GROVER CLEVELAND – BUFFALO’S OTHERPRESIDENT

CITY HALL – GROVER CLEVELAND STATUE

MILLARD FILLMORE WAS BUFFALO’S FIRST PRESIDENT –BORN IN EAST AURORA ON JANUARY 7, 1800 – PRACTICED LAW IN BUFFALO AND LIVED ON FRANKLIN STREET – HE WAS ELECTED VICE-PRESIDENT WITH ZACHARY TAYLOR AND BECAME PRESIDENT WHEN TAYLOR DIED ON JULY 9, 1850 – STOMACH AILMENT – IS BESTKNOWN FOR SIGNING THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT – COST HIM THE NOMINATION IN 1852 – LIVED ON NIAGARA SQUARE AFTER HE LEFT PRESIDENCY – BECAME A CIVICLEADER – DIED ON MARCH 4, 1874

BUFFALO’S OTHER PRESIDENT, GROVER CLEVELAND, WASNOT BORN IN BUFFALO BUT WE STILL CONSIDER HIM ONE OF OUR OWN – HE WAS BORN IN CALDWELL, NJ ON MARCH 18, 1837 – HE ARRIVED IN BUFFALO AT THE AGE OF 18 AND SPENT 28 OF HIS 71 YEARS IN BUFFALO

HE WAS THE SON OF RICHARD CLEVELAND A GRADUATE OF YALE AND A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND ANN NEALOF BALTIMORE – HE WAS THE FIFTH OF NINE CHILDRENIN TOTAL – HE WAS NAMED AFTER A MINISTER THAT HAD BEEN AT A CHURCH HIS FATHER WORKED AT

(STEPHEN GROVER” - IN 1853 THE FAMILY WAS LIVINGIN HOLLAND PATENT A VILLAGE JUST NORTH OF UTICA WHEN GROVER’S FATHER DIED – HIS MOTHER WOULD STAY THERE UNTIL SHE DIED IN 1882 – GROVER WAS 16 WHEN HIS FATHER DIED – HE WENT TO NYC AND WORKED AS A BOOKKEEPER AT THE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND FOR ABOUT A YEAR BUT DIDN’T LIKE IT – IN 1855 WHEN HE COULDN’T FIND WORK AROUND HOLLAND PATENT HE DECIDED TO HEAD TO CLEVELAND, OHIO – CLEVELAND IS NAMED FOR MOSES CLEVELAND AN ANCESTOR OF HIS WHO CAME HERE IN 1653

ON HIS WAY TO CLEVELAND HE STOPPED IN BUFFALO TOVISIT HIS UNCLE LEWIS ALLEN

LEWIS ALLEN LIVED ON NIAGARA STREET IN BLACK ROCK – HE LIVED IN THE HOUSE THAT PETER PORTER BUILT AFTER HIS FIRST HOME WAS BURNED IN THE WAROF 1812 – AFTER ALLEN’S DEATH THE LAND WAS SOLD TO THE THOMAS MOTOR CAR COMPANY AND THE THOMAS FLYER WAS BUILT THERE

ALLEN ALSO OWNED A 500 ACRE FARM ON GRAND ISLANDWHERE HE HAD HERDS OF CATTLE AND SHEEP – ALLEN

OFFERED HIM A CLERICAL JOB HELPING WITH THE ANNUAL SURVEY OF THE LIVESTOCK

AFTER A YEAR OF WORKING FOR HIS UNCLE HE WAS TAKEN ON AS AN OFFICE BOY AT A LAW OFFICE – HE WAS PAID $4 A WEEK – ON HIS FIRST DAY THEY FORGOT ABOUT HIM AND LOCKED HIM IN THE OFFICE WHEN THEY WENT TO LUNCH – HE NEVER GOT LUNCH THAT DAY - OVER 5 YEARS HIS PAY WOULD INCREASE TO $50 PER MONTH

IN 1859 HE WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR AT AGE 22

47 NIAGARA ST – GANSON BOARDING HOUSE (NOW FAMILY COURT BUILDING)

AFTER CLEVLAND LEFT HIS UNCLE’S HOME HE LIVED ATTHE SOUTHERN HOTEL AT SENECA AND MICHIGAN – AS HIS LEGAL CAREER PROGRESSED HE LEFT THE SOUTHERNHOTEL AND HE LIVED HERE AT A BOARDING HOUSE OWNED BY ALISON B. GANSON – IT WAS THE FORMER HOME OF WILLIAM FARGO ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THEWELLS FARGO COMPANY – EVENTUALLY BECAME AMERICANEXPRESS

CLEVELAND STAYED WITH THE SAME LAW FIRM UNTIL 1863 WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY – THE DA WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO DIDN’T LIVE IN THE CITY – HE DIDN’T COME IN TO THE OFFICE VERY OFTEN – GROVER RAN THE OFFICE – GREAT FOR HIS CAREER – GAVE HIM A LOT OF TRIAL EXPERIENCE – INCREASED HIS REPUTATION IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION – GROVER WAS A VERY AHRD WORKER– QUITE OFTEN WAS SEEN WORKING IN HIS OFFICE UNTIL 3:00AM AND WS BACK AT 8:00AM TO ARGUE HIS CASE

HE WAS ASSISTANT DA DURING THE TIME OF THE CIVILWAR – TWO OF HIS BROTHERS, RICHARD AND LEWIS, VOLUNTEERED FOR THE UNION EARLY ON IN THE WAR – GROVER WAS DRAFTED IN 1863 – HE CHOSE TO PAY THE$300 AND HIRE SOMEONE TO TAKE HIS PLACE IN THE ARMY – BORROWED $1,000 FROM THE DA AND HIRED GEORGE BENISKI TO SERVE IN HIS PLACE – THE DA DIDN’T WANT O LOOSE GROVER OR ELSE HE WOULD HAVETO RUN THE OFFICE – GROVER WAS ALSO SENDING MONEY TO HELP HIS MOTHER AND SISTERS – THE MAN GROVER HIRED HURT HIMSELF LIFTING SUPPLIES AND

WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY – HIS BROTHERS SURVIVIED THE WAR AND BECAME SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN – RENTED A HOTEL IN THE BAHAMA’S – THEY WERE GOING TO RUN THE HOTEL – IN 1872 THEY WERE BOTH LOST AT SEA WHEN THEY SHIP THEY WERE TAKNING TO THE BAHAMA’S CAUGHT FIRE AND SANK

IN 1865 THE CURRENT DA DID NOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION – TOO OLD AND SICK TO DO THE JOB – GROVER RAN ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET AND THE REPUBLICANS NOMINATED HIS ROOMMATE LYMAN BASS – THEY WERE LIVING AT THE SOUTHERN HOTEL – THEY

WERE OBVIOUSLY CLOSE FRIENDS AND THOUGHT THIS WAS GREAT – THE ELECTION SEEMED LIKE TWO FRATERNITY BROTHERS RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER –CAMPAIGN FOUND THEM MEETING UP AT TAVERNS – AGREED TO LIMIT THEMSELVES TO 4 BEERS EACH PER NIGHT – TANKARD AT THAT TIME HELD 48 OUNCES – PROVED NOT TO BE ENOUGH – THEY AGREED THAT THEY COULD BORROW AHEAD

GROVER LOST TO LYMAN – WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FORA DEMOCRAT TO BEAT A REPUBLICAN AFTER THE CIVIL WAR - GROVER WENT BACK TO PRIVATE PRACTICE – HE

PARTNERED WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER LAWYERS TO OPENA NEW FIRM

194 PEARL ST – DUTCHMAN’S TAVERN – (NOW PARKING RAMP)

THE BACHELOR LIFE – ALL THE TIME GROVER WAS LIVING IN BUFFALO HE WAS A BACHELOR – CLEVELAND APPEARS TO HAVE ENJOYED THE BACHELOR LIFE – MOSTOF HIS SOCIALIZING WAS DONE IN GERMAN BEER HALLS– LIKED PLAYING CARDS WITH THE BOYS, POKER, PINOCHLE AND EUCHRE – HIS MIND WAS FILED WITH A LARGE SELECTION OF DRINKING SONGS

HE TOOK MOST OF HIS MEALS AT LOCAL SALOONS – SHADES WAS ONE OF HIS FAVORITES – NO BAR, NO

CHAIRS – POURED YOUR OWN DRINKS – GOT YOUR OWN FOOD – ATE AND DRANK STANDING UP – BUCKET ON THECENTER COUNTER WHERE YOU PAID AND MADE YOUR OWN CHANGE – TOTALLY ON THE HONOR SYSTEM

ALL THE DRINKING CAUSED HIS WEIGHT TO BALLOON – THIS IS WHEN HE EARNED THE NICKNAME “BIG STEVE” – HE ADMITTED THERE WERE TIMES HE WAS SO WASTED HE HAD TO “LOOSE A DAY” –

DURING THE DAY HE ENJOYED HUNTING AND FISHING – USUALLY HE WENT TO HIS UNCLES PROPERTY ON GRAND

ISLAND – HIS UNCLE HAD 500 ACRES OF LAND ON THE ISLAND

THERE IS NO RECORD OF HIS BEING A WOMANIZER – NOINDICATION OF HIS HAVING PURSUED A WOMAN OR OF HAVING A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP

HE WAS ONCE TALKED IN TO ATTENDING THE PREMIER SOCIAL BALL OF THE SEASON – IT WAS A DISASTER – HIS DANCING WAS SO BAD THEY MADE FUN OF HIM IN THE SOCIETY PAGES

HE FOUND CONTENTMENT WITH HIS BAND OF BROTHERS

LAFAYETTE SQUARE

SOLDIERS & SAILORS MONUMENT – DEDICATED JULY 4, 1884 – GROVER CLEVELAND – NY GOVERNOR LAID CORNERSTONE – 85 FEET TALL – HALLOWELL GRANITE –WOMAN ON TOP REPRESENTS BUFFALO- 8 FOOT STATUES – INFANTRY, CALVARY, NAVY & ARTILLERY – PART OF GETTYSBURG ADDRESS ON BACK – DEDICATION TO THOSELOST IN WAR IN FRONT – BAND HAS ABOUT 30 FIGURESINCLUDING LINCOLN AND HIS ORIGINAL CABINET – LINCOLN HOLDING PRESIDENTIAL CALL-TO-ARMS FOR 75,000 VOLUNTEERS

GROVER CLEVELAND – SHERIFF FROM 1871 TO 1873 – UNUSUAL FOR ATTORNEY TO BECOME SHERIFF – FIT GENERAL DESIRE TO STOP CORRUPTION

WAS A GOOD SHERIFF – INTERESTED IN QUALITY OF ITEMS PURCHASED BY DEPARTMENT – CAUGHT SOME PEOPLE TRYING TO CHEAT THE COUNTY

GENERALLY DELEGATED DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS TO THEUNDERSHERIFF – CLEVELAND OUT HUNTING AND FISHING

DID NOT DELEGATE THE TWO EXECUTIONS WHILE HE WASSHERIFF – COULD PAY A DEPUTY $10 TO DO EXECUTIONBUT HE DID THE HIMSELF

PATRICK MORRISSEY – KILLED HIS MOTHER

JOHN GAFFNEY – A GAMBLER WHO SHOT A MAN OVER A CARD GAME – SHOT PATRICK FAHEY

GALLOWS LOCATED IN JAIL YARD – WASHINGTON AND BROADWAY – WHERE THE LIBRARY NOW STANDS

GROVER CLEVLAND STOP – MAIN AND SWAN

MARIA HALPIN ARRIVED IN BUFFALO IN THE 1870’S – WIDOW FROM NEW JERSEY – CAME WITH 10 YR OLD SON TO WORK IN STORE – STORE CLOSED AND WORKED IN CLOAK DEPARTMENT OF FLINT & KENT – UPSCALE STORE– VERY CULTURED WOMAN SPOKE FRENCH – ATTENDED STJOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

GROVER CLEVELAND NO LONGER SHERIFF – PRACTICING LAW AND LIVING BACHELOR LIFE – HUNTING, FISHING AND HANGING OUT WITH THE GUYS

NOT SURE HOW BUT MARIA AND GROVER MET – MAY HAVEBEEN THROUGH OSCAR FOLSOM’S WIFE – GROVER AND MARIA APPARENTLY WENT OUT TOGETHER A FEW TIMES –GROVER SAW HER ON THE STREET ON DEC. 14, 1873 – SHE WAS HEADED TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT THE TIFFT HOUSE – HE TALKED HER IN TO HAVING DINNER WITH HIM

AFTER DINNER HE TOOK HER BACK TO HER ROOM – APPARENTLY HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE – NOW BECOMES HE SAID / SHE SAID – SHE SAID HE JUMPED ON HER ON THE BED – HE SAID NOTHING HAPPENED – DO KNOW

A BABY BOY WAS BORN TO MARIA ON SEPT. 14, 1874 –NAMED HIM OSCAR FOLSOM CLEVELAND –

RUMOR WAS SHE HAD ENTERTAINED MANY MEN WHILE IN BUFFALO – OSCAR FOLSOM WAS MARRIED – DID GROVER PROTECT HIS MARRIED FRIEND OSCAR FOLSOM – OSCAR FOLSOM DIED IN A CARRIAGE ACCIDENT ON JULY 23, 1875 –

GROVER ARRANGED FOR DR. JAMES KING TO ATTEND THEBIRTH – BABY WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM MARIA – GIVEN TO CARE OF DR. KING’S SISTER-IN-LAW

AFTER ABOUT A YEAR THE BABY IS RETURNED TO MARIABUT SHE STARTS DRINKING AND THE CHILD IS TAKEN TO AN ORPHANGE AND GROVER HAS MARIA CONFINED TO AN ASYLUM – SHE ONLY STAYS A FEW DAYS AND EVENTUALLY STEALS THE CHILD FROM THE ORPHANAGE –SHE IS FOUND BABY IS TAKEN BACK – HER FAMILY TAKES MARIA BACK TO NEW JERSEY – AT THE AGE OF 4THE BABY IS ADOPTED BY DR. KING AND NAMED JAMES E KING, JR – BECAME A VERY RESPECTED DOCTOR IN BUFFALO – DIED IN 1947 NEVER MARRIED AND NEVER HAD CHILDREN

THE BEST KNOWN SECRET IN BUFFALO BECOMES AN ISSUE IN THE 1884 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – STORY IS BROKEN IN BUFFALO NEWSPAPER – A COUPLE OF BUFFALO PASTORS JUMPED IN AND EXAGERRATED GROVER’S WOMANIZING

CONTEST WAS BETWEEN JAMES BLAINE – TOTALLY CORRUPT PUBLIC LIFE AGAINST - GROVER CLEVELAND’SCORRUPT PRIVATE LIFE – GROVER WON

COUNTY HALL – 92 FRANKLIN ST – MAYOR GROVER

BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY A COMBINATION CITY AND COUNTY HALL – WHEN GROVER WAS TOOK OFFICE AS MAYOR OF BUFFALO ON JAN, 2, 1882 HIS OFFICE WAS ON THE 2ND FLOOR TO THE LEFT OF THE CLOCK TOWER

THE DEMOCRATS NOMINATED HIM MAINLY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT HE COULD WIN AND HEWON QUITE EASILY – HEBEAT MILTON BEEBE WHO WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THE BRISANE BUILDING

THE BUFFALO EXPRESS – A REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER SAID OF HIM AFTER HE WAS NOMINATED “IF HE IS MAYOR, THE CITY WILL BE TO HIM AS HIS CLIENT – AS A CLIENT STANDING MORE SORELY IN NEED OF ALL HIS BEST ENDEAVORS THAN ANYONE HE EVER SERVED BEFORE – AND WOE WOULD BE TO THE MAN THAT SHOULDATTEMPT TO ROB OR OTHERWISE WRONG HER.”

WASTE AND CORRUPTION GAVE CLEVELAND HIS OPPORTUNITY – STARTED TO GIVE THE CITY A BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION – HE HAD NO PARTICULAR REFORM POLICIES BUT WAS JUST OUT TO CUT WASTE –

CITY WAS PAYING TWICE AS MUCH FOR PLANK SIDEWALKS THAN PRIVATE PERSONS – NOT GETTING A FULL DAYS WORK FROM EMPLOYEES - PAID TOO MUCH FOR STREET CLEANING AND REPAIRS TO SCHOOLS – QUITE OFTEN THE HIGHEST BIDDER WOULD GET THE CONTRACT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL CONNECTIONS – ON OCCASION THE COUNCIL WOULD ACTUALLY RAISE THE HIGHEST BID AND THEN APPROVE IT

HE VETOED PAYING $800 TO 3 NEWSPAPERS FOR PUBLISHING A DAILY SYNOPSIS OF THE COUNCIL’S PROCEEDINGS – THEY WOULD PUBLISH IT ANY WAYS –

VETOED PAYING $500 TO A DECORATION DAY COMMITTEE– FELT MONEY SHOULD BE OBTAINED FROM INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS

KNOWN FOR HIS PLAIN SPEECH VETO – “I WITHHOLD MYASSENT FROM THE SAME, BECAUSE I REGARD IT AS THECULMINATION OF A MOST BAREFACED, IMPUDENT AND SHAMELESS SCHEME TO BETRAY THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE AND TO WORSE THAN SQUANDER THE PUBLIC MONEY.”

THE COMMON COUNCIL DID NOT DARE OVERRIDE HIS VETOES – PUBLIC OPINION HAD ALIGNED ITSELF BEHIND HIM

WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE HIS METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ATTRACTED ATTENTION IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND NATION

NOVEMBER 20, 1882 – AFTER ONLY 11 MONTHS - HE LEFT THE OFFICE OF MAYOR OF BUFFALO TO BECOME GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK

DELAWARE AND W. EAGLE – GOVERNOR GROVER

ON JANUARY 1, 1883 GROVER CLEVELAND WAS SWORN INAS GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE – HE WOULD STAY INTHIS JOB FOR 2 YEARS

DURING HIS CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR HE CONTINUED TOTEND TO HIS DUTIES AS MAYOR – HE DID NOT MAKE A SINGLE SPEECH DURING THE CAMPAIGN

GROVER WANTED TO GOVERNOR AFTER HE WAS APPROACHED BY THE POWERS IN ALBANY – HE COULDN’T

HAVE IT LOOK LIKE HE WANTED THE JOB – HE MADE SURE HE APPEARED AS THE RELUCTANT CANDIDATE –

CLEVELAND WON BY ALMOST 200,000 VOTES – HE WENT FROM BEING THE VETO MAYOR TO THE VETO GOVERNOR

VETOED A BILL THAT WOULD LOWER SOME TRANSIT FARES FROM 10 CENTS TO 5 CENTS – WAS PROPOSED BYTAMMANY HALL TO GAIN VOTES – MAKE THE PEOPLE TO KEEP IN OFFICE – CLEVELAND ASSUMED HIS VETO WOULD BE VERY UNPOPULAR – WAS SHOCKED WHEN THE NEWSPAPERS PRAISED HIS VETO – THEY WERE HAPPY HESTOOD UP TO TAMMANY HALL

HIS TWO YEARS AS GOVERNOR WERE A CONTINUATION OFHIS REFORM WORK AS MAYOR OF BUFFALO

CITY HALL – GROVER CLEVELAND STATUE - PRESIDENT

CORRUPTION IN POLITICS WAS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE1884 CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT – GROVER CLEVELAND RAN AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN JAMES BLAINE – BLAINEWAS ONE OF THE MOST CORRUPT POLITICIANS BUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE WAS BEYOND REPROACH – CLEVELANDS POLITICAL LIFE WAS BEYOND REPROACH BUT THE STORYOF HIS ILLEGITIMATE CHILD CALLED HIS PERSONAL LIFE IN TO QUESTION

THE STORY OF MARIA HALPIN BROKE IN THE BUFFALO EVENING TELEGRAPH ON JULY 21, 1884 – REV. GEORGEBALL OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN BUFFALO – HELEARNED OF THE STORY AND WAS PUSHING IT = THOUGHT CLEVELAND WAS A LIBERTINE AND UNFIT FOR OFFICE – IT WAS A THROW BACK TO HIS BACHELOR DAYS – TRIED TO PAINT HIM AS A WOMANIZER – IF THE STORY HAD BROKEN DURING THE CONVENTION HE PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NOMINATED – THE PUBLIC WAS MORE FORGIVING – FELT HE TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CHILD

CLEVELAND WON THE POPULAR VOTE BY ABOUT ONE-QUARTER PERCENT BUT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BY 219-182

HE ENDED HIS BACHELOR LIFE DURING HIS FIRST TERM- GROVER IS THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO BE MARRIED IN THE WHITE HOUSE – ON JUNE 2, 1886, AFTER WORKINGA FULL DAY, GROVER WAS MARRIED IN THE BLUE ROOM - GROVER BECAME INFATUATED WITH FRANCES FOLSOM CLEVELAND – DAUGHTER OF HIS FRIEND OSCAR FOLSOM – MANY THOUGHT HE WAS COURTING HER MOTHER – AFTER SHE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND A LONG TRIP

TO EUROPE - THEY WERE MARRIED IN THE WHITE HOUSE– SHE WAS 21 AND GROVER WAS 49 – HAD SEVERAL CHILDREN – FIRST CHILD WAS RUTH – COUNTRY WAS INFATUATED BY HER BUT SHE DIED YOUNG – COMPANY CLAIMS THAT THE BABY RUTH CANDY BAR WAS NAMED FOR HER – PROBABLY NOT TRUE - FRANCES REMARRIED AFTER GROVER DIED – SHE IS THE ONLY FIRST LADY TO RE-MARRY AFTER HER HUSBAND’S DEATH

IN THE 1888 ELECTION CLEVELAND FACED BENJAMIN HARRISON OF INDIANA – CLEVELAND LOST HIS HOME STATE OF NEW YORK – IN SPITE OF WINNING THE POPULAR VOTE HE LOST IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE – HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGERS WERE INEXPERIENCED AND POORLY MANAGED HIS CAMPAIGN – ALSO THE TARIFF ISSUE BROUGHT OUT THE PROTECTIONISTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL NORTH STATES

WHEN LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE, FRANCES TOLD THE STAFF TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE FURNITURE BECAUSE

THEY WOULD BE BACK SOON – WHEN ASKED WHEN, SHE REPLIED “FOUR YEARS FROM TODAY’

GROVER CLEVELAND BECAME A PRIVATE CITIZEN FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS – THEY MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY WHERE HE CONTINUED HIS LEGAL CAREER – REALLY JUST SHARED OFFICES WITH A LAW FIRM – THEIR DAUGHTER RUTH WAS BORN DURING THIS TIME

ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLITICAL ISSUE OF THE TIME WAS THE SHERMAN SILVER PURCHASE ACT – IT WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CURRENCY BACKED BY SILVER– CLEVELAND WAS OPPOSED TO IT AND WROTE A LETTERAGAINST IT JUST BEFORE THE 1892 ELECTION – THE LETTER THRUST HIM BACK IN TO THE SPOTLIGHT – THE

REPUBLICANS NOMINATED HARRISON SO THE EECTION WAS A RE-MATCH OF 1888 – THIS TIME GROVER WON AND HE AND FRANCES RETURNED TO THE WHITE HOUSE

IT WAS DURING HIS SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT THAT HE HAD HIS SECRET SURGERY – IN 1893 HE CONSULTEDWITH THE WHITE HOUSE DOCTOR REGARDING PAIN IN THE ROOF OF HIS MOUTH AND A GROWTH IN HIS MOUTH – THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A MALIGNANT TUMOR

CLEVELAND CHOSE TO HAVE SURGEY BUT TO KEEP IT SECRET – THERE WAS A FINANCIAL PANIC IN 1893 ANDHE DID NOT WANT THE SURGERY TO ADD TO THE PANIC

ON JUNE 30, 1893, CLEVELAND SECRETLY LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE AND BOARDED A TRAIN TO NYC – THERE HE BOARDED THE YACHT ONEIDA – WHERE A TEAM OF

DOCTORS WERE ALREADY ON BOARD – THE SURGERY WAS DONE THE FOLLOWING – THEY REMOVED PART OF HIS UPPER LEFT JAW AND HARD PALATE – HIS MOUTH WAS DISFIGURED AND HIS SPEECH WAS EFFECTED – THERE WAS NO INCISION ON THE OUTSIDE OF HIS FACE AND HIS MUSTACHE WAS NOT EFFECTED – WHEN QUESTIONED BY THE PRESS, THEY WERE TOLD HE HAD TWO TEETH REMOVED – EVENTUALLY A PROSTHESIS INSTALLED TO CORRECT HIS SPEECH

IT WASN’T UNTIL 1917 THAT THE STORY WAS CONFIRMED WHEN ONE OF THE DOCTORS PUBLISHED A

PAPER DETAILING THE SURGERY – THE TUMOR WAS SAVED BY THE SURGEON AND UPON HIS DEATH WAS GIVEN TO THE MUTTER MUSEUM IN PHILADELPHIA

THERE WERE SOME THAT TRIED TO CONVINCE GROVER TORUN FOR A THIRD TERM – HE CHOSE NOT TO RUN AGAINAND WAS SUCCEEDED BY WILLIAM MCKINLEY

GROVER CLEVELAND LIVED OUT HIS LIFE IN THE VILLAGE OF PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY – HE AND FRANCES HAD FIVE CHILDREN, RUTH, ESTHER (THE ONLY CHILED EVER BORN IN THE WHITE HOUSE), MARION, RICHARD AND FRANCIS – GROVER WAS 66 YEARS OLD WHEN FRANCIS WAS BORN

GROVER DIED ON JUNE 24, 1908 – LAST WORDS WERE “I HAVE TRIED SO HARD TO DO RIGHT” – FRANCES RE-MARRIED 4 YEARS AFTER GROVERS DEATH TO A PROFESSOR FROM WELLS COLLEGE – AFTER SHE RE-MARRIED SHE SPENT THE REST OF HER LIFE TAKING UP

THE CAUSE OF ENSURING GROVER’S PLACE IN HISTORY – SHE DIED ON OCTOBER 29, 1947