Early Life
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois, the son of Nelle Clyde and John Edward Reagan. His father nicknamed him “Dutch” because he resembled a little fat Dutch boy. His family moved from town to town during Reagan’s childhood, but eventually settled down in Dixon, Illinois, where his father set up a shoe shop. Reagan was a good child, and had a particularly strong faith in the goodness of people and was against racial discrimination. After graduation from Dixon high school he got his first job as a lifeguard, saving 77 lives over the span of his career. Reagan enrolled in Eureka College on an athletic scholarship, and majored in economics and sociology. After graduating college, he got a job as a radio commentator, and later, an actor, eventually rising to the rank of the president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Reagan later decided to take part in military service, eventually being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the cavalry on May 25, 1937. Reagan was not allowed to serve overseas due to his poor eyesight. He was promoted to first lieutenant, and then later to the rank of a captain, and ordered to temporary duty in New York City. He was recommended to be a major, but it was later disapproved. He was then reassigned to the First Motion Picture Unit, which was the primary film production unit of the military.
During Reagan’s acting career, he met actress Jane Wyman. They were engaged at the Chicago theater, and later married on January 26, 1940, and had two children, Maureen and Christine (Christine died after birth), and adopted another, Michael. Unluckily, they had fights concerning Reagan’s political ambitions, so Jane filed for divorce, causing Reagan to be the only president ever to have a divorce. Despite their conflicts, Jane and Reagan remained good friends until Reagan’s death. Jane later quoted that America had lost a “great president and a great, kind, and gentle man.” In 1949, Reagan met Nancy Davis on accident, for she had been mistaken for another Nancy Davis. They were married on March 4th, 1952. Davis described her meeting with Reagan as being close to love at first sight.
Reagan later decided to take part in military service, eventually being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the cavalry on May 25, 1937. Reagan was not allowed to serve overseas due to his poor eyesight. He was promoted to first lieutenant, and then later to the rank of a captain, and ordered to temporary duty in New York City. He was recommended to be a major, but it was later disapproved. He was then reassigned to the First Motion Picture Unit, which was the primary film production unit of the military.
During Reagan’s acting career, he met actress Jane Wyman. They were engaged at the Chicago theater, and later married on January 26, 1940, and had two children, Maureen and Christine (Christine died after birth), and adopted another, Michael. Unluckily, they had fights concerning Reagan’s political ambitions, so Jane filed for divorce, causing Reagan to be the only president ever to have a divorce. Despite their conflicts, Jane and Reagan remained good friends until Reagan’s death. Jane later quoted that America had lost a “great president and a great, kind, and gentle man.” In 1949, Reagan met Nancy Davis on accident, for she had been mistaken for another Nancy Davis. They were married on March 4th, 1952. Davis described her meeting with Reagan as being close to love at first sight.