Warren G. Harding became the 29th president in 1921 but died after only two years in office. He was the first president to denounce lynching and supported a bill to make it a federal crime. After his death, scandals like Teapot Dome and an affair with Nan Britton damaged his reputation.
Identity & family.
KIN · 10
Names, aliases, and relatives of Warren G. Harding — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Birth NameWarren Gamaliel Harding
PARENTS
Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson
SPOUSES
Florence Kling Harding
CHILDREN
Elizabeth Ann Blaesing
SIBLINGS
Charity Malvina HardingMary Clarissa HardingEleanor Persilla HardingCharles Alexander HardingAbigail Victoria HardingGeorge Tryon Harding Jr.Carolyn Harding Votaw
At a glance.
STATS
Warren G. Harding by the numbers — life, work, and family.
57Years lived
3Film credits
2Books
1Marriage
1Child
Who was Warren G. Harding?
BIOGRAPHY
Warren G. Harding — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
I.
Early life
Warren Gamaliel Harding was born in Corsica, Ohio on November 2, 1865. He attended Ohio Central College. After college, he purchased The Marion Star, a newspaper that became the foundation of his political career.
II.
Career
Harding was elected president in 1920, winning by a landslide. He took office on March 4, 1921. During his presidency, he signed the Budget and Accounting Act and created the Bureau of the Budget. He was the first president to speak on radio, delivering a speech on June 14, 1922. He reinstated the hiring of African Americans for federal jobs, reversing Woodrow Wilson’s policy. His administration was later tainted by the Teapot Dome scandal, in which Interior Secretary Albert Fall leased oil reserves to private companies for bribes.
III.
Personal life
Harding married Florence Kling on July 8, 1891. Florence, whom he called The Duchess, was a strong-willed partner. He had extramarital affairs with Carrie Phillips, a friend of his wife, and with Nan Britton, who claimed Harding fathered her daughter Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, born in 1919. After his death, Britton published The President’s Daughter in 1927.
IV.
Legacy
The Teapot Dome scandal damaged trust in government and remains central to Harding’s legacy. But he also took progressive stances on civil rights, denouncing lynching and hiring African Americans for federal jobs. His sudden death in 1923 cut his presidency short. The Harding Presidential Library opened in 2021, preserving his papers.
Filmography.
FILMS · 3
Browse the complete filmography of Warren G. Harding — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Movie
The Golden Twenties
7.0(1)
Movie
Backstage at the White House
Movie
Coolidge: Rediscovering an American President
()
Bibliography.
BOOKS · 2
Warren G. Harding's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.
Little-known facts about Warren G. Harding — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
01
Harding used tobacco in every form: cigarettes smoking 1.5 packs of Camels daily, cigars at least two a day, snuff, pipe, and chewing tobacco. Combined with heavy alcohol consumption and presidential stress, this likely contributed to his fatal apoplexy in 1923 at age 57.
02
Harding appears on a $2 US postage stamp in the Presidential Series, issued on September 29, 1938.
03
He was also pictured on a 1.5-cent US regular-issue postage stamp issued March 19, 1925.
04
Harding and his wife Florence are buried in the Harding Tomb in Marion, Ohio.
05
He served as President of the United States from March 4, 1921, until his death in office on August 2, 1923.
06
Harding popularized the word bloviate, meaning a loud, pompous, boastful statement.
07
Although Harding was an effective politician, his legacy was stained by scandals after his death. One involved an erroneous claim that his wife poisoned him. The Teapot Dome scandal involved illegal kickbacks from oil reserves in Teapot Dome, Wyoming, to members of his cabinet. Harding’s reputation never fully recovered.
08
As president, Harding allegedly had assignations with his mistress Nan Britton in the closet of the Oval Office. Britton claimed Harding fathered her daughter, born in 1919, and published the allegations in her 1927 book The President’s Daughter. There is no proof of the affair, but Britton had been obsessed with Harding since she was a girl.
09
Harding’s cabinet, nicknamed the Ohio gang, were his close friends. They played poker together, and Harding once gambled and lost an entire White House China set.
10
Harding was the fifth U.S. president to die in office. All presidents who died in office from 1841 to 1960 were elected exactly 20 years apart, with Harding elected in 1920. Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980, survived an assassination attempt and broke this 120-year pattern.
11
Upon his death in 1923, Harding left the income from his $850,000 estate to his wife Florence. His father received interest from $50,000 in government bonds. After their deaths, the principal went to his siblings, with specific bequests to the Marion Park Commission $25,000, nieces and nephews $10,000 each, his wife’s two grandchildren $4,000 each, and two churches.
12
Harding was the first U.S. president to deliver a speech over radio, on June 14, 1922, at the dedication of the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on station WEAR.
13
Harding was a heavy drinker and continued to consume alcohol even after Prohibition was enacted, publicly supporting the policy but privately ignoring it.
14
Many historians argue that voters supported Harding primarily because he looked presidential, a reference to his tall, handsome appearance.
15
Harding was the most recent U.S. president without a presidential library until 2021. The Harding Presidential Library broke ground in March 2019 and opened to the public on May 12, 2021, along with the restored Harding Home.
16
Harding had a torrid affair with Carrie Phillips, a friend of his wife Florence. Carrie, married to department store co-owner James Phillips, began the affair while Harding was publisher of The Marion Star. Florence, whom Harding called The Duchess, was outraged when she discovered the affair, but it was not his only infidelity.
17
Harding once lamented that he was unfit to hold the presidency, according to one account.
18
Harding was the first president to explicitly denounce lynching and supported a bill making it a federal crime.
19
He reinstated the hiring of African Americans for federal positions, reversing a ban by Woodrow Wilson.
20
Harding’s father George Tryon Harding died on November 19, 1928 at age 85, outliving his son by more than five years.
·
You wanted to know.
FAQ · 26
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Warren G. Harding.
01When was Warren G. Harding born?
Warren G. Harding was born on November 2, 1865. He was born in Corsica, Ohio, which is now known as Blooming Grove.
02Where was Warren G. Harding born?
He was born in Corsica, Ohio, on November 2, 1865. That location is now known as Blooming Grove.
03When did Warren G. Harding die?
He died on August 2, 1923, in San Francisco, California. He was 57 years old at the time.
04How old was Warren G. Harding when he died?
He was 57 years old. He died on August 2, 1923, in San Francisco.
05Where did Warren G. Harding die?
He died in San Francisco, California. Specifically, he suffered apoplexy at the Palace Hotel.
06How did Warren G. Harding die?
He died of apoplexy, a medical term for a stroke. The death occurred at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on August 2, 1923.
07What was Warren G. Harding's birth name?
His full birth name was Warren Gamaliel Harding. He was born on November 2, 1865, in Corsica, Ohio.
08What was Warren G. Harding's occupation?
He was a politician and served as the 29th president of the United States. Before politics, he was a newspaper publisher, owning The Marion Star.
09What nationality was Warren G. Harding?
He was American, a citizen of the United States. He was born in Ohio and served as president.
10What language did Warren G. Harding speak?
His native language was English. He delivered speeches and wrote in English.
11Who were Warren G. Harding's parents?
His mother was Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson. His father was George Tryon Harding, who outlived him by more than five years.
12Who was Warren G. Harding married to?
He married Florence Kling Harding on July 8, 1891. She was known as The Duchess and was a strong partner in his political career.
13Did Warren G. Harding have children?
Yes, he had one child, Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, born in 1919. Her mother was Nan Britton, with whom Harding had an extramarital affair.
14Did Warren G. Harding have any siblings?
Yes, he had seven siblings: Charity Malvina Harding, Mary Clarissa Harding, Eleanor Persilla Harding, Charles Alexander Harding, Abigail Victoria Harding, George Tryon Harding Jr., and Carolyn Harding Votaw.
15Where did Warren G. Harding go to school?
He attended Ohio Central College. He graduated in 1882 before entering the newspaper business.
16How tall was Warren G. Harding?
He was 6 feet 0 inches tall, or 1.83 meters. His height contributed to his presidential appearance.
17What is Warren G. Harding best known for?
He is best known as the 29th president of the United States and for the Teapot Dome scandal that damaged his legacy. He also made history as the first president to speak on radio.
18What was the Teapot Dome scandal?
The Teapot Dome scandal involved the secret leasing of Navy oil reserves at Teapot Dome, Wyoming, by Interior Secretary Albert Fall to private oil companies for bribes. It broke after Harding’s death and tainted his administration.
19Did Warren G. Harding have an extramarital affair?
Yes, Harding had affairs with Carrie Phillips and Nan Britton. Britton claimed Harding fathered her daughter Elizabeth, born in 1919, and published the allegations in her 1927 book The President’s Daughter.
20What was Harding's stance on civil rights?
Harding was the first president to denounce lynching and supported a federal anti-lynching bill. He also reinstated the hiring of African Americans for federal positions, reversing Woodrow Wilson’s ban.
21What was the 'Ohio gang'?
The Ohio gang was the nickname for Harding’s cabinet, which consisted of his friends from Ohio. They were known for playing poker and gambling, and Harding once lost a White House China set.
22Did Warren G. Harding have a presidential library?
For many years, Harding was the most recent president without a library, but the Harding Presidential Library opened in Marion, Ohio, on May 12, 2021. The restored Harding Home also opened that day.
23What was Harding's connection to radio?
Harding was the first president to deliver a speech over radio, on June 14, 1922. He spoke at the dedication of the Francis Scott Key memorial at Fort McHenry on station WEAR.
24How did Harding die while in office?
Harding died suddenly from apoplexy in San Francisco on August 2, 1923, while still president. His death reportedly occurred at the Palace Hotel.
25Was Harding considered a popular president?
Harding was one of the most popular sitting presidents during his term, but his reputation declined after the exposure of scandals and an extramarital affair after his death.
26What was Harding's occupation before politics?
Before entering politics, Harding was a newspaper publisher. He owned and edited The Marion Star in Marion, Ohio, which became the foundation of his political career.
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