Rutherford B. Hayes, U.S. PresidentOct. 4, 1822-Jan. 17, 1893
Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)
Krull sums up Hayes' contributions in one paragraph in this collective biography. The 19th president's phone number was "1."
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center invites visitors to learn more about this former president.
Buster Keaton, actor
Oct. 4, 1895-Feb. 1, 1966
Keep Your Eye on the Kid: The Early Years of Buster Keaton by Catherine Brighton (Roaring Brook Press, 2008)
Born into a vaudeville family, Keaton was nicknamed “Buster” because he could take a fall. And fall he did, over and over again onstage when he was a child. Audiences loved him. When Buster saw his first movie, he fell even harder. Eventually he made it to Hollywood and became a great comedic screen actor and movie-maker. Written in first person, this story is a class act.
The International Buster Keaton Society provides news, a biography, articles, and other resources related to this remarkable man.
St. Francis
Oct. 4 is St. Francis' Feast Day
c. 1181/1182-Oct. 3, 1226
Francis: Poor Man of Assisi by Tomie dePaola (Holiday House, 1990)
Wealthy by birth, Francis gave away his possessions to help the poor and become a protector of animals.
The Catholic Encyclopedia writes about St. Francis.
