In honor of Presidents’ Day, we’re taking a look at American presidents who served their country as legal professionals before they were Commander in Chief. Here are the 25 United States Presidents who passed the bar before they were sworn in.
1. John Adams
Law School: Harvard | President: 1797 – 1801
Little Known Fact: It’s rumored that John Adam’s dying words were: “Thomas Jefferson survives.” However, unbeknownst to John Adams, Thomas Jefferson had died just a few hours earlier.
2. Thomas Jefferson
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1801 – 1809
Little Known Fact: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams once traveled to William Shakespeare’s birthplace. While they were there, they chipped away pieces of wood from one of Shakespeare’s chairs to keep as souvenirs.
3. James Monroe
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship with Thomas Jefferson | President: 1817 – 1825
Little Known Fact: The capital of Liberia is called Monrovia after President James Monroe.
4. John Quincy Adams
Law School: Harvard | President: 1825 – 1829
Little Known Fact: Try not to picture this. John Quincy Adams would often go for a morning swim in the Potomac River… completely nude.
5. Andrew Jackson
Legal Training: Apprenticeship | President: 1829 – 1837
Little Known Fact: Andrew Jackson was involved in as many as 100 duels, usually to defend the honor of his wife, Rachel. He was shot in the chest during a duel in 1806, and suffered a gunshot to the arm during a barroom fight in 1813 with Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton.
6. Martin Van Buren
Legal Training: Apprenticeship | President: 1837 – 1841
Little Known Fact: The term “OK” was supposedly coined by Martin Van Buren. Martin grew up in Kinderhook, NY and was often referred to as “Old Kinderhook.” Supporters of Van Buren’s campaign came to be known as “O.K. clubs,” and the phrase eventually translated to “alright.”
7. John Tyler
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1841 – 1845
Little Known Fact: John Tyler had more children than any other U.S. President. He fathered eight children with his first wife, and seven children with his second wife, totaling 15 kiddos. He was 70 years old when his youngest child was born. Woah!
8. James Polk
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1845 – 1849
Little Known Fact: Polk was the first underdog to be elected president. He wasn’t exactly the favorite and some considered him to be a “Plan B” president because Martin Van Buren wasn’t able to secure the nomination.
9. Millard Fillmore
Legal Training: Clerkship | President: 1850 – 1853
Little Known Fact: Millard Fillmore married his teacher. That’s right. While he was a student at New Hope Academy in New York, he met and married his teacher, Abigail Powers. They were only a few years apart in age.
10. Franklin Pierce
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1853 – 1857
Little Known Fact: Franklin Pierce was sworn in as president using a book of law rather than the Bible.
11. James Buchanan
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1857 – 1861
Little Known Fact: Here’s a two-for: James Buchanan is the only president to stay a bachelor throughout his presidency and the remainder of his life, and he was the last president born in the 18th century.
12. Abraham Lincoln
Legal Training: Apprenticeship | President: 1861 – 1865
Little Known Fact: Apparently “Honest Abe” should’ve been nicknamed “Fist-Fighting Abe.” Mr. Lincoln was involved in roughly 300 wrestling matches and only lost once. He was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame with the honor of “Outstanding American.”
13. Rutherford B. Hayes
Law School: Harvard | President: 1877 – 1881
Little Known Fact: Rutherford B. Hayes has been known for his alcohol ban in the White House during his presidency, but you probably didn’t know that before he was president, he struggled with “lyssophobia”—the fear of going insane.
14. Chester Arthur
Legal Training: Post College Apprenticeship | President: 1881 – 1885
Little Known Fact: Chester Arthur earned the name “Elegant Arthur” due to his impeccable wardrobe. He is rumored to have owned over 80 pairs of pants and received four marriage proposals on his last day in office.
15. Grover Cleveland
Legal Training: Clerkship | President: 1885 – 1889 and 1893 – 1897
Little Known Fact: Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat elected after the Civil War in 1885 and was the only president to be elected for two non-consecutive terms. He was also the only president married in the White House.