Who is the only U.S. president to own a patent and a saloon?
Asked by: Verla Hammes V | Last update: July 9, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (17 votes)
Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to both hold a patent and own a saloon. He was granted Patent No. 6,469 in 1849 for a device designed to lift boats over shoals. Before his political career, he was a licensed bartender and co-owned a saloon/store called "Berry and Lincoln" in New Salem, Illinois.
Who is the only U.S. president to have a patent?
Abraham Lincoln is the only U.S. president to have ever held a patent.
Is George Clooney a descendent of Abraham Lincoln?
Yes, George Clooney is distantly related to Abraham Lincoln. According to Ancestry.com genealogists, they are half-first cousins five times removed. This connection is rooted in Kentucky, linking Clooney through his maternal line to Lucy Hanks, who was Lincoln’s maternal grandmother.
Who was the only president to own a bar?
Abraham Lincoln (born today, 1809) was the only president to have been a bartender when he owned three bars in New Salem, Illinois.
Who is the only president to hold a patent for an invention?
Abraham Lincoln, the only president to have a patented invention, was born on this day in 1809. Lincoln received U.S. patent no. 6,469 for a device for “Buoying Vessels Over Shoals” in 1849, while he was practicing law in Springfield, Illinois.
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What has Elon Musk patented?
Elon Musk holds a personal portfolio of about 25 global patents, primarily spanning location-based search algorithms, autonomous driving, and vehicle design. However, he is famously dismissive of the practice—often stating that "patents are for the weak"—and prefers to keep core technological innovations open or treat them as trade secrets.
Did any U.S. president invent anything?
#DYK: Abraham Lincoln was the only U.S. President to obtain a patent. In 1849, he invented a complicated device for lifting ships over dangerous shoals by means of "buoyant air chambers."
What president was buried 17 times?
Abraham Lincoln is the president whose remains were moved and re-interred 17 times between 1865 and 1901. Due to construction on his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery and fears of body-snatching, his coffin was frequently relocated and opened five times before being finally secured under 10 feet of concrete.
Which president drank a shot of whiskey every morning?
Harry Truman was an early morning riser, up at 7:30 am, some two hours later than his Washington routine. On the advice of his physician, President Truman started his morning with a shot of bourbon, followed by a large glass of orange juice.
Who is the only president to be a licensed bartender?
Abraham Lincoln is the only US president to have been a licensed bartender. In 1833, he co-owned a general store and tavern called Berry and Lincoln in New Salem, Illinois, which required him to hold a formal liquor license.
Is Tom Hanks actually related to Abraham Lincoln?
Yes, Tom Hanks is distantly related to President Abraham Lincoln. According to genealogists, Hanks is a third cousin, four times removed of Lincoln, connected through the 16th president's mother, Nancy Hanks.
Is Lincoln's blood still on the chair?
Yes, there are still traces of blood on the chair. However, a major misconception is that the large, dark discolored areas on the headrest are blood—these are actually stains from hair grease and oil rubbed off from the heads of people who sat in the chair.
Who was Lincoln's male lover?
While mainstream historians generally hold that Abraham Lincoln was heterosexual, some scholars and a 2024 documentary, "Lover of Men," argue he had romantic, non-platonic, or deeply intimate bonds with men. The most prominent figure cited in these discussions is Joshua Speed, with whom Lincoln shared a bed for four years.
Who is the only U.S. president to have a PhD?
Woodrow Wilson is known as one of the nation's greatest presidents and is the only U.S. president to hold a Ph. D. degree. Wilson was the 28th U.S. president and served in office from 1913 to 1921.
What is the most ridiculous patent granted?
Some of the most ridiculous patents ever granted include a 1923 "tug-of-war" dental exerciser, a 2004 urinal headrest, a 1991 watch that calculates your life expectancy, and a 19th-century machine that drops blocks on your face to wake you up. Other absurd, granted patents include a "petting machine" for pets, a method for training cats, and a flatulence-filtering diaper.
Who was Walt Disney's favorite president?
Walt Disney's favorite president was Abraham Lincoln.
What president was drunk at his inauguration?
Andrew Johnson was purportedly drunk when he made his inaugural address as vice president of the United States on March 4, 1865.
Which president fathered a child at 70?
Tenth U.S. President John Tyler fathered his 15th and final child, Pearl, in 1860 at the age of 70. He holds the record for the most children fathered by any American president, spanning a 45-year period.
Which president gutted the White House?
President Harry S. Truman completely gutted the White House. Between 1949 and 1952, he oversaw a massive reconstruction project that demolished the entire interior of the Executive Mansion, leaving only the exterior walls standing.
Which U.S. president is Tom Hanks related to?
His mother was from a Portuguese family; their surname was originally "Fraga". His father had English ancestry, and through his line, Hanks is a distant cousin of Nancy Hanks and her son President Abraham Lincoln and children's host Fred Rogers (who Hanks has portrayed in a film role).
Which U.S. president was exhumed?
The only U.S. president whose remains have been exhumed for medical and forensic investigation is the 12th president, Zachary Taylor. His body was disinterred in June 1991 to determine if he was assassinated by political opponents using arsenic poisoning.
What were Lincoln's last words before he died?
Abraham Lincoln’s last words were, "She won't think anything about it." He spoke this to his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, moments before he was shot.
What is Donald Trump's education level?
Donald Trump holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Economics.
Which president spoke six languages fluently?
Thomas Jefferson is often credited with speaking six languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, and Greek. While multiple early presidents were highly proficient in foreign languages, John Quincy Adams is generally recognized as the most multilingual president, fluent in four (French, Dutch, Latin, German) and proficient in several others.
What is Obama's nickname?
Barack Obama’s most common nickname is "Barry," which he used throughout his childhood and high school years.