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Chris Coleman
Joined: 09/18/2001
Posts: 82,237
Likes: 167,378
Chris Coleman Admin
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Well, it's a slight matter of debate.

Not his birth date, of course. But the final peace treaty with Great Britain was not signed until 1783, and British troops still occupied places like New York City and Charleston, SC. Before 1783, only a handful of countries recognized US as an independent country... Morocco: June 23, 1777 France: Feb. 6, 1778 Holland: April 19, 1782 That's it. Just those three. I bet nobody here knew that Morocco was the first. I didn't until I just looked it up. Interestingly, Spain did not recognize the US until four years after they joined the war. Now, if you're using the Declaration of Independence as the date, then yeah, Van Buren. Though the DOI wouldn't have been worth the paper it was written on had the war not been won first. But if you're using the final peace treaty and recognition of most of the civilized world, then it's John Tyler. (Edit: Actually, Zachary Taylor, not John Tyler.) ** Edited by Chris Coleman at 6/29/2026, 10:29:44 AM
Posted: 06/29/2026 at 10:05 AM ET
(In response to this post by Va AandM)

Thread Replies (36)

Full Thread →
250thTrivia
Va AandM • 06/29/26 08:37 AM ET
John Tyler**
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 09:15 AM ET
I share great grandparents with him
Freighttrain • 06/29/26 08:40 PM ET
Monroe?
Hurley09 • 06/29/26 09:14 AM ET
He crossed the Delaware w Washington and was injured at Trenton**
Va AandM • 06/29/26 09:44 AM ET
I feel like we've done this one before...**
JoesterVT • 06/29/26 09:13 AM ET
I think so, too but if so, this is a test of memory. Cue Prevagen ad
Va AandM • 06/29/26 09:40 AM ET
Millard Fillmore
hoosnowahokie • 06/29/26 08:57 AM ET
But President Polk has a famous high school named after him.
EDGEMAN • 06/29/26 10:15 AM ET
Martin Van Buren**
VTHokie2000 • 06/29/26 08:52 AM ET
Ring a ding ding. MVB was born in 1782. **
Va AandM • 06/29/26 09:42 AM ET
On my birthday, IIRC.**
Freddyburg Hokie • 06/29/26 11:03 AM ET
Well, it's a slight matter of debate. ◄
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 10:05 AM ET
If we are using the date of the peace treaty with GB, then wouldn't that
VTHokie2000 • 06/29/26 11:14 AM ET
That's the day it was ratified...
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 11:24 AM ET
True, but it does raise an interesting debate on defining the point in time
VTHokie2000 • 06/29/26 11:33 AM ET
Then Zachary Taylor would be the answer. Nov 24, 1784**
hoosnowahokie • 06/29/26 10:26 AM ET
Oooh, good catch. Missed that one.**
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 10:29 AM ET
I would consider John Tyler as first. IMO, we weren't independent of GB ..
Atlee Hokie • 06/29/26 10:21 AM ET
Next up, when did WWI really end?**
Va AandM • 06/29/26 10:08 AM ET
Spinoff trivia...
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 10:06 AM ET
More spinoff trivia.
Atlee Hokie • 06/29/26 01:05 PM ET
Guessing Czech Republic and Slovakia**
Va AandM • 06/29/26 10:10 AM ET
Much more obscure.**
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 10:11 AM ET
Is Kosovo one of them?**
Raleigh Hokie • 06/29/26 10:41 AM ET
Nope. Here they are...
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 10:56 AM ET
Not coincidentally...that's the same date we recognized both of them
VT_Consul • 06/29/26 11:45 AM ET
Kind of a moot point for Niue - it'll probably disappear in 10-20 yrs**
HokieMacDaddy • 06/29/26 11:29 AM ET
Not sure how we functioned on the world stage without them!**
turkeywinghokie • 06/29/26 11:16 AM ET
Yep ... born December 5, 1782, in Kinderhook, New York.**
VTVOICE • 06/29/26 09:25 AM ET
He was mean.**
Chris ColemanAdmin • 06/29/26 09:15 AM ET
And a very close confidant of Andrew Jackson. They seem like an odd pair**
Va AandM • 06/29/26 09:50 AM ET
Spawned the Van Buren Boys**
turkeywinghokie • 06/29/26 09:21 AM ET
That's not the sign... It was when I was banging!**
Brown Water • 06/29/26 09:52 AM ET
John Quincy Adams?**
EDGEMAN • 06/29/26 08:49 AM ET
He was with his pop as a helper when JA was an emissary to France and NL**
Va AandM • 06/29/26 09:46 AM ET
Lincoln?**
ElbertoHokie • 06/29/26 08:49 AM ET