The Life of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 1

What it is

Written by Charles Richard Williams and published in 1914, this is the first volume of a two-volume biography of Rutherford B. Hayes, described as the nineteenth president of the United States. It was written using Hayes's own papers and covers his early life and Civil War service.

Why it matters

Published decades after Hayes's death, this biography represents one of the first thorough scholarly accounts of his life, based on his personal papers. It shows how historians began shaping Hayes's historical reputation using his own documents as evidence.

Look closer

• Why might a biography written using someone's personal papers be considered more reliable than a campaign biography?
• What does the dedication to William Henry Smith suggest about the author's connections?
• How might a biography written nearly twenty years after a president's death differ from one written during his lifetime?