Final answer:
The president who is often, but inaccurately, credited with adding the first bathtub in 1853 is Millard Fillmore, based on a myth. Historical evidence suggests it was more likely installed during Franklin Pierce's presidency or shortly before.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question inquires about which president added the first bathtub to the White House in 1853. However, this question appears to be based on a myth popularized by H.L. Mencken in a satirical article he wrote in 1917.
Mencken's story claimed that Millard Fillmore installed the White House's first bathtub around 1850, but there is no reliable historic evidence to support this claim. Actual historic accounts suggest that the first bathtub with running water was installed during the presidency of Franklin Pierce (1853-1857), or some time shortly before.
Millard Fillmore served as the president after Taylor passed away in 1850, but there is no conclusive historical record confirming he was responsible for this addition. The installation of such amenities would have reflected the standard of living improvements and a growing culture of cleanliness among the middle class in the 19th century.