John Adams wrote an autobiography but it was intended as a private source for his family and wasn't published until the 1850s. Martin Van Buren wrote one as well and it wasn't published until the 20th Century. James Buchanan who was attacked daily daily in newspapers during his retirement for his weak leadership that lead to the Civil War wrote an autobiography to defend his actions as President and was the first president to use it as a tool to shape his legacy. The first popular published memoir was that of Ulysses S. Grant. After his scandal ridden presidency Grant's family began to suffer financially from a series of bad investments. Knowing he was about die from throat cancer Grant spent his last months on earth rushing to finish his autobiography hoping that the residuals from the sales would keep his soon to be widow from destitution. There has been much debate over if Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant were ghost written. Even though personal assistant Adam Badeau edited the manuscripts after Grant's death the words were his own, and were fine ones at that. Published right after Grant's death the books were a runaway best seller by an American public that was quick to forgave the failed president and read up about the General who saved the Republic. Grant's Memoirs are still held in very high esteem, even today many historians considered it the finest Presidential Autobiography ever written. In the 20th Century Presidential autobiographies became the norm for Presidents who didn't die in office, the last President who didn't die in office to not publish an autobiography was Woodrow Wilson. Had he not been incapacitated with a stroke he probably would have written one. I should also note that George Bush Senior technically didn't write an autobiography but he has published a volume of personal letters, diary entries and reflections about his life and Presidency.