Rutherford B. Hayes

NAME Rutherford Birchard Hayes

WHAT FAMOUS FOR 19th President of the United States (1877–1881); known for ending Reconstruction, beginning civil service reform, and restoring integrity to the presidency after the scandals of the Grant era.

BIRTH Rutherford Birchard Hayes was born on October 4, 1822, in Delaware, Ohio. His birth occurred in tragic circumstances, as his mother Sophia had recently lost both her husband and a daughter.​

FAMILY BACKGROUND Hayes descended from New England colonists on both sides of his family. His earliest immigrant ancestor came to Connecticut from Scotland around the 1680s. His father, Rutherford Ezekiel Hayes Jr., was a Vermont storekeeper who moved the family to Ohio in 1817, where he operated a farm and whiskey distillery. His father died of a fever in July 1822, leaving Sophia Birchard Hayes pregnant with their fifth child.​

His mother, Sophia Birchard Hayes, was a religious, independent, and energetic woman who faced her hardships with remarkable ability. She never remarried and raised Hayes and his sister Fanny Arabella, the only two of four children to survive to adulthood. 

Sophia's younger bachelor brother, Sardis Birchard, became a surrogate father to Hayes, living with the family and later becoming a successful businessman and merchant in Lower Sandusky (later Fremont), Ohio. Sardis played a crucial role in financing Hayes's education and eventually left him the Spiegel Grove estate.​

CHILDHOOD Hayes had a difficult early childhood marked by illness and tragedy. He was often sick as an infant and remained frail through his early years. When he was only two years old, his nine-year-old brother Lorenzo drowned while ice-skating, leaving him with only his sister Fanny as a sibling.​

Because of Hayes's sickly nature and these early tragedies, his mother Sophia was extremely protective, not allowing him to play outside the family until he was seven or engage in rough sports until nine years of age. This sheltered upbringing resulted in an exceptionally close relationship between Hayes and his sister Fanny, who became his constant companion, playmate, and later his closest confidante.​

Fanny served as both protector and intellectual stimulator for her younger brother, who was called "Rud". Through her, Hayes became acquainted with Shakespeare's plays and Sir Walter Scott's poetry. Despite his mother's protectiveness, Hayes eventually developed physically and enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming, and skating. He once broke through ice where the water was eight feet deep and later walked forty miles home from college in twelve hours.​

As a young man, Hayes struggled with lyssophobia, the fear of going insane—a condition that caused him significant anxiety but never prevented him from pursuing his ambitions.

EDUCATION Hayes received his early education from his mother Sophia, who taught him to read, write, and spell. From 1830 to 1835, he attended common schools in Delaware, Ohio.​

In 1836, at his uncle Sardis's insistence, Hayes entered Norwalk Seminary, a Methodist boarding school in Norwalk, Ohio. After spending a year there, he transferred in 1837 to Isaac Webb's preparatory school (the Webb School or Maple Grove Academy) in Middletown, Connecticut, where he studied Latin and Ancient Greek.​

In 1838, Hayes attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He enjoyed his time there immensely and was successful scholastically. While at Kenyon, he joined several student societies, became interested in Whig politics, and developed many important lifelong friendships with classmates including Stanley Matthews, Guy M. Bryan of Texas, and John Celivergos Zachos. He played "ball" (an early form of baseball) most mornings from 7-9 am when weather permitted. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with the highest honors in 1842, delivering the valedictory address at commencement.​

After briefly reading law in Columbus, Ohio, Hayes moved east to attend Harvard Law School in 1843. He studied under distinguished professors including Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story and received his LL.B. degree in 1845. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1845.​

CAREER RECORD 1845-1861: Began his law practice in Lower Sandusky (now Fremont), Ohio, and later moved to Cincinnati in 1850, where he "flourished" as a young Whig and later Republican lawyer, gaining a reputation as a staunch abolitionist who defended refugee slaves.

1858-1861: City Solicitor of Cincinnati

1861-1865: Union Army Officer: Served in the Civil War, rising to brevet major general.

1865-1867: U.S. House of Representatives: Elected while still in the army.

1868-1872; 1876-1877: Governor of Ohio: Served three two-year terms.

1877-1881: 19th President of the United States 

1881-1893: Post-Presidency: Dedicated his time to advocating for universal education, veterans' pensions, and prison reform

APPEARANCE Hayes was a robust, broad-shouldered, handsome figure who stood 5 feet 8.5 inches tall and usually weighed 170-180 pounds. He had a large head with a high forehead, deeply set blue eyes, a straight nose, firm lips, and sound, straight teeth. The auburn hair of his youth turned dark brown and then white. 

From his Civil War service until his death, he wore a full beard. His beard became part of his recognizable image as president.

Portrait of Rutherford B. Hayes by Eliphalet Frazer Andrews, 1881

FASHION Hayes dressed simply and without pretension. His clothing choices reflected Victorian-era men's fashion of the 1870s, typically wearing suits with coats, waistcoats, and the standard high collars and neckties of the period. 

His mother had once written about his dress during his college years, noting that "plain, decent dress is as much respected at New Haven as anywhere else; and a dandy is as much despised, and as great an object of ridicule and contempt, as he is in Ohio". This simple, unpretentious approach to dress continued throughout his life.​

CHARACTER Hayes possessed a character marked by honesty, decency, and moral integrity. Biographer H.J. Eckenrode wrote: "Hayes was never a solitary, a boy of moods. He had no seasons of exaltation followed by depression... All his life he liked society and shone in it in a modest way – not sparkling, not brilliant, but pleasing, satisfying. He had a gift of friendship and most of those he loved in youth he loved in age".​ (2)

As a young man, Hayes went through a period of great inner tension, which he attributed to a fear that he would one day lose his mind, as some relatives on both sides of his family had done. Overcoming this fear, he matured into a relaxed, easy-going fellow, a good conversationalist, and a keen observer of human nature. He genuinely loved people and was interested in their thoughts and problems. When travelling by train, he invariably sat in the smoking car, eager to strike up a conversation. He had a remarkable memory for the names and faces of casual acquaintances.​

Hayes was known for his integrity, honesty, dignity, and moderate reform efforts. He was a patient and gradual reformer, believing that sweeping changes were often not lasting. He had an intense and ferocious demeanor on the battlefield that earned him respect. 

Hayes was known for respecting the opposition and welcoming constructive criticism as a politician. He did not drink, smoke, or gamble, and has been described as having an ENTP personality type—outgoing, gregarious, relaxed, and straight-laced. (3)

SPEAKING VOICE Although not regarded as a great orator in his day, Hayes delivered well-planned, reasoned addresses in a clear, pleasant voice. Contemporary accounts suggest he spoke in a calm, measured manner typical of educated men of his era. One biographer noted that while he wasn't a brilliant speaker, he was effective and spoke with clarity.​

As a young man at Harvard Law School, Hayes wrote observations about various speakers he heard, demonstrating his interest in oratory and public speaking.​

There is a historical claim that Hayes's voice may have been recorded by Thomas Edison in 1877, which would make it the first presidential voice recording, but sadly that recording has been lost to time. 

SENSE OF HUMOUR Though outwardly reserved, he possessed a quiet, self-deprecating wit. Friends noted that his humor was often understated but genuine

His diary entries and letters reveal a person who could appreciate life's ironies and maintain good humor even in difficult circumstances. 

RELATIONSHIPS Hayes married Lucy Ware Webb on December 30, 1852, in Cincinnati. She was the youngest daughter of Dr. James and Maria Cook Webb and a graduate of Cincinnati's Wesleyan Women's College, making her the first wife of a president to graduate from college. Lucy was twenty-one years old at the time of marriage; Hayes was thirty.​

Rutherford and Lucy Hayes on their wedding day

Hayes first met Lucy in 1847 on the Ohio Wesleyan campus when she was fourteen and he was twenty-three. They reconnected in 1850 at a wedding where they were both members of the wedding party, and Hayes was so taken with her that he gave her the prize (a gold ring) he had found in the wedding cake. In 1851, Hayes wrote in his diary: "I guess I am a great deal in love with L(ucy).... Her low sweet voice... her soft rich eyes". He also praised her intelligence and character.​

After the wedding, the couple honeymooned at the home of Hayes' sister and brother-in-law in Columbus, Ohio.

The couple had an extraordinarily happy marriage that lasted until Lucy's death in 1889. Hayes wrote shortly after their wedding: "A better wife I never hoped to have. This is indeed the life... Blessings on his head who first invented marriage". 

They became the parents of eight children: Birchard Austin (1853-1926), Webb Cook (1856-1934), Rutherford Platt (1858-1927), Joseph Thompson (1861-1863), George Crook (1864-1866), Fanny (1867-1950), Scott Russell (1871-1923), and Manning Force (1873-1874). Three sons died in early childhood, with five children surviving to adulthood.​

Lucy's strong antislavery views and her Methodist faith deeply influenced Hayes, changing his "lukewarm stand on abolition" and leading him to take cases involving runaway slaves. She was a fervent abolitionist and prohibitionist.​

Hayes's most important relationship outside his marriage was with his sister Fanny Arabella Hayes Platt. As the only two Hayes children to survive to adulthood, they were exceptionally close. Fanny served as his childhood protector, intellectual mentor, and lifelong confidante. She encouraged him to pursue academic success and was described as exceptionally bright, excelling at her studies. When Fanny died in 1856 after complications from childbirth, Hayes was devastated, writing: "My dear only sister, my beloved Fanny, is dead! The dearest friend of childhood...the confidante of all my life, the one I loved best, is gone".​

MONEY AND FAME Hayes came from a comfortable but not wealthy background. His uncle Sardis Birchard was a successful merchant who helped finance his education and later left him the Spiegel Grove estate. Hayes's estimated peak net worth was approximately $3.1 million in modern terms. He was a debtor himself thanks to large investments in real estate.​

As president, Hayes earned a salary of $50,000 per year. Despite being in debt, he advocated for hard money policies and supported the gold standard. He believed in living simply and modestly, reflecting middle-class American values rather than ostentatious wealth.​

Hayes never sought fame for its own sake. He focused on public service and doing what he believed was right, even when it made him unpopular. After his presidency, he continued to work on social causes without seeking recognition.​

Despite his public service, Hayes has been noted as a relatively obscure and "lost figure" among American presidents, with many Americans only recalling the disputed 1876 election.

FOOD AND DRINK Hayes and his wife Lucy made the White House an alcohol-free zone during his presidency, earning Lucy the nickname "Lemonade Lucy". While the president did not mind an occasional drink, he saw political possibilities in solidifying the support of temperance advocates and supported Lucy's strong Methodist beliefs against alcohol consumption. Mrs. Hayes stated: "I have young sons who have never tasted liquor. They shall not receive from my hand, or with the sanction of their father, the first taste of what might prove their ruin".​ (5)

Despite the absence of alcohol, White House entertainments under the Hayeses were lavish affairs. Hayes promoted simple American fare in the family's private dining, but state dinners were executed and served in the French style. During Hayes's term, state dinners were served à la Russe—in the Russian style of bringing prepared plates and bowls from a separate serving area.​

MUSIC AND ARTS Hayes had a genuine love for music and the arts. Lucy Hayes, a superb contralto who accompanied herself on the guitar, filled the White House with music. Vocalists and instrumentalists performed popular, folk, and classical music regularly. On Sunday evenings, Lucy led "sings" in the upstairs library, with cabinet members and friends including General William T. Sherman joining in gospel songs, often with Carl Schurz playing piano.​

President Hayes hosted Marie Selika Williams, who may have been the first Black opera singer to perform at the White House, on November 13, 1878 (see below). Frederick Douglass introduced her to the audience, and her program included works by Giuseppe Verdi, Thomas Moore, and Harrison Millard.​

The Hayes White House also featured Thomas Edison demonstrating his phonograph until 3:30 A.M. for the President, Lucy, and their guests. 

The couple celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the White House on December 30, 1877, in a memorable social event.​

LITERATURE Hayes was a ravenous reader throughout his life, amassing more than 8,000 books in his personal library. As a young man, he was a founding member of the Cincinnati Literary Club. He read widely across many genres, from the tales of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain to the poetry of Lord Byron to the writings of Thomas Jefferson.​

Hayes set out to read Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes in the original language. He wrote in his diary on October 10, 1873: "I today formed the purpose to study the Spanish language enough to read Don Quixote". 

His library included Hayes's own copies of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens novels, and works covering issues of the day such as slavery, Chinese immigration, tariffs, and prison reform.​

Hayes corresponded with most of the Fireside Poets (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Cullen Bryant, John Greenleaf Whittier, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and James Russell Lowell), as well as with famous contemporaries like Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass. 

His sister Fanny introduced him to Sir Walter Scott's poetry during childhood. In his youth, Hayes and Fanny even attempted to dramatize The Lady of the Lake.

NATURE Hayes had a lifelong love of nature and trees. His estate, Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, reflected that affection - it  was a 25-acre wooded property that he meticulously developed and cherished. The name "Spiegel Grove" (German for "mirror grove") came from the reflective pools of water that collected on the property after rain showers.​

Hayes kept a detailed horticulture diary titled "Our Home" beginning in 1873, which enumerated the wide variety of plants—trees, flowers, vines, and shrubs, both wild and domestic—existing in the Grove. The diary reveals how Hayes carefully developed and changed Spiegel Grove over the years, planting evergreens, flowering shrubs, and creating "jungles" (thickets) for screening and beauty.​

In 1880, President Hayes toured California's Yosemite in an open carriage, becoming one of the early presidents to visit what would become part of the national park system. 

PETS Hayes and Lucy loved animals and came to Washington with several pets. Their favorite by far was a dog named Grim, a two-year-old greyhound given to Mrs. Hayes by Mrs. William DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware. The president noted in his diary that the dog "took all our hearts at once". Grim was devoted to Lucy and would howl whenever she sang "The Star Spangled Banner". Grim later died when he was struck by a train—the president concluded that Grim expected "the train to turn out for him" because wagons and carriages always had.​ (6)

The Hayes White House housed numerous other animals including: several other dogs (Jet, a mutt; Duke, an English mastiff; Hector, a Newfoundland; Dot, a cocker spaniel; two shepherd dogs named Hector and Nellie; and two hunting dogs named Juno and Shep); several cats, including Siam, said to be the first Siamese cat brought to America (a gift from U.S. diplomat David B. Sickels in Bangkok); four canaries and a mockingbird; carriage horses; Jersey cows; and a goat (probably for milking).​

Hayes and Duke Presidential Pet Museum

When Siam became ill, the president's own physician was summoned to provide care, attempting to nurse the cat back to health with fish, chicken, duck, cream, and oysters, though the cat ultimately died. The president sent Siam's remains to the Department of Agriculture to be preserved by a taxidermist, but the body was misplaced.​

Hayes's Civil War horse, "Old Whitey," who served as mascot of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was described as "A Hero of Nineteen Battles 1861-1865," was buried at Spiegel Grove upon his death in 1879.​

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Hayes enjoyed various recreational activities throughout his life. He loved hunting and fishing, both of which he pursued actively. As noted earlier, he was an excellent marksman with a rifle. He also enjoyed swimming and skating, once breaking through ice where the water was eight feet deep and emerging unscathed.​

At Kenyon College, Hayes played an early form of baseball, participating in games most mornings from 7-9 am when weather permitted. At Harvard Law School in 1844, he continued playing baseball, which was his preferred leisure activity over attending theater. He wrote: "I consider one game of ball worth about ten plays. I am now quite lame, from scuffing, and all my fingers stiffened by playing ball. Pretty business for a law student. Yes, pretty enough; why not? Good exercise and great sport".​ (7)

Hayes also played croquet, which was popular in his era. 

He was an avid walker—as a college student, he once walked forty miles home to Delaware in twelve hours, and after Christmas walked back to Gambier in four inches of snow.​

Hayes maintained an intense intellectual life, reading voraciously, corresponding with literary figures, and keeping detailed diaries from age twelve until his death at age 70. He was one of only three presidents to keep a diary while in office.​

SCIENCE AND MATHS Hayes embraced scientific progress and new technology. He was the first president to have a telephone installed in the White House in 1877, barely 14 months after Alexander Graham Bell's invention. When Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone to Hayes in June 1877, the President's reaction was enthusiastic (see below). According to a newspaper account from June 29, 1877, Hayes listened through the device and "a gradually increasing smile wreathed his lips and shone in his eyes." He eventually exclaimed, "That is wonderful".​ (8)

Hayes was also the first president to have a typewriter in the White House, quickly acquiring one after it became available. 

On his 1880 trip to the West Coast, Hayes became the first sitting president to travel to the West Coast, utilizing the transcontinental railroad. His willingness to adopt new technologies reflected his forward-thinking nature and his belief in progress.​

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Hayes came from a Presbyterian family background but attended Methodist schools as a youth. He married Lucy, a devout Methodist, whose religious views deeply influenced him. Throughout his adult life, however, Hayes repeatedly said he was not a Christian in the formal sense. He wrote in 1890: "I am not a subscriber to any creed. I belong to no church". Yet in the same entry he wrote: "I try to be a Christian, or rather, I want to be a Christian and do Christian work".​

During his presidency, Hayes and his cabinet began each day by praying together and reading the Bible. Many cabinet members joined the Hayes family on Sunday nights in singing hymns. He attended church every Sunday with his wife and children and studied the Bible, yet never joined a church.​

Hayes struggled with the idea of faith throughout his life. At one point, he said he was reading the Bible not as a Christian but as a scholar who wanted to be informed, writing: "The literature of the Bible should be studied as one studies Shakespeare".​

Politically, Hayes opposed blending religion and government. He was opposed to sectarian interference in schools, whether by Catholics or any other religion, believing that creating factions of schools would prevent the nation from becoming unified.​

POLITICS Hayes began as a Whig but joined the Republican Party in the 1850s due to his growing opposition to slavery. He was a moderate Republican who believed in civil rights for African Americans and supported the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.​

As governor of Ohio (three terms between 1867 and 1877), Hayes campaigned for equal rights for black Ohioans, oversaw establishment of schools for the deaf and for girls, and proposed tax reductions and prison reform.​

PRESIDENCY In 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes found himself at the center of what may still be the most spectacularly muddled election in American history. His Democratic opponent, Samuel Tilden, had clearly won the popular vote by a quarter of a million ballots—a margin no one could sneeze at—and appeared to have captured the Electoral College as well. But then came the disputed returns from four states—Louisiana, South Carolina, Florida, and, for some reason known only to political fate, Oregon.

To untangle this civic hairball, Congress created a special Electoral Commission made up of fifteen sober-looking men: five senators, five representatives, and five Supreme Court justices. After weeks of high drama and chin-stroking, the commission voted strictly along party lines, 8 to 7, to hand every last disputed vote to Hayes. That gave him a total of 185 electoral votes to Tilden’s 184—victory by a single vote. The decision came just two days before the inauguration, prompting one can imagine, some hurried suit fittings in Columbus. Outraged Democrats dubbed him “Rutherfraud” and “His Fraudulency,” nicknames that must have taken the shine off inauguration day considerably.

Once in office, Hayes proved to be a rather earnest reformer with the luck of a man who had won a game of poker he didn’t know he was playing. He promptly ended Reconstruction, pulling the last federal troops out of South Carolina and Louisiana in a deal remembered as the Compromise of 1877. In exchange, Southern leaders vaguely promised to protect the rights of newly freed African Americans, which they almost immediately failed to do.

Hayes then turned his gaze to the federal bureaucracy, where jobs were doled out like party favors. Determined to clean up the “spoils system,” he issued an executive order forbidding government workers from being forced to fund political campaigns. His boldest stroke was firing Chester A. Arthur—then Collector of the Port of New York and a professional dispenser of patronage—and replacing him with a merit-based system. (Arthur, in a satisfying twist of history, later became president himself and took up the reform cause he once resisted.)

Hayes also championed “sound money,” a phrase that sounded prudent and made everyone feel virtuous. With Treasury Secretary John Sherman, he built up gold reserves to back the paper currency known as “greenbacks.” When Congress passed the inflationary Bland-Allison Act in 1878, Hayes vetoed it, though Congress, ever contrary, overrode his veto anyway.

On the West Coast, Hayes drew the ire of anti-Chinese activists by vetoing a bill that would have violated the Burlingame Treaty and effectively shut the door to Chinese immigration. He did, however, negotiate a new treaty with China that allowed the U.S. to “regulate, limit, or suspend” immigration—which it soon did, enthusiastically.

Hayes had promised to serve only one term, and for once in Washington, a promise was actually kept. His presidency showed him to be a man of principle, if not always of follow-through—a leader who talked bigger than he acted but managed, in his modest, slightly mustachioed way, to leave the office tidier than he found it.

SCANDAL The principal scandal of Hayes's career was the disputed 1876 election itself. Democrats believed that Hayes had used unfair means to steal the election, calling him "Rutherfraud" and "His Fraudulency". The election crisis nearly caused a constitutional breakdown, with the outcome uncertain until days before inauguration.​

In disputed states, Republican-controlled "returning boards" threw out enough Democratic votes to give Hayes victory, amid allegations of fraud, intimidation, and bribery on both sides. The compromise that resolved the crisis allegedly involved agreements that Hayes would end Reconstruction and withdraw federal troops from the South in exchange for Southern Democratic acquiescence to his presidency.​

Beyond the election controversy, Hayes's administration was relatively clean compared to the corruption of the Grant years. Hayes brought "dignity, honesty, and moderate reform" to the presidency after eight years of corruption in Washington. His personal integrity was never in question.​

MILITARY RECORD When the Civil War began, Hayes offered his services to Ohio. On June 27, 1861, he was commissioned a major in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He proved to be an inspirational leader in battle and saw extensive active service.​

Hayes in Civil War uniform in 1861

Hayes was wounded five times during the war. His most serious wound occurred on September 14, 1862, at the Battle of South Mountain. While leading his regiment in an attack against Confederate positions, a musket ball struck his left arm just above the elbow, fracturing it. He later wrote: "Fearing that an artery might be cut, I asked a soldier near me to tie my handkerchief above the wound. I soon felt weak, faint, and sick at the stomach. I laid down and was pretty comfortable". Despite being wounded and lying on the battlefield with bullets hitting the ground around him, Hayes maintained command and observed the battle's progress.​

Hayes returned to the regiment in December 1862 and suffered two more wounds during his subsequent service. He had several horses shot out from beneath him during battles. His wartime experiences actually helped improve his health, which had been fragile in his youth.​

Hayes rose through the ranks to become colonel of the 23rd Ohio, and was eventually brevetted to the rank of major general. His regiment, which also included future President William McKinley as a commissary sergeant, later became known as the "President's Regiment".​

In 1864, while still serving in the army, Cincinnati Republicans nominated Hayes for Congress. He accepted the nomination but famously refused to campaign or leave his post, stating: "an officer fit for duty who at this crisis would abandon his post to electioneer... ought to be scalped". He was elected by a heavy majority and did not take his seat until after the Union victory.​

Hayes was mustered out of the army in 1865, having established a reputation for bravery in combat and honorable service.​

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Hayes suffered from poor health as an infant and young child, remaining frail through his early years. His mother was extremely protective due to his sickly nature. In 1847, when he was about 25, Hayes became ill with what his doctor thought was tuberculosis, leading him to seek a change of climate.​

However, Hayes's health improved significantly during adulthood. His Civil War service, despite five battle wounds, actually helped improve his overall physical condition. As an adult, he was described as "robust" and "broad-shouldered" with generally sound health.​ (2)

Hayes maintained an active lifestyle, enjoying outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, swimming, and walking. He ate heartily but practiced moderation, particularly after marriage when he gave up alcohol completely to support Lucy's temperance convictions.​

HOMES Hayes was born in a two-story brick house in Delaware, Ohio, on the northeast corner of William and Winter Streets.​

After marriage in 1852, Hayes and Lucy initially lived with Lucy's mother in Cincinnati before buying their first home in that city. They moved several times during their early married years, living in both Cincinnati and Columbus.​

In 1873, Hayes inherited Spiegel Grove, a wooded estate in Fremont, Ohio, from his uncle Sardis Birchard. The original house was built by Birchard between 1859 and 1863 as a two-story brick mansion with eight bedrooms and a wrap-around verandah. Hayes loved the estate, particularly the verandah, writing: "The best part of the present house is the veranda. But I would enlarge it. I want a veranda with a house attached!".​

Hayes spent the next twenty years planning additions and improvements to Spiegel Grove, much as Thomas Jefferson had with Monticello. In 1880, he added a substantial addition including a library to house his 12,000 books, a large reception room, three bedrooms, and indoor plumbing. The most spectacular improvement was a four-story walnut and butternut staircase leading to a rooftop lantern offering a 360-degree view of Spiegel Grove.​

In 1889, another addition was made, housing a large dining room, kitchen, servants' rooms, and three bedrooms. The house eventually had 31 rooms and over 10,000 square feet. Both Hayes and Lucy died in their beloved home at Spiegel Grove.​

The estate included 25 acres of wooded land, which Hayes meticulously developed with native and ornamental plantings documented in his horticulture diary "Our Home".​

Spiegel Grove by User:Shadow2700 

TRAVEL As president, Hayes made history by becoming the first sitting president to travel to the West Coast. In September 1880, Hayes, Lucy, and an entourage of ten (including General William T. Sherman) left Chicago and traveled via the transcontinental railroad through Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, reaching Sacramento and San Francisco. They continued through Northern California into Oregon and Washington state before boarding the steamship Columbia to return to San Francisco. From there, they toured Southern California and several southwestern states before returning to Washington on November 

Hayes took the trip to unify the nation in a demonstrable way and to build support for his Native American and Chinese immigration policies. On October 21, 1880, he toured California's Yosemite in an open carriage. He and his party were stunned by the western scenery and received lavish and enthusiastic welcomes everywhere.​

Throughout his life, Hayes traveled extensively within the United States. He made journeys to his ancestral New England home to trace his family lineage. As a young man, he and his uncle Sardis made a long journey to Texas in 1847 to visit his Kenyon classmate Guy M. Bryan.​

After leaving the presidency, Hayes continued to travel frequently, always carrying several pictures of Lucy, which he would place about his hotel room or ship cabin. He never traveled without these reminders of his beloved wife.​

DEATH Rutherford B. Hayes died at his home, Spiegel Grove, in Fremont, Ohio, at 11 p.m. on January 17, 1893. He was 70 years old. The cause of death was heart disease, described in contemporary accounts as "neuralgia of the heart" or complications from a heart attack.​

Hayes had worked steadily for social causes until the end of his life, but felt that "the soul" had left Spiegel Grove when Lucy died of a stroke in June 1889. His daughter Fanny became his constant companion in his final years, and he never traveled without pictures of Lucy.​

Hayes had been stricken at his son's home in Cleveland on Saturday, January 14, with a severe attack. He was taken home to Fremont but remained ill. President Benjamin Harrison issued an executive order announcing Hayes's death: "The death of Rutherford B. Hayes... at his home in Fremont, Ohio, at 11 p.m. yesterday, is an event the announcement of which will be received with very general and very sincere sorrow".​

Harrison ordered the Executive Mansion and Executive Departments in Washington to be draped in mourning with flags at half-staff for thirty days, and for all public business to be suspended on the day of the funeral.​

A long funeral procession wound through the snowy Ohio countryside, led by President-elect Grover Cleveland and Ohio governor William McKinley.​

Hayes was initially buried in Oakwood Cemetery next to Lucy, who had died in 1889. Following the gift of Spiegel Grove to the state of Ohio, their bodies were reinterred at Spiegel Grove in 1915, where they are buried at a memorial on the property.​

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Hayes has appeared in various historical documentaries and educational programs. He has been portrayed or referenced in several television productions, including American Experience (2012), Billy the Kid (2013), and The Presidents (2005). His disputed election has been the subject of numerous historical analyses and documentaries.​

Unlike more famous presidents, Hayes has not been extensively dramatized in major Hollywood films. He is primarily represented through historical documentation, museum exhibits at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont, Ohio, and educational programming.​

His legacy is preserved at Spiegel Grove, which was designated as a National Historic Landmark on January 29, 1964, and added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.​

ACHIEVEMENTS First U.S. president to complete law school

First First Lady to be a college graduate

Only president wounded in the Civil War

Ended Reconstruction and restored the Union politically

Advocated for civil service reform

Promoted education and moral reform during and after his presidency

Left office voluntarily after one term, emphasizing integrity over ambition

Sources: (1) Life and Character of Rutherford B Hayes by William D Howells (2) The Presidential Ham  (3) American Historama (4) Ebsco (5) White House History (6) America Comes Alive (7) Reddit (8) New York magazine (9) Wikipedia