Name John Coolidge, Role American Politician | Parents Calvin Galusha Coolidge Children Calvin Coolidge | |
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Died March 18, 1926, Plymouth, Vermont, United States Grandchildren Calvin Coolidge Jr., John Coolidge Similar People Calvin Coolidge, John Coolidge, Grace Coolidge | ||
John Calvin Coolidge Sr. (March 31, 1845 – March 18, 1926) was an American politician and businessman from Vermont. He is most notable as the father of Calvin Coolidge, and for having administered the oath of office to Calvin Coolidge when he became president following the death of Warren G. Harding.
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Born in Plymouth, Vermont, John C. Coolidge was a farmer and store owner, and worked at a variety of other occupations, including banker and insurance broker. In addition, he was a veteran of the Vermont militia, and held the law enforcement posts of town constable and county deputy sheriff. Considered a prominent local leader, he served in numerous Plymouth town offices, and was elected to terms in both the Vermont House of Representatives and Vermont State Senate.
On August 2, 1923, President Warren G. Harding died, and Vice President Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency. Coolidge was visiting his father's home in Plymouth at the time; in the early morning hours of August 3, John Coolidge, a notary public and justice of the peace, administered the presidential oath to his son.
John C. Coolidge remained active in his farming and business interests until his death in Plymouth in 1926; he was buried in Plymouth Notch at a village cemetery where several generations of his family are also buried.
Political and business career
Coolidge was born in Plymouth, Vermont on March 31, 1845, the son of Calvin Galusha Coolidge and Sarah Coolidge. Calvin G. Coolidge was a farmer, and also served in the Vermont House of Representatives. John Coolidge graduated from Black River Academy, and served in the Vermont Militia during the American Civil War as captain and commander of the militia's Company K, 10th Regiment.
Early in his life, Coolidge worked as a woodcutter and wheelwright. He was later active in several occupations; a partial list includes farmer, blacksmith, bricklayer, mason, carriage maker, harness maker, teacher, store owner, and insurance broker. In addition, he was a vice president of the Ludlow Savings Bank & Trust Company, and was appointed to its board of directors. Coolidge also served on the Black River Academy board of trustees.
A Republican, Coolidge served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1872 to 1878. He held local offices throughout his life, including town selectman, town meeting moderator, town agent, tax collector, road commissioner, school superintendent, justice of the peace, and notary public. For several years, he was Plymouth's assistant postmaster. For nearly 40 years he was both a town constable and deputy sheriff of Windsor County.
During the 1900 to 1902 governorship of William W. Stickney, who was related to the Coolidge family, John Coolidge served on his military staff as aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel.
Coolidge served in the Vermont State Senate from 1910 to 1912. During his Senate term, Coolidge was chairman of the Committee on Land Taxes.
First Inaugural of President Calvin Coolidge
Upon hearing of the death of President Warren G. Harding the previous day, Coolidge, who was a justice of the peace and a notary public, administered the presidential oath of office to his son at the Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, at about 2:30 a.m. on August 3, 1923.
Death
John Calvin Coolidge Sr. died in Plymouth, Vermont on March 18, 1926(1926-03-18). He was buried at Plymouth Notch Cemetery.
Family
In 1868, Coolidge married Victoria J. Moore. They were the parents of two children, son Calvin, and daughter Abigail (1875-1890). Victoria Coolidge died in 1884.
Coolidge married again in 1891. His second wife, Carrie A. Brown, was born in 1857 and died in 1920.