Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover was known as the Great Humanitarian and the Great Engineer. Yet, he was blamed almost entirely for the Great Depression. Herbert Hoover accomplished much in his life, but it was definitely not an easy journey; he went through the ups and downs of the learning years that paved the path leading to his presidency, and he ultimately faced his fears.

Herbert Hoover was born in the rural town of West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874, to Jesse and Hulda Hoover. Herbert was born in one of the three rooms in the Hoover’s home. Jesse compared Herbert to Ulysses S. Grant; he was very hopeful for his son’s future. Jesse Hoover was the owner of a blacksmith shop in their small, rural town. Herbert, called Bert, had two siblings, an older brother, Theodore, and a younger sister, May.

A few years after the birth of Herbert, Jesse began his second business selling farm equipment. Sadly, it was only three years later that Jesse passed away from a bout of typhoid fever. To help provide for her young family, Hulda Hoover became a seamstress and used their tiny home for boarders. (Chang, 14-16)

Herbert and his two siblings became orphans after their mother’s death from pneumonia. Herbert was only eight years old. The Hoover children were separated and had to live with relatives all over the country. Herbert was sent to live on a farm with his

uncle’s family. (Chang 17-18)

Two years later, he moved to Oregon to live with another uncle and his family, the Minthorn’s. Herbert’s uncle was a doctor in the small town of Newberg; Herbert learned much from him. During this time Herbert attended the Quaker school his uncle had founded, Friends’ Pacific Academy. The Minthorns and Herbert Hoover moved to Salem, Oregon five ...

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Herbert Hoover’s life was full of adventures, tests, and trials. Herbert learned many lessons, made many mistakes, but yet, through it all he was able to face his fears bravely. Herbert Hoover was a huge part of stopping the world famine that occurred during World War I; he saved the lives of millions of people both in Europe and America. (Chang, 40)

Works Cited

Chang, David. Herbert Hoover. Berkeley Heights: Enslow Publishers Incorporated, 2002.

Fausold, Martin. The Presidency of Herbert Hoover. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1985.

“Herbert Hoover.” (accessed 30 January 2011).

Rice, Arnold, ed. Herbert Hoover. Dobbs Ferry: Oceana Publications Incorporated, 1971.

Smith, Gene. The Shattered Dream: Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1970.