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Warren G. Harding 1865-1923 by Catherine Beel |
Warren G. Harding, the 29th President, was in office from 1921-1923. He was born on November 2, 1865 near Blooming Grove, Ohio. His father was George Tyron Harding. He Was a Civil War veteran, farmer, horse trader, and rural doctor. Warrens mother was Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson Harding. She practiced midwifery to suppliment her husband's erratic earnings.
At the age of 10 his father moved to a farm on the outskirts of a small town of Caledonia. He was large for his age. He learned the cornet and spent time at a printery that his father took over by trading. He showed little enthusiasm for farm chores.
Warren went to school at Blooming Groves one room school. He showed early instincts for the sonorities of declamation. When Warren was 14 he entered Ohio Central College in Iberia. In two years he graduated with a bachelors degree in science. Before Warren’s graduation his father moved to Marion to try to start a town medical practice. Warren rode one of his fathers mules following his family. He arrived his lifelong home of Marion on a July evening of 1882.
Warren and two of his friends acquired a small town paper, the Marion Star. In five years the star became the foremost paper and most successful small town papers in Ohio. In 1914 the Star was earning him an income of $20,000 a year. At that time he also was elected to the U.S. Senate.
In 1891 he married the divorced Florence Kling DeWolfe, Marion's leading banker's daughter. She brought warren little happiness and Warren established Liaisons with other women. His most preeminent affair was with Carrie Phillips from 1905-1920. Warren had a daughter with a 31 year-old Nan Britton.
Warren was elected as a Republican to the state Senate in1899. He rapidly became one of the most popular senators in Columbus. In his second term he was chosen as a floor leader. In 1902 he was elected to the figure head post of lieutenant governor.
At nomination of a group of senators Harding was nominated on the 10th ballot and his running mate was Calvin Coolidge. Warren won 404 electoral votes and 16,153,785 popular votes.
During presidency He lowered taxes, Vetoed an Soldiers bill and Was and praised the Fordney McCumber Tariff Act. By Midterm he noticed a fall in popularity.
Warren went on a "Voyage of Understanding" from the East coast to as far as Alaska. He Was already suffering a heart condition and on his way back he collapsed on his way back and died instantly in San Fransisco on August 2, 1923.