President: Herbet Hoover

Wife: Lou Henry (1875-1944), on February 10, 1899

Kids: Herbert Clark Hoover (1903-69); Allan Henry Hoover (1907-93)

Pets: a collie; Yukon, a malamute; Patrick, an Irish wolfhound; Eaglehurst Gillette, a setter; Weejie, an elkhound; fox terriers named Big Ben and Sonnie; shepherds named King Tut and Pat; an opossum

Bio: Herbert Hoover, (1874-1964), was the 31st President of the United States. Herbert Clark Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, on Aug. 10, 1874. His father died of typhoid fever when Herbert was six years old. Less than three years later, his mother died of pneumonia. He went to to live with an uncle in Newberg, Oregon, and attended a Quaker academy. At 17, Hoover entered Stanford University, graduating in May 1895 with a degree in engineering.

Hoover went on to work for a variety of foreign engineering firms, including those from Britain, Australia and China. Before leaving for China, he married Lou Henry on Feb. 10, 1899. But in 1901, he returned to London, working there until 1908. Soon he developed his own worldwide engineering firm and became quite wealthy.

During the War, Hoover was appointed by Wilson to institute the American Relief Administration to alleviate the suffering of people living in war-torn countries. Hoover developed it into a worldwide relief organization, supporting and feeding almost 200 million people by 1920.

Soon Harding appointed him secretary of commerce, where he gained the respect to be the Republican nominee for president. He won with a larger popular vote and a larger electoral vote (444 to 87) than any president had ever received.The two major issues marking Hoover’s presidency were Prohibition and the Depression. He struggled to enforce Prohibition, and was shocked when the stock market crashed on Oct. 29, 1929, eventually leaving 14 million Americans un employed before the end of Hoover's term.

Although he was renominated in 1932, he lost in a decisive vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, he stayed active in the government, his last position being that of the head of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of Government. He retired in 1955 at the age of 80.

Hoover died in New York City on Oct. 20, 1964, 2 months after his 90th birthday.