John R. Hazel

John Raymond Hazel was a United States jurist and politician, best known for administrating the swearing in ceremony of then Vice President Theodore Roosevelt as the 26th President of the United States. He was a resident of Buffalo, New York.

Following the shooting of President William McKinley by Leon Czolgosz, Roosevelt had gone climbing in the Adirondack mountains, at that time the President's medical condition was not viewed as life threatening. When Mckinley's condition worsened a runner was sent to notify Roosevelt, who then returned to Buffalo. [Morris, "Rise", 777]

After President's death Roosevelt was inaugurated President at Ansley Wilcox House ("'now Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site") by Hazel, then U.S. District Judge (Western District of New York). Unlike other Presidents, Roosevelt did not use the Bible.

Hazel, who served as a Judge from 1900 to 1932, was also a delegate to the 1900 Republican National Convention (which nominated Roosevelt as V.P. candidate) [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/hayworth-heacock.html] .

References

*Morris, Edmund. "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt". Modern Library, 2001 (paperback edition). ISBN 0375756787.