Grover Cleveland

Born in Caldwell, New Jersey, in 1837, Grover Cleveland grew up in New York and studied law before making his name in Buffalo politics. He rose quickly, serving as mayor of Buffalo and then governor of New York, where his independence and attacks on graft helped him stand out in the rough politics of the Gilded Age.

In 1885 he became the 22nd president of the United States, the first Democrat elected to the office after the Civil War. After losing reelection in 1888, he returned to win again in 1892, making him the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms. He was known for a strong sense of personal integrity, frequent use of the veto, and a belief that the president should restrain wasteful or excessive government action.

His second term was overshadowed by the Panic of 1893, one of the worst economic crises of the century, which made his presidency deeply controversial. Even so, Cleveland remains a distinctive figure in American history: a stubborn, plainspoken leader whose public image rested less on charm than on discipline, independence, and a reputation for honesty.