Here are some quick facts, opinions, quotes and other information on President William Henry Harrison:
Personal Information on William Henry Harrison:
- Ninth President (1841)
- Birthday: February 9, 1773 (Tuesday)
- Birthplace: Charles City County, Virginia
- Birthplace Website: President Calvin Coolidge’s Birthplace
- Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
- Date of Death: April 4, 1841 (Sunday)
- Place of Death: Washington DC
- Place of Burial: North Bend, Ohio
- Burial Website: William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial
- Cause of Death: Enteric Fever
- Age: 68 years old
- Length of Retirement: 0 days (died in office)
- Library of Congress Papers: Library of Congress papers on William Henry Harrison
Interesting William Henry Harrison facts:
- William Henry Harrison has had the longest Presidential Inaugural speech of any President so far, and second place isn’t even close. William Henry Harrison’s Inaugural speech was 8445 words long. The second longest was William Howard Taft’s whose Presidential Inaugural speech was 5434 words. Rounding out the top five were: James K. Polk (4809 words), James Monroe (second Inaugural speech was 4472 words), and Calvin Coolidge (4055 words, so much for “Silent Cal”).
- William Henry Harrison had the second most children of any President. He had ten children: Elizabeth, John Cleves, Lucy, William Henry, John Scott, Benjamin, Mary, Carter, Anna, and James. Unlike John Tyler, who had the most children with fifteen, Harrison had all his children with one wife. Tyler was married twice and he had eight children with one wife and seven children with the other. Harrison’s son John Scott is the only man in our history to be the son of one President and the father to another. John Scott Harrison is the father of Benjamin Harrison, our twenty-third President.
- William Henry Harrison is one of twelve Presidents to serve as a General. General is the second highest former occupation of our Presidents, following being a lawyer. The other eleven Generals were: Washington, Jackson, Taylor, Pierce, Andrew Johnson, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, and Eisenhower. Of those, eight were Republican (WH Harrison, Taylor, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, B Harrison, and Eisenhower), three were Democrats (Jackson, Pierce, and Andrew Johnson), and George Washington stands alone as a Federalist. Twelve of our Presidents have also not served in the military at all (John Adams, JQ Adams, Van Buren, Cleveland, Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, FDR, Clinton, and Obama).
My favorite William Henry Harrison Quotes:
My sword is my means of support, sir!
The chains of military despotism, once fastened upon a nation, ages might pass away before they could be shaken off.
The only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed.
There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feeling of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.
I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free.
William Henry Harrison blogs (click the title to go to that page):
William Henry Harrison page on Presidential Crossroads (click “William Henry Harrison” below):
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison Blogs:
His Birthplace Berkeley Plantation
What similiar trait do I have with the first ten Presidents
Personal thoughts on William Henry Harrison:
Strengths:
Was a general, no nonsense
Weaknesses:
Didn’t know how to put a coat and hat on in the middle of winter
Presidential Greatness Scale (1-poor to 5-great): NA
Comments:
William Henry Harrison died on his 32nd day as President, so basically there was no Presidency with him to know whether he deserved a good or bad ranking. His Inauguration was held on a cold, wet day in March. Up until Ronald Reagan, he was the oldest man to serve as President. He rode horseback to his Inauguration, refusing to ride in a coach. He also refused to wear a coat or hat. His outdoor Inauguration speech is the longest one on record. He then rode his horse in the Inauguration parade. He basically caught pneumonia and died thirty-two days later. Congress wasn’t scheduled to meet until later in the year. His only act as President, other than picking out a cabinet, was to call Congress back in special session, despite Congress’ and his cabinet’s disapproval of that idea. The special session would start on May 31st. Harrison died the month before on April 4th, so he didn’t even get to see that act fulfilled.
Favorite William Henry Harrison book:
Old Tippecanoe, William Henry Harrison and His Times by Freeman Cleaves
Favorite William Henry Harrison story:
As you tour his Berkeley Plantation house, Harrison’s birthplace, they tell you the story of how his grandfather was killed upstairs. Seems there was a severe thunderstorm and he was standing at one of the windows and got struck by lightning.
Most memorable William Henry Harrison memory:
Visiting Harrison’s birthplace at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia.
Favorite William Henry Harrison possession (see picture at the top):
The house admission ticket from the Berkeley Plantation tour.
