Grover Cleveland is the only president in American history to be born and buried in New Jersey. Born on March 18, 1837 in the town of Caldwell, he was the son of a Presbyterian minister. His birthname was Stephen Grover Cleveland, but he dropped the first name as a young man.
Growing up in New York State, his deep faith shaped his life, as he had a reputation for fairness and honesty. It wasn’t long before his career path soared as a lawyer, Erie County sheriff, mayor of Buffalo, governor of New York State, and finally the privilege to run for the presidency.
When he was elected president of the United States in 1884, his keen personality traits proved indispensable as he fought against political corruption. Although he served a productive first term, he lost his bid for reelection four years later. Undaunted, he tried again on an energetic platform and recaptured the presidency in 1892.
For over 130 years, he held the distinction as being the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Cleveland knew that records were meant to be broken, and so it was.
As a sportsman, Cleveland applied that same logic to fishing. He sought companionship and competition as an angler, whether it was on a lake, a stream, or open waters. The day was not measured by the size of the fish, but rather by the serenity that it brought him.
And if he wasn’t fishing, he was hunting waterfowl, deer or small game. He believed that the proper conduct of sportsmanship was heavily rooted in the conservation of nature. President Theodore Roosevelt adhered to the same principles, although many historians recognize his achievements in the field more so than his predecessor. Charisma was not a character trait that Grover Cleveland possessed.
When Cleveland and his family spent summers in Massachusetts and later in New Hampshire, he basked in the bucolic isolation while casting rod and reel. His friend Richard Watson Gilder, the editor of Century Magazine and a Bordentown native, maintained a farm in Massachusetts, so it wasn’t uncommon for them to share a boat or chat along the shoreline.
Gilder lacked artistry as a fisherman but always enjoyed time with others. He would watch as Cleveland systematically placed live frogs and worms on the end of his line. Gilder would later recall: “The president will fish when it shines and fish when it rains…He will fish through hunger and heat, lightning and tempest.”
In 1906, Cleveland wrote a book offering personal insights on the sport of hunting and fishing. Fishing and Shooting Sketches was illustrated by Bordentown native Henry Sumner Watson, who would later become the editor of Field & Stream Magazine.
Although the book had potential, it wasn’t a success. Critics panned the former president’s style as dry and unemotional. Nevertheless, the subject matter was important since it was written by only one of two presidents with a deep passion for outdoor sports.
The Bordentown Historical Society is fortunate to have several artifacts pertaining to Grover Cleveland, thanks to his close association with Richard Watson Gilder. Bobbers, lures, a 1902 album with a photograph of the former president fishing with Gilder, and a signed copy of the 1906 sportsman book can be viewed upon request.
If you would like any information about the Bordentown Historical Society, contact us either by phone (609) 298-1740 or email us at bordentownhistoriclasociety@gmail.com.
