Interior: Telephone - First president to use a phone in office
Rutherford B. Hayes Curriculum Vitae
Presidential Number: 19th
Years President: 1877-1881
Party Affiliation: Republican
Main Contender: Samuel Tilden
State Represented: Ohio
Birthday: October 4, 1822
Place of Birth: Delaware, Ohio
Higher Education: Kenyon College, Harvard Law School
Prior Occupations: soldier, general, lawyer, congressman, governor
Nickname: Dark-Horse President, Rud, Old Granny, Rutherfraud, His Fraudulency
Height: 5’ 8”
Favorite Food: cornmeal battercakes
Hobbies: croquet, driving, shooting
Pets: Hector, a Newfoundland dog; Duke, an English mastiff; Grim, a greyhound; Otis, a schnauzer; Dot, a cocker spaniel; Juno and Shep, hunting dogs; Jet, a mutt; Siam, the first Siamese kitten in America; Miss Pussy, another Siamese cat; Piccolomini, a cat; a goat; a Mockingbird; 4 canaries; pedigreed Jersey cows; several carriage horses
Legacy: After winning the presidency in one of the most contested elections in American history, he led the country through the end of Reconstruction and resigned after one term in office. Hayes fought on behalf of civil-rights laws aimed at protecting black Americans. He also signed a bill that allowed women attorneys to appear before the US Supreme Court. Hayes’ honesty and fairness contributed to a renewed respect for the presidency.
Trivia: His wife Lucy was first college-educated First Lady; banned dancing, smoking, alcohol and card playing from White House; first president to use a telephone in office (it was installed in 1879 by Alexander Graham Bell); held first Easter egg roll on White House lawn; first president to visit West Coast while in office.