William Howard Taft"Big Bill"

William Howard Taft was born September 15, 1857. He built his early career as a lawyer and judge, serving on the Ohio Superior Court and later as the first civilian Governor-General of the Philippines. He served as Secretary of War under Theodore Roosevelt, who handpicked him as his successor, and Taft won the presidency in 1908. His single term (1909–1913) was marked by trust-busting efforts (he actually pursued more antitrust cases than Roosevelt did) and the passage of the 16th Amendment establishing the federal income tax, but a rift with Roosevelt led to Roosevelt challenging him in 1912, splitting the Republican vote and handing the election to Woodrow Wilson. After his presidency, Taft achieved his true career ambition when he was appointed Chief Justice of the United States in 1921, making him the only person in American history to serve as both President and Chief Justice.