William Howard Taft served as the 27th President of the United States from 1909 to 1913. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1857, and served as a federal judge, governor of the Philippines, and secretary of war.
A Republican, Taft was hand picked by Theodore Roosevelt but later split with him, and both lost the 1912 election to Woodrow Wilson.
Key Moments
His administration brought many antitrust cases, and Congress passed the 16th Amendment, allowing a federal income tax. In 1910 he became the first president to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the baseball season.
Ohio Connection
From 1921 to 1930 Taft served as Chief Justice of the United States, the only person to hold both offices. His Cincinnati birthplace is the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.
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