Timeline Description: Rutherford Hayes (October 2, 1822 to January 17, 1893) was the nineteenth President of the United States of America. Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, Hayes ended Reconstruction in the South.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 2, 1822 | Birth of Rutherford Hayes Rutherford Hayes was born in Ohio and raised by his mother. His father died before his birth. As a boy, he attended seminary and studied Latin and Greek. |
| 1842 | Graduated Kenyon College After seminary, Hayes attended Kenyon College, graduating in 1842. He went on to Harvard Law. |
| 1845 | Graduated Harvard Law School Hayes graduated from Harvard Law School in 1845. He intended to practice law following graduation. |
| 1850 | Law Practice in Cincinnati Hayes moved to Cincinnati and opened his own law practice in 1850. He would be elected to serve as City Solicitor in Cincinnati, his first public office, in 1858. |
| 1852 | Married to Lucy Ware Webb Hayes Rutherford Hayes married Lucy Ware Webb Hayes in 1852. The two went on to have eight children, and Lucy Hayes was the first "First Lady of the Nation" during his presidency. |
| 1861 | Fought in the Union Army Hayes enlisted in the Union Army in 1861 and was wounded in battle during the Civil War. He fought in the Second Battle of Bull Run and the Valley Campaign of 1864. |
| 1865 | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives(1865 to 1867) Hayes served in the U.S. House of Representatives for the state of Ohio between 1865 and 1867. He was unable to campaign for the election, as he was still serving in the army, but won. |
| 1868 | Governor of Ohio(1868 to 1876) Hayes was elected governor of Ohio in 1868. He worked diligently to open new schools and improve the quality of life in Ohio. |
| 1877 | Inaugurated as President of the United States In the elections of 1877, Hayes was first thought to have lost the presidency. Re-counts of votes took quite some time before he finally was inaugurated as president. |
| 1877 | Compromise of 1877 The Compromise of 1877 brought an end to Reconstruction in the South. The process of ending Reconstruction would continue over the coming years. |
| 1878 | Bland-Alison Act The Bland-Alison Act passed in 1878, requiring the U.S. to buy a set amount of silver and put it into circulation in the form of silver dollars. |
| 1880 | Support for Panama Canal In 1880, Hayes voiced strong support for the building of a canal across Panama to increase the speed and ease of shipping goods. |
| 1881 | End of Presidential Term Hayes' presidential term ended in 1881. He returned to Ohio following his term as President. He did not seek re-election. |
| January 17, 1893 | Death of Rutherford Hayes Hayes died at home in Ohio on January 17, 1893. He was 71 years old. |