Thaddeus Owens

Thaddeus Eugene Owens (July 9th, 1892 - December 5th, 1952) was the 29th president of the United States as well as the nation's first African-American president. President Owens oversaw the Red War, and was a proactive champion for Civil Rights.

Family Background
Thaddeus Owens's grandfather Eugene Owens grew up in slavery on the Silas Button Plantation in Langevelde. During the Civil War, the Button Plantation was razed by Union loyalists and Eugene and the other people enslaved there were set free. Eugene traveled to Sprague, Connecticut and married Sharla Smith. The couple had one child, Percival Owens. Percival would grow up in Sprague working odd jobs to help support his parents. In 1887 Percival started a business with Walter Kronley and John Madigan, but the business was short lived. Percival would work in Brighton at Thomas Edison's General Electric for a few years before moving back to Sprague. Percival and his wife Lila Carter had five children: Bas Percival Owens, Thaddeus Eugene Owens, kid 3, kid 4, kid 5.

Early Life and Education
Thaddeus and his siblings grew up in Sprague, Connecticut. During his teen year Thaddeus played American Gridiron and Baseball along side his older brother Bas. Life was comfortable for the Owens family, but Thaddeus still faced prejudice and discrimination on account of his race while growing up. Percival Owens saw Thaddeus's academic potential at a young age and saved to send Thaddeus to a university.

In the fall of 1911 Thaddeus started attending Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. At Amherst Owens studied law but could not afford the cost of a grad school, so he apprenticed for a local law firm, Wesley and Blake, after graduating.