Dwight David Eisenhower, born in Denison, Texas, on October 14, 1890, was the third of seven sons. His parents were David Eisenhower and Ida Eisenhower. Dwight Eisenhower was a descendant of German heritage, whose family immigrated to America in 1741.

Dwight Eisenhower's birthplace was a small, two-story frame house in Denison, located near the Missouri, Texas and Kansas Railroad yards where his father earned about $40 per month cleaning the steam engines owned by the railroads. His father had rented the house when the family moved from Hope, Kansas in search of work during a time of economic recession. In 1892, David moved his family back to Abilene, Kansas where he had gotten a job with Ida's brother who owned the Belle Springs Creamery. It was in Abilene that Dwight earned his nickname, Ike.

As a young boy, Dwight Eisenhower sold vegetables in Abilene, which were grown by the family and hauled to market in a horse-drawn wagon. He and his brothers worked on the farm milking cows, gathering eggs and feeding the animals. He was a great athlete in high school, playing both baseball and football. After he graduated from high school, he joined his father and uncle working at the creamery by day and as a fireman with the local fire department. He worked long hours in order to support his younger brother in his law studies at the University of Michigan.

In 1911, Dwight received an appointment to West Point as a cadet after being refused admittance to the Naval Academy because he was too old. Being a Mennonite, Dwight believed in pacifism which opposed war and violence centering on peaceful resolution to all conflicts. These fundamental beliefs contributed to Eisenhower's success as a leader toward international peace and social fairness in America, even though they were in conflict with his military education at West Point.

The other children of David and Ida Eisenhower were sons Arthur (1886-1958), a banker in Kansas City; Edgar Newton (1889-1971), a lawyer in Tacoma, Washington; Roy (1892-194), a druggist in Junction City, Kansas; Earl (1898-1968), an electrical engineer in Charleroi, Pennsylvania: Milton (1899-1985), a government employee as well as a college president and Paul, the youngest, who died in infancy from scarlet fever. Despite their humble beginnings, all the Eisenhower children became well-educated and had successful careers. Dwight Eisenhower was a highly decorated general, a Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, and the 34th President of the United States.