Mini Biographies of Scots and Scots Descendants

(1837-1908) son of an Ulster-Scots mother and a Presbyterian minister, he worked his way up the political ladder from sheriff to the Oval Office. Born in New Jersey, he went to Buffalo in 1855, was elected sheriff of Erie County in 1870 and mayor of Buffalo in 1881. With a reputation as a reformer, he became governor of New York in 1882, was nominated for the Presidency on the Democratic ticket in 1884, and elected, becoming the first Democratic President since 1861. During his first administration he advocated moderate tariff, civil service, and pension reforms. He was defeated for re-election in 1888, but re-nominated and elected in 1892. He stood firmly for the gold standard, and alienated the silver wing of his party by securing the repeal of the silver purchase clause of the Sherman Act. Upon the end of his second term, in 1897, Cleveland retired from political life. He was the only president to serve split terms of office.