Richard Nixon's Presidency Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, California, on January 9, 1913. His parents were poor, and his early life was one of hard work and study. He was a gifted student, finishing second in his class at Whittier College (1934) in Whittier, California, and third in his class at Duke University Law School (1937). Unable to find a position with a Wall Street (New York City) law firm after his graduation, Nixon returned to Whittier to practice. There he met Thelma Catherine (Pat) Ryan (1912-93), whom he married in 1940. Nixon enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 and served as a