Rutherford B. Hayes

Profession: 19th US President

Nationality:

Political Party: Republican
Political Titles: Governor of Ohio

Presidential Term: March 4, 1877 - March 4, 1881
Preceded By: Ulysses S. Grant
Succeeded By: James Garfield

Biography: Prior to becoming the 19th President of the United States (1877–1881), Hayes served as the Governor of Ohio. During the Civil War he fought as a soldier for the Union and earned a reputation for bravery, particularly as he was injured five times in combat.

In 1876 he assumed the presidency after one of the most controversial and contentious elections in American history. Hayes lost the popular vote but won the most electoral college votes after a ferociously disputed ruling by a Congressional committee. The dispute led to the Compromise of 1877; Democrats in Congress allowed him to become president in return for the withdrawal of federal troops from the Southern states, ending the Reconstruction Era.

As president for a single term, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction, began the efforts that led to civil service reform, and attempted to reconcile the divisions left over from the Civil War and Reconstruction. His administration reflected his beliefs in meritocratic government, equal treatment without regard to race, and improvement through education.

Rutherford had pledged not to run for a second term, and retired to his native Ohio.

Born: October 4, 1822
Birthplace: Delaware, Ohio, USA
Star Sign: Libra

Died: January 17, 1893 (aged 70)
Cause of Death: Heart attack