Timeline Description: Rutherford B. Hayes was the nineteenth American President. His election is one of the most debated victories in American presidential history. He served only one term.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1822 | Rutherford is born Rutherford was born in Ohio shortly after his family moved there. His father died before he was born, and he was raised by his mother. |
| 1836 | Rutherford attends Seminary Rutherford's early schooling involved many common schools, and when he was fourteen he enrolled in a Seminary in Ohio. He studied Latin and Greek. |
| 1843 | Harvard Law Rutherford went on to study at Kenyon College and finally Harvard. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1845. |
| 1850 | Cincinnati and a law practice Rutherford moved to Cincinnati and opened a joint law practice. While there, he met Lucy Webb who would later become his wife. |
| 1858 | City Solicitor The first public office Hayes held was that of City Solicitor in Cincinnati. He held the position until the Civil War began in 1861. |
| 1861 | The Civil War Rutherford joined the northern army and fought for the Union during the Civil War. He was wounded in battle. |
| September 1861 | A War Hero Hayes fought in many war battles during the Civil War. Some of the more well-known battles included the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Valley Campaign of 1864. |
| 1865 | Congress! After the war, Mr. Hayes was nominated by friends for the office in Congress. He accepted the nomination and won the election, even though he didn't campaign due to fighting in the war. |
| 1867 | Ohio Governor Hayes was soon elected Governor of Ohio. He served there for almost ten years. |
| 1869 | Civil work as governor While acting as governor in Ohio, Mr. Hayes worked diligently toward civil services. He opened schools for the deaf as well as for troubled girls, and he also fought for the rights of the former slaves. |
| 1876 | The Presidential Election After accepting the nomination for president candidate, Hayes ran for president. However, his campaign didn't go well, and he thought he would lose. |
| 1877 | President! On the day of the election, early counts at the voting polls indicated Hayes had lost. By the end of the night it appeared he had won, but no one believed it and the re-counting went on for months. |
| 1879 | Southern Reconstruction The effects of the Civil War on the south were great. President Hayes' greatest desire was to restore them to good standing, and he worked diligently while president to get them back on their feet. |
| 1881 | Retirement President Hayes had told the people early on that he planned to serve only one term, so at the end of his first four years he retired. Hayes and his family moved back home to Ohio. |
| 1893 | President Hayes dies After moving back to Ohio, Hayes lived several more years with his family in his home state. He passed away at the age of 71. |