Herbert Hoover was the first Quaker President of the United States of America.
President Hoover was the son of Quaker minister, Hulda Minthorn Hoover, and blacksmith, Jesse Clark Hoover. President Hoover got married to Lou Henry Hoover on 10 February 1899.
When the Boxer Rebellion started in China, he was there with his new wife Lou Henry and was working as a mining engineer. During the fighting, they somehow managed to survive a siege of their compound.
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st president of the United States of America and served just one term, from 1929 to 1933.
Known for his humanitarian response to the world's crises in the early 1900s, Hoover was specially elected when he showed his conscious side to the world and rescued millions of Europeans from starvation, which was prevalent in World War I.
Before marking his legacy in the presidency, Hoover, with whatever sizable fortune he possessed, used the money in active humanitarian work.
The term of his presidency was at such a time that Hoover did not see it coming. He was elected in the year 1929 when the Great Depression was about to hit the world hard.
The stock market crashed, the economy collapsed and people starved. Various reports say that the influence of the Great Depression was such that even the consequences of the world war did not side with it. Herbert Clark Hoover was elected as the president during such a trying and challenging time.
Without any further delay let's dive into facts about the 31st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover! Read on to know more about his relationships with Woodrow Wilson, Charles Curtis, and General Douglas MacArthur. Afterward, also check Abby Lee Miller facts and Antonin Artaud facts.
The Early Life Of Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover was born to a family of diverse ancestry. His father, Jesse Hoover, was a blacksmith, and his mother, Hulda Randall Minthorn, was of Canadian descent. For almost 10 years, Herbert lived in West Branch, Iowa. When Hoover was around six years old, both of his parents passed away, leaving him as an orphan.
Hoover and his siblings were sent to live with his uncle, John Minthorn, in Oregon. There he attended Friends Pacific Academy in one of the Oregon cities, Newberg. His skills in studies were not much to talk of, nevertheless, he wanted to get enrolled in the newly created Stanford University.
After graduating in 1895, he was unsuccessful in finding a surveyor job, and instead, he worked in a gold mine and pushed carts in Nevada City, California. Eventually, Hoover got a job as an engineer in San Francisco.
This job gave him the opportunity to travel the world. He was first sent to Australia and then China for an overseeing job. By 1914, Hoover had his own business established, and after all of his initial struggles, he was finally financially independent.
Hoover married Lou Henry, who was in the same college as him. It is noted that she accompanied her husband everywhere he went, all around the world. Consequently, he mastered speaking in eight languages.
During their time in China, Hoover assisted in the fighting to protect Tianjin. His career as a mining engineer spanned over many years with a successful business record.
Herbert Hoover's family were Quakers. With his father being a devout quaker, Herbert inherited and understood the importance of faith in his system. He also talked about his interest in working towards public development.
However, his political year took a turn when he joined the Republican party. After the disastrous consequences of World War I, he was asked by the US consul to rescue the thousands of people trapped in Europe. With his money and aid from his wealthier friends, the task was carried out and it was successful.
This action earned him the international spotlight. Eventually, after numerous successful tasks throughout his political career, Herbert Hoover contended for the presidential elections and won. This was during the time of the Great depression.
What is Herbert Hoover known for?
Herbert Hoover was an accomplished engineer and owned a considerably successful mining consulting firm. However, he only came into the international spotlight in the aftermath of World War I when he helped thousands of people from succumbing to starvation in Belgium.
With the mixture of his own money and financial aid from his wealthy friends, he led the committee for the relief of Belgium. In 1918 Hoover was officially appointed as the head of the European relief and rehabilitation administration.
During this time, he became a prominent figure who transported millions of tons of American food and supplies to devastated, war-torn Europe, helping out people in 20 countries.
While serving as a cabinet minister, Hoover was tiringly active. He was known as 'Secretary of Commerce and under-secretary of all other departments' during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.
Although there are many misconceptions regarding the invention of vacuum cleaners, Herbert Hoover did not invent them. Vacuums were invented by another person with a similar name, William hoover.
Where was Herbert Hoover born?
Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa on 10 August 1874.
He was the middle child; his older brother was called Theodore and he had a younger sister named Mary. However, after the passing of his parents, Hoover was sent to Newberg, Oregon to live with his uncle, John Minthorn.
Before becoming the President of the United States, Herbert Hoover worked as the Secretary of Commerce under the administrations of President Coolidge and Harding.
Herbert Hoover's Education
During his stay with his uncle in Newberg, Hoover attended George Fox University and later, became determined to be admitted to the then newly established Stanford University.
After barely passing the entrance exam, he was accepted. Hoover attended Stanford University from 1891 to 1895. Herbert Hoover majored in geology and at the same time, managed football and baseball teams. Hoover’s first entrepreneurial skill's can be traced back to when he ran a student laundry service while working as a clerk to pay for his tuition.
Was Herbert Hoover an orphan?
Both of Herbert's parents, his father, Jesse Hoover, and his mother Hulda Randall passed away when he was six years of age.
His father died from a heart attack, and later, his mother developed pneumonia and passed away due to the condition. Hoover and his siblings were left parentless and eventually, they were sent to live with an uncle.
By 1914, Hoover was a multi-millionaire, deriving his income from various sources. During World War I, he became a household name and people called him 'The Great Humanitarian'. He did not invent the vacuum.
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