It is tough to imagine a president going broke after leaving the White House, but that’s what happened to esteemed Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant.
The 18th president became a partner in financial firm Grant and Ward, but Ferdinand Ward embezzled investors’ money, leaving the firm and Grant bankrupt in 1884.
Grant was receiving a military pension, but it wasn’t enough as the president was also suffering from throat cancer.
To make money, Grant had author Mark Twain publish his memoirs, but he died before he could make money from his life story.
