"THE SCHOOLMASTER OF POLITICS"

WOODROW WILSON BORN IN VIRGINIA

Staunton, Virginia (JFK+50) On December 28, 1856, Thomas Woodrow Wilson* was born at The Manse** here in Staunton.  His father was the Reverend of First Presbyterian Church.

Woodrow Wilson served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Wilson Center states...

"Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the schoolmaster in politics, is remembered for his high-minded idealism which appeared in both his leadership (at) Princeton...and his statesmanship during and after World War One."

*Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) graduated from Princeton University (AB, 1879) & attended the University of Virginia School of Law.  TWW earned his MA & PhD at Princeton and taught at Bryn Mawr College (1885-1888). He served as Governor of New Jersey (1911-1913) before his election as POTUS.

**The Manse, residence of the Presbyterian minister, was built in 1846.  The birthplace of President Wilson, a National Historic Landmark, is located atop the crest of a hill in the "Gospel Hill Historic District" of downtown Staunton (pronounced Stan-ton) Virginia.

SOURCES

"About Woodrow Wilson," Wilson Center, www.wilsoncenter.org/

"The Birthplace--The Manse," The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, www.woodrowwilson.org/

 

 

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace

Staunton, Virginia

Photo by

 Quarterczar of

 English Wikipedia (2007)

"SITTING ATOP THE CREST IN STAUNTON'S GOSPEL HILL DISTRICT"

WOODROW WILSON BIRTHPLACE

Staunton (JFK+50) On December 28, 1856, Thomas Woodrow Wilson, future 28th president of the United States, was born here in Staunton*.

The baby was delivered by Dr. James Waddell, who arrived as a light snow was falling in town.  The birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, now a national historic site, is located on North Coalter Street "sitting atop the crest in...Staunton's Gospel Hill...district." 

The home was called a manse, or the residence of the town's Presbyterian minister who just happened to be Woodrow's father, Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a founder of the Southern Presbyterian Church.

The elder Mr. Wilson came to Staunton in 1854 and occupied the Greek Revival brick manse with 12 rooms and 4 chimneys.  FDR dedicated the WW Birthplace in 1941.  FDR called it "a shrine to freedom."

*Staunton, pronounced stan ton, is located in Augusta County in the NW part of Virginia.  The town is known as the "Queen of the Shenandoah Valley."

SOURCE

www.woodrowwilson.org

Mr. Wilson's 1919 Pierce Arrow

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace

Staunton, Virginia

Photo by Tickleangelo

en.wikipedia (2007)

VIRGINIA, THE BIRTHPLACE OF PRESIDENTS

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2172

THE LAST VIRGINIA PRESIDENT BORN 160 YEARS AGO 

Staunton, Virginia (JFK+50) Thomas Woodrow Wilson, who was to become the 28th president of the United States, was born 160  years ago, December 28, 1856, here in Staunton*. As of today, Woodrow Wilson is the last POTUS from the state of Virginia.**

The birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, now a national historic site, is located on North Coalter Street "sitting atop the crest in...Staunton's Gospel Hill...district."  The home, at the time of Wilson's birth, was called a manse, or the residence of the town's Presbyterian minister who just happened to be Woodrow's father, Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a founder of the Southern Presbyterian Church.

The elder Mr. Wilson came to Staunton in December 1854 and occupied the Greek Revival brick manse with 12 rooms and 4 chimneys.  The Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation was founded in 1938 and the old manse underwent restoration in 1940 and 1941.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled to Staunton in May 1941 to dedicate Woodrow Wilson's birthplace.  FDR called it "a shrine to freedom."

Woodrow Wilson spent his childhood years in Augusta, Georgia.  He did not learn to read until the age of 10 perhaps due to dyslexia.  The family moved to Columbia, South Carolina in 1870 and Woodrow lived there for 4 years.

Woodrow was an accomplished student.  He graduated from Princeton in 1879 and attended the University of Virginia School of Law before practicing in Atlanta.   He earned his PhD in history and political science at Johns Hopkins University in 1886. Before being elected POTUS in 1912, Mr. Wilson served as president of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey.  


*Staunton, pronounced stan ton, is located in Augusta County in the NW part of Virginia.  The town is known as the "Queen of the Shenandoah Valley."

**Four of the first 5 U.S. Presidents were born in Virginia:  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison & James Monroe.  There were 3 more POTUS from Virginia in addition to Woodrow Wilson:  William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and Zachary Taylor.  It is little wonder that VIRGINIA is called "the birthplace of Presidents."

SOURCES

"Welcome to Virginia," www.virginia.org/

www.woodrowwilson.org

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace

Staunton, Virginia 

Photo by Quarterczar

English Wikipedia (2007)

WOODROW WILSON BORN

WOODROW WILSON BORN IN 1856

Staunton, Virginia(JFK+50) Thomas Woodrow Wilson, who was to become the 28th president of the United States, was born 157 years ago, December 28, 1856, here in Staunton*.

The future president was born at 12:45 a.m., delivered by Dr. James Waddell,  who most likely arrived as a light snow was falling in town.

The birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, now a national historic site, is located on North Coalter Street "sitting atop the crest in...Staunton's Gospel Hill...district."

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace

Staunton, Virginia 

Photo by Quarterczar

English Wikipedia (2007)

The home, at the time of Wilson's birth, was called a manse, or the residence of the town's Presbyterian minister who just happened to be Woodrow's father, Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a founder of the Southern Presbyterian Church.

The elder Mr. Wilson came to Staunton in December 1854 and occupied the Greek Revival brick manse with 12 rooms and 4 chimneys.

The Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation was founded in 1938 and the old manse underwent restoration in 1940 and 1941.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled to Staunton in May 1941 to dedicate Woodrow Wilson's birthplace.  FDR called it "a shrine to freedom."

Woodrow's grandparents immigrated from Ireland in 1807 and his mother's father, also a minister, was born in Scotland.

Joseph Wilson, before entering the ministry, was a newspaper publisher in Ohio and when he moved his family to Virginia, he became a slave owner and served as a Confederate chaplain.

Woodrow Wilson spent his childhood years in Augusta, Georgia.  He did not learn to read until the age of 10 perhaps due to dyslexia.  The family moved to Columbia, South Carolina in 1870 and Woodrow lived there for 4 years.

Woodrow was an accomplished student.  He graduated from Princeton in 1879 and attended the University of Virginia School of Law before practicing in Atlanta.  

He then entered Johns Hopkins University in 1883 and earned his PhD in history and political science in 1886.

Before being elected POTUS in 1912, WW served as president of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey.  

On display at the WW Birthplace is Mr. Wilson's prized 1919 Pierce Arrow.

Mr. Wilson's 1919 Pierce Arrow

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace

Staunton, Virginia

Photo by Tickleangelo

en.wikipedia (2007)

President Wilson loved automobile rides, bicycling and baseball.  He was the 1st president to attend a World Series game and to throw out the ceremonial 1st pitch at the WS.

After leaving the White House, the ailing former president moved into a new residence in Washington, D.C. where he died in 1924.

*Staunton, pronounced stan ton, is located in Augusta County in the NW part of Virginia.  The town is known as the "Queen of the Shenandoah Valley."

Downtown Staunton, Virginia

Photo by henristosch (2005)

SOURCE

www.woodrowwilson.org