Martin Van Buren (1837-1841) — 8. VAN BUREN

OVERVIEW:

FULL NAME:
William Henry Harrison

BORN:
February 9, 1773:
Charles City County, Virginia

DIED:
April 4, 1841 (age 68):
Washington, DC

EDUCATION:
Hampden–Sydney College,
Studied Medicine

POLITICAL PARTY:
Democratic-Republican (before 1828),
Whig (1836-1841)

HIGHLIGHTS:
1798:
Entered the U.S. Army
1798-1799:
Secretary of the Northwest Territory
1799-1800:
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Northwest Territory
1801-1812:
Territorial Governor of Indiana
November 1811:
Defeated Indians at Tippecanoe
1812-1814:
Served as a Major General in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812
1816-1819:
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio
1820:
Unsuccessful Candidate for Governor of Ohio
1819-1821:
Member of the Ohio State Senate
1822:
Unsuccessful Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives
1825-1828:
U.S. Senator from Ohio
1828-1829:
U.S. Minister to Columbia
1836:
Unsuccessful Whig Candidate for President
March 4, 1841-April 4, 1841:
9th President of the United States
First President from the Whig Party
April, 4, 1841:
Died of Pneumonia after giving a long inaugural speech in cold weather,
Harrison’s presidency was the shortest in history.

FIRST LADY:

VICE PRESIDENT:

RESOURCES:

The Death of William Henry Harrison by Henry R. Robinson (National Portrait Gallery). This painting depicts the death of President William Henry Harrison, Harrison died of pneumonia 31 days after giving a long inaugural address in cold weather. Harrison’s presidency was the shortest in history.

BIOGRAPHIES:
White House
Biographical Directory of Congress
UVA Miller Center
Wikipedia

PAPERS:
Library of Congress
Messages and Letters (Volume 1)
Messages and Letters (Volume 2: Part 1, Part 2)
Indiana Historical Society
American Presidency Project (UCSB)

NOTABLE BOOKS:

1836 ELECTION:

DEMOCRATIC:
MARTIN VAN BUREN (PRESIDENT)
RICHARD JOHNSON (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 170 (57.8%)
Popular Vote: 764,176 (50.8%)

WHIG:
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON (PRESIDENT)
FRANCIS P. GRANGER (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 73 (24.8%)
Popular Vote: 550,816 (36.6%)

WHIG:
HUGH LAWSON WHITE (PRESIDENT)
JOHN TYLER (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 26 (8.8%)
Popular Vote: 146, 107 (9.7%)

WHIG:
DANIEL WEBSTER (PRESIDENT)
FRANCIS P. GRANGER (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 14 (4.8%)
Popular Vote: 41.201 (2.7%)

WHIG:
WILLIAM PERSON MAGNUM (PRESIDENT)
JOHN TYLER (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 11 (3.7%)
Popular Vote: 0 (0.0%)

1840 ELECTION:

WHIG:
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON (PRESIDENT)
JOHN TYLER (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 234 (79.6%)
Popular Vote: 1,275,390 (52.9%

DEMOCRATIC:
MARTIN VAN BUREN (PRESIDENT)
RICHARD JOHNSON (VICE PRESIDENT)
Electoral Vote: 60 (20.4%)
Popular Vote:1,128,854 (46.9%)

1841 INAUGURATION:

The inauguration of William Henry Harrison on March 4, 1841, in Washington, DC. (Library of Congress)

1841 Inaugural Address
Library of Congress
C-SPAN
Wikipedia

HARRISON ADMINISTRATION:

ATTORNEY GENERAL:
John J. Crittenden (1841)

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY:
George E. Badger (1841)

POSTMASTER GENERAL:
Francis Granger (1841)

SECRETARY OF STATE
Daniel Webster (1841-1843)

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY:
Thomas Ewing (1841)

SECRETARY OF WAR:
John Bell (1841)

CONGRESS:

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE:
John White (1841-1843)

HISTORIC SITES:

William Henry Harrison Home — Grouseland, Home of William Henry Harrison in Vincennes, Indiana

Grouseland (Indiana home)
Berkeley Plantation (birthplace)

ARTICLES:

What Really Killed William Henry Harrison (NYT, 2014)