," who disliked the record of his opponent James G. Blaine of Maine. As were many elections of the day, it was quite a bitter election. But the campaign may have been the dirtiest election in American history.

Cleveland was accused of fostering an illegitimate child. The Republican campaign slogan was. "Ma, ma, where is pa? Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha." In reality, Cleveland may not have been the father. He accepted responsibility because the other possible fathers were mairred men. The Republicans in their campaign parades would always push a prominent baby cairrage. The Republican candidate, Senator James G. Blaine, the man from Maine, was a devout family man in stark comparison to Cleveland who was a bachelor.

The American Political Scene

American elections from the Civil War to World War I were dominated by the a simple mathematical calculation. The Democrats, once blacks were precented from voting, controlled the solid South. They could thus win the Presidency if they could carry New York and a few other states. Thus the electiins were often settled in New York. The Democratic machine there relied on New York City and particularly appealed to Imigrant grouos like the Irish, Italians, and Jews. Cleveland was thus able to finally win the presidency for the Democrats by winnng in New York.

Presidency

A bachelor, Cleveland was ill at ease at first with all the comforts of the White House. "I must go to dinner," he wrote a friend, "but I wish it was to eat a pickled herring a Swiss cheese and a chop at Louis' instead of the French stuff I shall find." In June 1886 Cleveland married 21-year-old Frances Folsom; he was the only President married in the White House. The White House was a very busy place during Grover Cleveland's first term. He and the first lady would shake hands with as many as 8,000 callers at a New Year's Day reception. Crowds entered through the doors and the East Room windows.

Blacks were very concerned about the eklection of the first democrat since the Civil War. Cleveland was no Civil libritarian, no democratic candidate of the era could be. As Governor he had signed a Civil Rights bill. He made it clear in one of his first speeches at president that he was not going to undo emancipation.

Cleveland vigorously pursued a policy barring special favors to any economic group. Vetoing a bill to appropriate $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, he wrote: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character. . . . "

He also vetoed many private pension bills to Civil War veterans whose claims were fraudulent. When Congress, pressured by the Grand Army of the Republic, passed a bill granting pensions for disabilities not caused by military service, Cleveland vetoed it, too.

He angered the politically powerful railroads by ordering an investigation of western lands they held by Government grant. He forced them to return 81,000,000 acres. He also signed the Interstate Commerce Act, the first law attempting Federal regulation of the railroads.

One of the major issues of the day was the tariff. It was one of the major issues separating democrats and republicans. Clevland didn't want free trade, America had the gighest wage rates in the world, but he did promote tariff reform. In December 1887 he called on Congress to reduce high protective tariffs. Told that he had given Republicans an effective issue for the campaign of 1888, he retorted, "What is the use of being elected or re-elected unless you stand for something?" But Cleveland was defeated in 1888; although he won a larger popular majority than the Republican candidate Benjamin Harrison, he received fewer electoral votes.

Grover was angry about many of the decisions Harrison made while he was president, so he agreed to run for president again, predicting national disaster if things continued as they were. Benjamin Harrison again won the Republican nomination for president, and a new party, called the Populists, nominated James B. Weaver. In October of 1892, first lady Caroline Harrison died, and President Harrison stopped campaigning. Respectfully, Grover also stopped his campaign. Grover won the election, becoming the only President to win two non consecutive terms.

Figure 2.--President Cleveland was the only president to be reelected after having been defeated. Here is boy involved in the second campaign. The boy is unidentified, but we know the portrait was taken in 1892. The cap band clearly reads Cleveland and Stevenson, the Democratic Pary ticket in 1892. What we are not rea;l sure about is if this boy wore a pillboc cap normally or if this was some kind of special campaign cap. Click on the image for an en;asrgement of the cap. What he is resting his arm on I am not quite sure. One reader thinks it may be an accordian.

Elected again in 1892, Cleveland faced an acute depression. He dealt directly with the Treasury crisis rather than with business failures, farm mortgage foreclosures, and unemployment. It was perhaps the most severe depression until the Great Depression of the 1930s. The farm economy in particular was devesta ted. He obtained repeal of the mildly inflationary Sherman Silver Purchase Act and, with the aid of Wall Street, maintained the Treasury's gold reserve.

At the height of the panic of 1893, doctors told Cleveland that he had cancer of the mouth. He went secretly on board a ship, where an operation was performed. He had recovered and was back at work before the country learned that he had been ill.

When railroad strikers in Chicago violated an injunction, Cleveland sent Federal troops to enforce it. "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a post card in Chicago," he thundered, "that card will be delivered."

Cleveland's blunt treatment of the railroad strikers stirred the pride of many Americans. So did the vigorous way in which he forced Great Britain to accept arbitration of a disputed boundary in Venezuela. Cleveland's approach toward the crsis was in part an over reaction. The Republicans described the Democrats as the "Party, of Rum Romanism and Rebellion." The slogan, may in fact have cost the Republicans the election. One aspect of this was British support of the South. Thus Cleveland because of domestic policies reacted very forcefully to Britain.

Cleveland's policies during the depression were generally unpopular. His party deserted him and nominated William Jennings Bryan in 1896. Cleveland's inability to halt the Depression, however, affecte how many viewed the Democrats and Bryan, their standard bearer in the next three elections.

Cleveland was one of the most portly presidents. He weighed 280-300 lb. Only Taft was larger.

After the Presidency

The Clevelands moved to Princeton, New Jersey after leaving the White House. He was acquainted with future Democratic President Woodrow Wilson, but the two did not like each other. Wilson referred to him as "just another Republican". Cleveland died in 1908. While a major figure of his time, Cleveland was largely forgotten in the Republican dominance that followed him. Historians gradually began to reappraise earlt 20th century appraisals of Cleveland. Especially notable was his willingness to oppose popular issues, many of which would not have been in the country's long term best interests.

Marriage

Frances Folsom Cleveland (1864-1947)

I detest him so much that I don't even think his wife is beautiful." So spoke one of President Grover Cleveland's political foes--the only person, it seems, to deny the loveliness of this notable First Lady, first bride of a President to be married in the White House.

She was born in Buffalo, New York, only child of Emma C. Harmon and Oscar Folsom-who became a law partner of Cleveland's. As a devoted family friend Cleveland bought "Frank" her first baby carriage. As administrator of the Folsom estate after his partner's death, though never her legal guardian, he guided her education with sound advice. When she entered Wells College, he asked Mrs. Folsom's permission to correspond with her, and he kept her room bright with flowers. Though Frank and her mother missed his inauguration in 1885, they visited him at the White House that spring. There affection turned into romance-despite 27 years' difference in age-and there the wedding took place on June 2, 1886. Courting while in the White House was difficult and in fact much of it ] was done by letter. Even the propsal was made by letter. Their mairrage was the social event of late 19thb Cebntury America, creating a frenzy much like the wedding of Charles and Diane in modern terms.

Cleveland's scholarly sister Rose Elizabeth Cleveland: her bachelor brother's hostess in 15 months of his first term of office. Rose gladly gave up the duties of hostess for her own career in education.

Frances was thrilled to be a First Lady. She was a very popular First Lady. She stopped wearing a bustle which was the end of this fashion for women. ; and with a bride as First Lady, state entertainments took on a new interest. Mrs. Cleveland's unaffected charm won her immediate popularity. She held two receptions a week-one on Saturday afternoons, when women with jobs were free to come.

After the President's defeat in 1888, the Clevelands lived in New York City, where baby Ruth was born. With his unprecedented re-election, the First Lady returned to the White House as if she had been gone but a day. Through the political storms of this term she always kept her place in public favor. People took keen interest in the birth of Esther at the mansion in 1893, and of Marion in 1895. When the family left the White House, Mrs. Cleveland had become one of the most popular women ever to serve as hostess for the nation.

She bore two sons while the Clevelands lived in Princeton, New Jersey, and was at her husband's side when he died at their home, "Westland," in 1908.

Frances was the first First Lady to remarry. In 1913 she married Thomas J. Preston, Jr., a professor of archeology, and remained a figure of note in the Princeton community until she died. She had reached her 84th year-nearly the age at which the venerable Mrs. Polk had welcomed her and her husband on a Presidential visit to the South, and chatted of changes in White House life from bygone days.

Children

The Clevlands had five children. The first was born in the White House. While President Cleveland had limited time to play with the children in the White House, he enjoyed being able to spend more time with them after his presidency.

Oscar Folsom (1874-??)

Oscar was a young boy when he was the subject of one of the most celbrated American sabdals in presidential history. After Clevland was nominated by the Democratic Convention, the news broke that he was supporting Maria Crofts Halpin and accepted responsibility for her child Oscar Folsom. The boy was named after Cleveland's law partner. Actually Cleveland may not have been the boy's father. Her other gentlemen friends were married while Cleveland at the time was single so he accepted resonsibility. The press and Reoublicans had a field day in the election campaign. Their favorute slogan was, "Ma, ma, where's mu pa. Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha." Oscar's mother suffered from alcoholism and was institutionalized for one period. Cleveland arranged for a wealthy family in Buffalo to adopt Oscar. For a child that was at the center of aolitical storm, nothing is known about his adult life. Accounts vary from at early death from alcohol to a successful career in medicine.

Ruth (1891-1904)

Cleveland with the exception of Oscar Folsom had had no children because he had married while president. Ruth was known as Baby Ruth when the Clevelands moved back into the White House. The American public were captivated by the little girl, but the Clevelands wanted to keep their children out of the public eye believing that the attention would harm them. The Clevelands had a large family, but curiously none of the other children attracted the same attention as Baby Ruth. Even after Cleveland left office in 1897, the public remained enamored by the little girl. Ruth died suddently from diphtheria in 1904 when she was only 12 years old, devestating the Clevelands and the public which still remembered her. It was a long time before Grover began to get over his oldest daughters death. The Curtis candy bar was renamed after her, but several years later in 1921. (I had always thought it was nammed after the baseball great Babe Ruth.)

Ester (1893-1980)

Ester was born in the White House, but for some reason did not capture the public attentiion like her big sister Ruth. She married Captain William Sydney Bence Bosanquet. It was a high society wedding held in Westminster Abbey. They lived mostly in Yorkshiere. She tried to show her husband the room she was born in. They had two children. When her husband died in 1977, she returned to America and ibed in New Hampshiere before her death a few years later.

Marion (1895-1977)

Marion was also born while her father was still president. She married William Stanley Dell and had a daughter. When he died she married John Harlan Amen. Marion was active in many charities, most prominantly the Girl Scouts. She was a community relations advisor for years and promoted enpowering programs. Her second husband was an attiorney who served on the U.S. legal staff at the Nurenberg war crimes trials and latter was a special U.S. attorney who developed a reputation for racket busting.

Richard Folsom (1897-1974)

Richard was know as Dick. He was born a few months after his father left the White House. He attended Princeton and Harvard Law School. He served as a marine officer in World War I. He wrked as an attorney in a Baltimore law firm and was active in Maryland politics. He never ran for public office hinmself. He is best known as the attorney for Whitaker Chambers, the former Communist who helped make Richard Nixon's political career by denouncing Alger Hiss, a State Department official.

Frances (1903-95)

Frances was born after the Clevelands finally left the White House. He was 5 years old when his father died. Frances was raised by his mother and her new husband Thomas J. Preston, Jr. He attended Harvard and majored in drama. He married Alice Erdman. His acting carrer was unsuccessful and we know little more about his subsequentlife.

Sources

Wead, Doug. All the President's Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Familirs (Atria: New York, 2003), 456p.