Pauline Wayne
Encyclopedia
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
which belonged to William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, the 27th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Also known as "Miss Wayne", Pauline was not Taft's first presidential cow: she replaced the lesser-known "Mooley Wooly", who provided milk for the First Family for a year and a half. Taft and his wife, Helen Herron Taft
Helen Herron Taft
Helen Louise Herron "Nellie" Taft was the wife of William Howard Taft and First Lady of the United States from 1909 to 1913.-Early years:...
, had growing children, and Taft was a notoriously large eater. Accordingly, Mooley Wooly was replaced by Pauline Wayne, because the former could not produce enough milk for the Taft's growing family. Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
senator Isaac Stephenson
Isaac Stephenson
Isaac Stephenson was an American politician of the Republican Party who represented Wisconsin as both a United States Representative and a United States Senator....
bought Pauline Wayne for Mrs. Taft.
From 1910 to 1913, Miss Wayne freely grazed the White House lawn. She was the last presidential cow to live at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and was considered as much a Taft family pet as she was livestock. When Taft left office, she was shipped to Wisconsin. Her Bovine Blue Book number was 115,580. The origins of the name "Pauline Wayne" are unknown.