President William R. Tolbert, Jr.: President of Liberia 1971-1980

William Richard Tolbert, Jr. was born in Bensonville, Montserrado County, on May 13, 1913. His grandfather originated from Charleston, North Carolina, U.S.A. and he and his family had arrived in Liberia in 1879. One of his four children, William R. Tolbert, Sr., had more than 20 children. Partly for this reason, the Tolbert family was one of the largest Americo-Liberian families.