Old whiskers

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Benjamin Harrison with grandchildren and the goat Old Whiskers and the dog "Dash"

Old Whiskers or His Whiskers was a domestic goat . It was kept as one of his pets by Benjamin Harrison , the 23rd President of the United States , during the presidency.

Background and life

Benjamin Harrison moved into the White House in 1889 with his entire extended family, consisting of his wife, children and grandchildren. Several dogs and two possums moved in with pets . He also got a goat for his grandchildren called Old Whiskers.

Harrison is said to have been madly in love with his grandchildren, as evidenced by the fact that they were often around him at work lunches or that he played Santa Claus for them. Among other things, he also bought a goat for her, which was harnessed and then pulled the children across the lawn of the White House on a cart.

Old Whiskers became more popular when, in 1903, ten years after Harrison's presidency, a newspaper published a story about the goat and grandchildren running away. That day the goat started running behind the house. The President was waiting for his car in front of the house.

When he saw the goat running away with the small child in the direction of a construction pit, the rather burly almost 60-year-old president ran after her to catch them. Then the animal accelerated. The article went on to describe the President running down Pennsylvania Avenue with his coat billowing and his steps clacking . The President was able to catch the goat shortly before the excavation. Both his grandson and himself were fine.

After Harrison's presidency, the goat became an attraction for the neighborhood children at his new Indianapolis residence . By John Wanamaker of the ex-president was still given a donkey.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d The Great White House Goat Chase on The Atlantic website ; accessed on March 4, 2016
  2. ↑ Old Whiskers on presidentialpetmuseum.com; accessed on March 4, 2016
  3. ^ Anne Chieko Moore, Hester Anne Hale: Benjamin Harrison: Centennial President , Nova Verlag, 2006, ISBN 1-60021-066-X , p. 149