It’s Presidents’ Day . . . and it’s easy to debate every president’s best and worst moments. But what made every president a little . . . WEIRD?
The website “24/7 Wall Street” has put together a list of the weirdest trivia about every American president. Here are 10 highlights:
1. Thomas Jefferson would’ve LOVED the Weather Channel. He was passionate about meteorology, and kept daily, detailed records on the weather.
2. Martin Van Buren invented (or at least popularized) the term, “okay.” The origin dates back to Van Buren’s reelection campaign in 1840. He had adopted the nickname, Old Kinderhook because he was born in Kinderhook, New York. His supporters shortened it to “OK” during rallies.
3. John Tyler was born 233 years ago in 1790, and yet he still has one living grandchild. Harrison Ruffin Tyler was born in 1928 and is now 94 years old. And a second grandson, Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., died at 95 just two years ago. (There’s something in those Tyler genes. G-E-N-E-S.) (???)
4. Andrew Johnson was an indentured servant for two years of childhood. His mother had sent him and his brother away to serve a tailor. After two years, they ran away. And from his experience working with the tailor, Johnson made all of his suits while president.
5. James Garfield was ambidextrous, and he could write in two different languages at once . . . Greek with one hand, Latin with the other.
6. Chester Arthur was sort of into the HGTV / “American Pickers” thing. He redecorated the White House . . . and to get the money to do it, he sold historical artifacts and antiques from past presidents.
7. Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have electricity in the White House, but he was anxious about it, and refused to touch light switches.
8. Woodrow Wilson was such an avid golfer, he’d play in the winter. And he’d even paint his golf balls black so he could easily find them in the snow.
9. Calvin Coolidge had an interesting morning ritual: He enjoyed having his scalp massaged with petroleum jelly while he ate his breakfast in bed.
10. Harry S. Truman grew up as a poor farm boy in Missouri, and ended up being the only president of the 20th century who did NOT go to college. In fact, he was one of just eight presidents who never attended college.
BONUS: George W. Bush was the only president to have been the head cheerleader in high school.
(You can find all the trivia for all 46 presidents at 247WallSt.com.)