First president we have audio of

[A18]

Who's the first United States president we have audio of?

Also, how many presidents were never photographed?

[Storebought]

Go to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica Presidents website.

There are audio clips of all presidents since T Roosevelt on.

I'll list the link when I find it myself;

EDIT: Found it! http://www.britannica.com/presidentsWebapp/home.do

T Roosevelt's speech to the Progressive Boys League is a riot.

[Vincent]

IIRC, I saw a clip of WIlliam McKinnnley speaking in history class with audio as well.

[A18]

IIRC, I saw a clip of WIlliam McKinnnley speaking in history class with audio as well.

I wouldn't doubt it. I remember seeing the same of William Bryan.

[Storebought]

IIRC, I saw a clip of WIlliam McKinnnley speaking in history class with audio as well.

I wouldn't doubt it. I remember seeing the same of William Bryan.

But Bryan lived to 1935, I think

I would like to hear Grover Cleveland. He lived to 1909, so there should be some audio record of him

[A18]

Here: http://www.lib.msu.edu/vincent/presidents/index.htm

[Jim Valvano]

IIRC, I saw a clip of WIlliam McKinnnley speaking in history class with audio as well.

I wouldn't doubt it. I remember seeing the same of William Bryan.

But Bryan lived to 1935, I think

I would like to hear Grover Cleveland. He lived to 1909, so there should be some audio record of him

I'm not so sure since ex-presidents were less influential in those days then now, then again we are talking about Grover Cleveland. Still, I can't think of any reason why Cleveland would have something of his recorded in the final years of his life.

As to photographs, I've seen ones of everyone except Washington through Quincy Adams and Harrison and Tyler (although I'm betting ones do exist for the last two)

[J. J.]

I have a copy of a photo John Quincy Adams, but I think it was taken after his presidency.  Polk might have first one taken in office.

William Henry Harrison might have been the last.

[A18]

You mean there are photographs of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson? No way! I thought John Q. Adams was the first to be photographed.

And what do you mean Harrison was the last? We certainly have photographs of Bush, lol.

[Storebought]

Daguerrotypes of Quincy Adams shouldn't be too hard to find, since he was a congressman from 1830 until his death in 1848, and so had a reason to undergo the harrowing ordeal that was photograph-taking then.

Is it just me, or does it seem all those mid 19th century presidents who had their photos taken look like they smelled bad?

[Vincent]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph

It says the first device for playing back sound was invented by Edison and demonstrated in 1877. So it is feasible that we have recordings for presidents as far back as a post-presidency grant

[J. J.]

It was John Tyler:

http://www.virtualology.com/virtualmuseumofnaturalhistory/hallofvirtualplaces/whitehouse/presidentialmuseum.net/

[A18]

How good of an idea can you really get of someone's voice from these old recordings? I mean, the audio quality obviously sucks, and their voices all sound really peculiar.

[Storebought]

How good of an idea can you really get of someone's voice from these old recordings? I mean, the audio quality obviously sucks, and their voices all sound really peculiar.

No T Roosevelt really did sound like that.

Not to mention, up until Pres Truman, most presidents tried hard to "orate," which is less successful for those presidents who came from the Midwest.

Presidential first: Wm Henry Harrison was the first president to travel to his inauguration by railroad (I think Jackson was the first to ride one at all).

[So the Heroes Fall]

I read that Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have his voice recorded, although if Grover Cleveland did after Harrison's presidency I guess he would technically be the winner.

[J. J.]

The Daguerreotype was invented in 1839.

The earliest president for which a Daguerreotype exists is John Quincy Adams, in 1843.  He however, was a Congressman at the time and was no longer holding office.

In 1845, John Tyler posed for a Daguerreotype, as President, so he was the first sitting President that had some type of him.  Andrew Jackson, also posed for one, but he was so sick that he had to be propped up in a pillow.  Also between 1845-50, Martin Van Buren had one made.

I could find no record of a Daguerreotype for William Henry Harrison.  So basically, there is a photographiv record of all US Presidents, except W H Harrison, from J Q Adams until the present.

[A18]

Alright, who's the first president we have video of?

[J. J.]

Alright, who's the first president we have video of?

FDR appeared on television at the World's Fair in 1939.

[Vincent]

Alright, who's the first president we have video of?

FDR appeared on television at the World's Fair in 1939.

Are you sure? I dont know exactly what you mean by "video", but Ive seen motion picture of much earlier leaders.

[J. J.]

Alright, who's the first president we have video of?

FDR appeared on television at the World's Fair in 1939.

Are you sure? I dont know exactly what you mean by "video", but Ive seen motion picture of much earlier leaders.

Here is the link to television:
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/presidents/firsts.htm

As to video, if you are referring to television, it's FDR.  Film, as previously mentioned, was McKinley.  Videotape might have been Truman; I think it was a post war invention.  Early televison shows were on some type of disk.

[Harry]

hmmm, I've heard an audio of WJB's cross of gold speech.  It was really interesting, not how I expected it at all.  I envisioned him being worked up and yelling it, but in the audio he wasn't.

[J. J.]

hmmm, I've heard an audio of WJB's cross of gold speech.  It was really interesting, not how I expected it at all.  I envisioned him being worked up and yelling it, but in the audio he wasn't.

That might have been recorded after the event.  Bryant was around for a while.

[??????????]

Daguerrotypes of Quincy Adams shouldn't be too hard to find, since he was a congressman from 1830 until his death in 1848, and so had a reason to undergo the harrowing ordeal that was photograph-taking then.

Is it just me, or does it seem all those mid 19th century presidents who had their photos taken look like they smelled bad?

Most people would have smelled bad in those days. They often only bathed once a week or less. It is said that when the Confederate Army marched through Sharpsburg, MD in 1862 that the army could actually be SMELLED before they could be seen.

[J. J.]

Daguerrotypes of Quincy Adams shouldn't be too hard to find, since he was a congressman from 1830 until his death in 1848, and so had a reason to undergo the harrowing ordeal that was photograph-taking then.

Is it just me, or does it seem all those mid 19th century presidents who had their photos taken look like they smelled bad?

Most people would have smelled bad in those days. They often only bathed once a week or less. It is said that when the Confederate Army marched through Sharpsburg, MD in 1862 that the army could actually be SMELLED before they could be seen.

There was the claim that Gen George Pickett (CSA) was contantly covering himself with perfume, much to the derision of his fellow officers.

[??????????]

Daguerrotypes of Quincy Adams shouldn't be too hard to find, since he was a congressman from 1830 until his death in 1848, and so had a reason to undergo the harrowing ordeal that was photograph-taking then.

Is it just me, or does it seem all those mid 19th century presidents who had their photos taken look like they smelled bad?

Most people would have smelled bad in those days. They often only bathed once a week or less. It is said that when the Confederate Army marched through Sharpsburg, MD in 1862 that the army could actually be SMELLED before they could be seen.

There was the claim that Gen George Pickett (CSA) was contantly covering himself with perfume, much to the derision of his fellow officers.

Yep he did and he had it imported from France.