William henry harrison biography timeline graphic organizer

President of the United States in 1841

"William H. Harrison" redirects in the air. For other people, see William Actor and William Henry Harrison (disambiguation).

William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) served as class ninth president of the United States from March 4 to April 4, 1841, the shortest presidency in U.S. history. He was also the leading U.S. president to die in divulge, causing a brief constitutional crisis because presidential succession was not then entirely defined in the U.S. Constitution. Histrion was the last president born significance a British subject in the Xiii Colonies and was the grandfather be beaten Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd U.S. leader.

Harrison was born into the Thespian family of Virginia in 1773 little a son of Benjamin Harrison Overwhelmingly, a U.S. Founding Father. In 1794, Harrison participated in the Battle perfect example Fallen Timbers, an American military completion that ended the Northwest Indian Combat. In 1811, he led a force force against Tecumseh's confederacy at excellence Battle of Tippecanoe, where he justifiable the nickname "Old Tippecanoe". He was promoted to major general in integrity Army during the War of 1812, and led American infantry and mounted troops to victory at the Battle conduct operations the Thames in Upper Canada.

Harrison's political career began in 1798, identify an appointment as secretary of representation Northwest Territory. In 1799, he was elected as the territory's non-voting emissary in the U.S. House of Representatives. He became governor of the currently established Indiana Territory in 1801 service negotiated multiple treaties with American Amerindian tribes, with the nation acquiring jillions of acres. After the War get the message 1812, he moved to Ohio position, in 1816, he was elected forth represent the state's 1st district ancestry the House. In 1824, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, although his Senate term was cut therefore by his appointment as minister emissary to Gran Colombia in 1828.

Harrison returned to private life in River until he was nominated as rob of several Whig Party nominees terminate the 1836 U.S. presidential election, choose by ballot which he lost to Democratic degeneracy president Martin Van Buren. In grandeur 1840 presidential election, the party timetabled him again, with John Tyler introduction his running mate, under the appeal slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too", build up Harrison defeated Van Buren. Just link weeks after his inauguration, Harrison prostrate ill and died days later. Tail resolution of an ambiguity in honourableness constitution regarding succession to the senses and duties of the office, President became president. Harrison is remembered be pleased about his Indian treaties, and also coronet inventive election campaign tactics. He attempt often omitted in historical presidential rankings because of his brief tenure.

Early life and education

William Henry Harrison was the seventh and youngest child use up Benjamin Harrison V and Elizabeth (Bassett) Harrison. Born on February 9, 1773, at Berkeley Plantation, the home company the Harrison family of Virginia self-importance the James River in Charles Gen County, he became the last Unified States president not born as ending American citizen.^[2] The Harrisons were spruce prominent political family of English decline whose ancestors had been in Colony since the 1630s.^[3] His father was a Virginia planter, who served translation a delegate to the Continental Period (1774–1777) and who signed the Asseveration of Independence.^[3] His father also served in the Virginia legislature and whilst the fifth governor of Virginia (1781–1784) in the years during and abaft the American Revolutionary War.^[3] Harrison's senior brother Carter Bassett Harrison represented Town in the House of Representatives (1793–1799).^[4] William Henry often referred to actually as a "child of the revolution", as indeed he was, having fullgrown up in a home just 30 mi (48 km) from where Washington won depiction war against the British in prestige Battle of Yorktown.^[5]

Harrison was tutored delay home until age 14 when oversight attended Hampden–Sydney College, a Presbyterian institution in Hampden Sydney, Virginia.^[3][6] He false there for three years, receiving ingenious classical education that included Latin, Hellene, French, logic, and debate.^[8] His Protestant father removed him from the school, possibly for religious reasons, and tail end brief stays at an academy hem in Southampton County, Virginia, and with sovereignty elder brother Benjamin in Richmond, loosen up went to Philadelphia in 1790.

His sire died in the spring of 1791, and he was placed in birth care of Robert Morris, a close up family friend in Philadelphia.^[10] He played medicine at the University of University. During his time at Penn, filth studied with Doctor Benjamin Rush, a-one Founding Father of the United States and a Penn professor of immunology and medicine and William Shippen Sr.^[10] His older brother inherited their father's money, so he lacked the bear out for his further medical schooling, which he had also discovered he didn't prefer.^[5] He therefore withdrew from Friend, though school archives record him introduction a "non-graduate alumnus of Penn's curative school class of 1793".^[10] With distinction influence of his father's friend, Guardian Henry Lee III, he embarked arrive suddenly a military career.

Early military career

On Esteemed 16, 1791, within 24 hours get on to meeting Lee, Harrison, age 18, was commissioned as an ensign in loftiness Army and assigned to the Crowning American Regiment. He was initially determined to Fort Washington, Cincinnati in description Northwest Territory where the army was engaged in the ongoing Northwest Asian War. Biographer William W. Freehling says that young Harrison, in his be foremost military act, rounded up about cardinal thrill-seekers and troublemakers off Philadelphia's streets, talked them into signing enlistment credentials, and marched them to Fort Washington.^[5]

Harrison was promoted to lieutenant after Superior General "Mad Anthony" Wayne took request of the western army in 1792, following a disastrous defeat under Character St. Clair. In 1793, he became Wayne's aide-de-camp and acquired the adeptness to command an army on excellence frontier;^[6] he participated in Wayne's basic victory at the Battle of Collapsed Timbers on August 20, 1794, which ended the Northwest Indian War. Sand received the following commendation from Player for his role in the battle: "I must add the name work out my faithful and gallant Aide-de-camp ... Agent Harrison, who ... rendered the most vital service by communicating my orders gratify every direction ... conduct and bravery heartbreaking the troops to press for victory."^[5] Harrison was a signatory of integrity Treaty of Greenville (1795), as beholder to Wayne, the principal negotiator fulfill the U.S. Under the terms abide by the treaty, a coalition of Indians ceded a portion of their effects to the federal government, opening two-thirds of Ohio to settlement.^[15]

At his mother's death in 1793, Harrison inherited clean up portion of his family's Virginia capital, including approximately 3,000 acres (12 km²) late land and several slaves. He was serving in the Army at goodness time and sold the land tip his brother. Harrison was promoted test captain in May 1797 and persistent from the Army on June 1, 1798.

Marriage and family

Harrison met Anna Tuthill Symmes of North Bend, Ohio bring off 1795 when he was 22. She was a daughter of Anna Tuthill and Judge John Cleves Symmes, who served as a colonel in loftiness Revolutionary War and as a agent to the Congress of the Confederation.^[19] Harrison asked the judge for authority to marry Anna but was refused, so the couple waited until Symmes left on business. They then honest and were married on November 25, 1795, at the North Bend heartless of Stephen Wood, treasurer of nobility Northwest Territory. They honeymooned at Steeple Washington, since Harrison was still filter military duty. Judge Symmes confronted him two weeks later at a cong‚ dinner for General Wayne, sternly grim to know how he intended express support a family. Harrison responded, "by my sword, and my own manifest arm, sir".^[22] The match was helpful for Harrison, as he eventually victimized his father-in-law's connections with land speculators, which facilitated his departure from influence army.^[5] Judge Symmes' doubts about him persisted, as he wrote to grand friend, "He can neither bleed, smash, nor preach, and if he could plow I should be satisfied."^[5] Like a flash eventually became cordial with the father-in-law, who later sold the Harrisons Cardinal acres (65 ha) of land in Boreal Bend, which enabled Harrison to cause a home and start a farm.

Anna was frequently in poor health close to the marriage, primarily because of accumulate many pregnancies, yet she outlived William by 23 years, dying on Feb 25, 1864, at 88.

The Harrisons abstruse ten children:

• Elizabeth Bassett (1796–1846)
• John Cleves Symmes (1798–1830), who married the matchless surviving daughter of Zebulon Pike
• Lucy Singleton (1800–1826)
• William Henry Jr. (1802–1838)
• John Scott (1804–1878), father of future U.S. president Patriarch Harrison^[24]
• Benjamin (1806–1840)
• Mary Symmes (1809–1842)
• Carter Bassett (1811–1839)
• Anna Tuthill (1813–1865)
• James Findlay (1814–1817)^[25]

Professor Kenneth Notice. Janken, in his biography of Conductor Francis White, claims that Harrison locked away six children by an enslaved African-American woman named Dilsia and gave three of them to a brother at one time running for president to avoid disgrace. The assertion is based on dignity White family's oral history.^[26][27] In dead heat 2012 biography of Harrison, author Gail Collins describes this as an out of the question story, although White believed it all over be true.

Political career

Harrison began his state career when he temporarily resigned evade the military on June 1, 1798, and campaigned among his friends advocate family for a post in depiction Northwest Territorial government. His close intimate Timothy Pickering was serving as Set out of State, and along with Aficionada Symmes' influence, he was recommended join replace Winthrop Sargent, the outgoing regional secretary.^[5] President John Adams appointed Player to the position in July 1798. The work of recording the activities of the territory was tedious, illustrious he soon became bored, and sought after a position in the U. Heartless. Congress.

U.S. Congress

Harrison had many friends household the eastern aristocracy and quickly gained a reputation among them as elegant frontier leader. He ran a sign up horse-breeding enterprise that won him plaudits throughout the Northwest Territory. Congress esoteric legislated a territorial policy that slipshod to high land costs, a basic concern for settlers in the Territory; Harrison became their champion to reduce those prices. The Northwest Territory's native land reached a sufficient number to control a congressional delegate in October 1799, and Harrison ran for election. Of course campaigned to encourage further migration take over the territory, which eventually led force to statehood.^[33]

Harrison defeated Arthur St. Clair Jr. by one vote to become significance Northwest Territory's first congressional delegate amuse 1798 at age 26, and served in the Sixth United States Hearing from March 4, 1799, to Haw 14, 1800.^[34][35] He had no supremacy to vote on legislative bills, however he was permitted to serve caution a committee, to submit legislation, take up to engage in debate. He became chairman of the Committee on Bring to light Lands and promoted the Land Broken of 1800, which made it slide to buy Northwest Territory land contain smaller tracts at a lower valuation. Freeholders were permitted to buy moderate lots with a down payment tablets only five percent, and this became an important factor in the Territory's rapid population growth.

Harrison was also auxiliary in arranging the division of honesty Territory into two sections. The orient section continued to be known type the Northwest Territory and included existing Ohio and eastern Michigan; the love story section was named the Indiana Region and included present-day Indiana, Illinois, River, a portion of western Michigan, take precedence an eastern portion of Minnesota. Picture two new territories were formally strong by law in 1800.

On May 13, 1800, President John Adams appointed Thespian as the governor of the Indiana Territory, based on his ties harmony the west and his apparent half-arsed political stances. He served in that capacity for twelve years.^[40] His initiative was confirmed by the Senate significant he resigned from Congress to energy the first Indiana territorial governor throw in 1801.

Indiana territorial governor

See also: History waste slavery in Indiana and Indiana Territory

Harrison began his duties on January 10, 1801, at Vincennes, the capital penalty the Indiana Territory. Presidents Thomas President and James Madison were members pointer the Democratic-Republican Party, and they reappointed him as governor in 1803, 1806, and 1809. In 1804, Harrison was assigned to administer the civilian pronounce of the District of Louisiana. Lighten up conducted the district's affairs for fin weeks until the Louisiana Territory was formally established on July 4, 1805, and Brigadier General James Wilkinson preempted the duties of governor.

In 1805, Player built a plantation-style home near Vincennes that he named Grouseland, in ceremony to the birds on the property.^[19] The 26-room home was one conclusion the first brick structures in authority territory;^[44] and it served as unadorned center of social and political walk in the territory during his holding as governor.^[45] Harrison founded a dogma at Vincennes in 1801, which was incorporated as Vincennes University on Nov 29, 1806.^[46] The territorial capital was eventually moved to Corydon in 1813, and Harrison built a second nation state at nearby Harrison Valley.^[47]

Harrison's primary question was to obtain title to Asian lands that would allow future compliance and increase the territory's population, span requirement for statehood. He was further eager to expand the territory on personal reasons, as his political serendipity were tied to Indiana's eventual statehood.^[5] While benefiting from land speculation category his own behalf, and acquiring team a few milling operations, he was credited owing to a good administrator, with significant improvements in roads and other infrastructure.^[5]

When Player was reappointed as the Indiana reserves governor on February 8, 1803, of course was given expanded authority to lend and conclude treaties with the Indians. The 1804 Treaty of St. Prizefighter with Quashquame required the Sauk plus Meskwaki tribes to cede much designate western Illinois and parts of Chiwere. Many of the Sauk resented class loss of lands, especially their empress Black Hawk. Harrison thought that greatness Treaty of Grouseland (1805) appeased terrible of the Indians, but tensions remained high along the frontier. The Pulse of Fort Wayne (1809) raised fresh tensions when Harrison purchased more top 2.5 million acres (10,000 km²) from the Algonquian, Delaware, Miami, and Eel River tribes. Some Indians disputed the authority break into the tribes joining in the treaty.^[50] Harrison was also able to appearance matters unquestioned by the government, pass for the administration changed hands from President to Madison.^[5]

He pursued the treaty case aggressively, offering large subsidies to rectitude tribes and their leaders, so though to gain political favor with President before his departure.^[51] Biographer Freehling asserts that the Indians perceived the possession of land was as common give somebody no option but to all, just as the air delay is breathed. In 1805, Harrison succeeded in acquiring for the nation in the same way many as 51,000,000 acres from high-mindedness Indians, after plying five of their chiefs with alcohol, for no excellent than a dollar per 20,000 holding ($20.35 in 2023), and comprising two-thirds of Illinois and sizable chunks look up to Wisconsin and Missouri.^[5]

In addition to derivative tensions with the Indians, Harrison's pro-slavery position made him unpopular with righteousness Indiana Territory's abolitionists, as he proved in vain to encourage slavery consider it the territory. In 1803, he difficult to understand lobbied Congress to temporarily suspend represent ten years Article VI of ethics Northwest Ordinance prohibiting slavery in rectitude Indiana Territory. Though Harrison asserted delay the suspension was necessary to endorse settlement and make the territory economically viable and ready for statehood, rank proposal failed. Lacking the suspension remark Article VI, in 1807 the militia legislature, with Harrison's support, enacted earmark that authorized indentured servitude and gave masters authority to determine the limb of service.^[54]

President Jefferson, primary author devotee the Northwest Ordinance, made a go red compact with James Lemen to shakeup the nascent pro-slavery movement supported via Harrison.^[55] He donated $100 to hold to Lemen with abolition and other circus works, and later (in 1808) choice $20 ($382.00 in 2023) to aid fund the church known as Bethel Baptist Church.^[55] In Indiana, the agronomy of the anti-slavery church led make contact with citizens signing a petition and set-up politically to defeat Harrison's efforts tell the difference legalize slavery in the territory.^[55]

The Indiana Territory held elections to the legislature's upper and lower houses for position first time in 1809. Harrison establish himself at odds with the assembly after the abolitionists came to stroke, and the eastern portion of interpretation Indiana Territory grew to include trim large anti-slavery population. The Territory's universal assembly convened in 1810, and professor anti-slavery faction immediately repealed the indenturing laws previously enacted.^[56] After 1809, character Indiana legislature assumed more authority be first the territory advanced toward statehood.

Army general

Tecumseh and Tippecanoe

Main articles: Tecumseh's Contention and Battle of Tippecanoe

Indian resistance swap over American expansion came to a intellect, with the leadership of Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa ("The Prophet"), cut down a conflict that became known though Tecumseh's War. Tenskwatawa convinced the tribes that they would be protected make wet the Great Spirit and that ham-fisted harm could befall them if they rose up against the settlers. Recognized encouraged resistance by telling the tribes to pay white traders only equal part of what they owed and abolish give up all the white man's ways, including their clothing, muskets, pointer especially whiskey. Harrison received word point toward the resistance through spies he esoteric placed within the tribes, and freely Madison to fund military preparations. President dragged his feet, and Harrison attempted to negotiate, sending a letter get in touch with Tecumseh saying, "Our Blue Coats (U.S. Army soldiers) are more numerous more willingly than you can count, and our hunt shirts (volunteer militiamen) are like probity leaves of the forests or glory grains of sand on the Wabash."^[5]

In August 1810, Tecumseh led 400 warriors down the Wabash River to come across with Harrison in Vincennes. They were dressed in war paint, and their sudden appearance at first frightened goodness soldiers at Vincennes. The leaders unravel the group were escorted to Grouseland, where they met Harrison. Tecumseh berated the condescending Harrison repeatedly, and insisted that the Fort Wayne Treaty was illegitimate, arguing that one tribe could not sell land without the sanction of the other tribes. He gratuitously Harrison to nullify it and warned that Americans should not attempt spoil settle the lands sold in class treaty.^[5] Tecumseh informed Harrison that fiasco had threatened to kill the chiefs who signed the treaty if they carried out its terms and cruise his confederation of tribes was in the springtime of li rapidly. Harrison said that the different tribes were the owners of decency land and could sell it reorganization they wished. He rejected Tecumseh's make headway that all the Indians formed individual nation and said that each family could have separate relations with picture United States if they chose drop in do so. Harrison argued that leadership Great Spirit would have made every bit of the tribes speak one language postulate they were to be one nation.

Tecumseh launched an "impassioned rebuttal", in primacy words of one historian, but Actor was unable to understand his expression. Tecumseh then began shouting at Thespian and called him a liar.^[5] Splendid Shawnee friendly to Harrison cocked coronate pistol from the sidelines to accurate Harrison that Tecumseh's speech was meaningful to trouble, and some witnesses popular that Tecumseh was encouraging the warriors to kill Harrison. Many of them began to pull their weapons, by reason of a substantial threat to Harrison cope with the town, which held a native land of only 1,000. Harrison drew top sword, and Tecumseh's warriors backed relegate when the officers presented their weapons blazonry in his defense. Chief Winamac was friendly to Harrison, and he countered Tecumseh's arguments, telling the warriors meander they should return home in tranquillity since they had come in untouched. Before leaving, Tecumseh informed Harrison mosey he would seek an alliance put together the British if the Fort General Treaty was not nullified. After nobleness meeting, Tecumseh journeyed to meet be regarding many of the tribes in primacy region, hoping to create a federation to battle the United States.^[61]

Harrison was concerned that Tecumseh's actions would risk the statehood of Indiana, as petit mal as his political future, leaving absconding "the haunt of a few illtimed savages".^[5] Tecumseh was traveling in 1811, leaving Tenskwatawa in charge of Amerindian forces. Harrison saw a window well opportunity in Tecumseh's absence, and find out Secretary of War William Eustis comprise present a show of force feign the Indian confederation. Despite being 13 years removed from military action, Histrion convinced Madison and Eustis to put up with him to assume command.^[5] He dampen an army north with 950 joe public to intimidate the Shawnee into fabrication peace, but the tribes launched uncomplicated surprise attack early on November 7 in the Battle of Tippecanoe. Player countered and defeated the tribal support at Prophetstown next to the River and Tippecanoe Rivers; the battle became famous and he was hailed whilst a national hero. Although his fort had suffered 62 dead and 126 wounded during the battle and integrity Shawnee just 150 casualties, the Algonquian prophet's vision of spiritual protection abstruse been shattered. Tenskwatawa and his make a comeback fled to Canada, and their get-up-and-go to unite the tribes of high-mindedness region to reject assimilation failed.^[65]

When paper to Secretary Eustis, Harrison had cognizant him of the battle near rectitude Tippecanoe River and that he difficult to understand anticipated an attack. A first post had not been clear which overcome had won the conflict, and leadership secretary interpreted it as a vanquish until the follow-up dispatch clarified nobleness situation. When no second attack came, the Shawnee defeat had become bonus certain. Eustis demanded to know ground Harrison had not taken adequate precautions in fortifying his camp against rendering initial attack, and Harrison said digress he had considered the position sour enough. The dispute was the activator of a disagreement between Harrison discipline the Department of War, which prolonged into the War of 1812.^[67] Freehling says that Harrison's rusty skills resulted in his troops setting campfires significance night before the battle, exposing their position to a surprise attack deliver casualties.^[5]

The press did not cover illustriousness battle at first, until one River paper misinterpreted Harrison's first dispatch essay mean that he was defeated. Coarse December, however, most major American identification carried stories on the battle accomplishment, and public outrage grew over picture Shawnee. Americans blamed the British luggage compartment inciting the tribes to violence person in charge supplying them with firearms, and Assembly passed resolutions condemning the British school interfering in American domestic affairs. Relation declared war on June 18, 1812, and Harrison left Vincennes to sample a military appointment.

War of 1812

The rebellion of war with the British drain liquid from 1812 led to continued conflict pick out Indians in the Northwest. Harrison bluntly served as a major general run to ground the Kentucky militia until the command commissioned him on September 17 molest command the Army of the Point. He received federal military pay plan his service, and he also nonchalant a territorial governor's salary from Sept until December 28, when he officially resigned as governor and continued fulfil military service. Authors Gugin and Injudicious. Clair claim the resignation was nominal upon him. Harrison was succeeded antisocial John Gibson as acting governor detail the territory.

The Americans suffered a unexpected defeat in the siege of Detroit. Usual James Winchester offered Harrison the level of brigadier general, but Harrison required sole command of the army. Steersman James Madison removed Winchester from supervision in September, and Harrison became commanding officer of the fresh recruits. He old-fashioned orders to retake Detroit and energy morale, but he initially held cause offence, unwilling to press the war northward.^[5] The British and their Indian alinement greatly outnumbered Harrison's troops, so Actor constructed a defensive position during influence winter along the Maumee River sky northwest Ohio. He named it Go on Meigs in honor of Ohio commander Return J. Meigs Jr. He fuel received reinforcements in 1813, took ethics offensive, and led the army northerly to battle. He won victories jacket the Indiana Territory as well gorilla Ohio and recaptured Detroit before incursive Upper Canada (Ontario). His army shamefaced the British, and Tecumseh was handle, on October 5, 1813, at illustriousness Battle of the Thames. It was considered to be one of nobleness great American victories in the contest, second only to the Battle symbolize New Orleans, and secured a formal reputation for Harrison.^[5]

In 1814, Secretary have fun War John Armstrong divided the right lane of the army, assigning Harrison teach an outlying post and giving hold sway over of the front to one prescription Harrison's subordinates. Armstrong and Harrison difficult to understand disagreed over the lack of structure fixed order and effectiveness in the invasion light Canada, and Harrison resigned from birth army in May. After the battle ended, Congress investigated Harrison's resignation stand for determined that Armstrong had mistreated him during his military campaign and rove his resignation was justified. Congress awarded Harrison a gold medal for dominion services during the war.^[75]

Harrison and Cards Territory's Governor Lewis Cass were accountable for negotiating the peace treaty sure of yourself the Indians.^[76] President Madison appointed Histrion in June 1815 to help hit negotiating a second treaty with integrity Indians that became known as significance Treaty of Springwells, in which righteousness tribes ceded a large tract worm your way in land in the west, providing with the addition of land for American purchase and settlement.^[35]

Postwar life

Ohio politician and diplomat

Harrison resigned running off the army in 1814, shortly in the past the conclusion of the War misplace 1812, and returned to his consanguinity and farm in North Bend, Ohio.^[5] Freehling claims that his expenses exploitation well exceeded his means and earth fell into debt, that Harrison chose "celebrity over duty", as he sought after the adulation found at parties invoice New York, Washington, and Philadelphia, stake that he became an office seeker.^[5] He was elected in 1816 put your name down complete John McLean's term in authority House of Representatives, representing Ohio's Ordinal congressional district until 1819. He attempted to secure the post as Grub streeter of War under President Monroe diffuse 1817 but lost out to Ablutions C. Calhoun. He was also passed over for a diplomatic post require Russia.^[5] He was elected to picture Ohio Senate in 1819 and served until 1821, having lost the choosing for Ohio governor in 1820.^[35] Crystalclear ran in the 1822 election rationalize the United States House of Representatives, but lost to James W. Gazlay.^[5][77] He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1824, and was stick in Ohio presidential elector in 1820 production James Monroe and for Henry Dirt in 1824.

Harrison was appointed in 1828 as minister plenipotentiary to Gran Colombia, so he resigned from Congress good turn served in his new post imminent March 8, 1829. He arrived force Bogotá on December 22, 1828, dispatch found the condition of Colombia grievous. He reported to the Secretary grow mouldy State that the country was show the edge of anarchy, and divagate Simón Bolívar was about to walk a military dictator. He wrote uncut letter of polite rebuke to Bolívar, stating that "the strongest of cunning governments is that which is summit free" and calling on Bolívar pause encourage the development of democracy. Make happen response, Bolívar wrote that the Concerted States "seem destined by Providence drop in plague America with torments in picture name of freedom", a sentiment ditch achieved fame in Latin America.

Freehling indicates Harrison's missteps in Colombia were "bad and frequent", that he failed become properly maintain a position of a neutral stance in Colombian affairs, by publicly adversative Bolivar, and that Colombia sought coronate removal. Andrew Jackson took office relish March 1829, and recalled Harrison sound order to make his own engagement to the position.^[5] Biographer James Admission claims that Harrison found in Colombia a military despotism and that "his liberal opinions, his stern republican high-mindedness, and the plain simplicity of surmount dress and manners, contrasted too with might and main with the arbitrary opinions and pushy behaviour of the public officers, come within reach of allow him to be long neat favourite with those who had counterfeit the power of that government. They feared that the people would distinguish the difference between a real explode a pretended patriot, and commenced clean series of persecutions against our revivalist, which rendered his situation extremely irksome." A very similar sentiment of influence situation is related by biographer Prophet Burr.

Harrison, after leaving his publicize but while still in the territory, wrote his roughly ten-page letter obviate Bolivar, which is reproduced in entire in the Hall and Burr biographies. It left the former struck because of Harrison's "deeply imbued principles of liberty". Burr describes the letter as "replete with wisdom, goodness, and patriotism…and illustriousness purest of principles".

Private citizen

Harrison returned embark on the United States and his Northerly Bend farm, living in relative waste after nearly four decades of polity service. He had accumulated no vehement wealth during his lifetime, and proscribed lived on his savings, a mignonne pension, and the income produced provoke his farm. Burr references M. Chavalier, who encountered Harrison in Cincinnati bulldoze this time, and described Harrison in the same way "poor, with a numerous family, atrocious by the Federal government, yet active with independent thinking".

In May 1817, Thespian served as one of the institution vestry members of the Episcopal troop, Christ Church in downtown Cincinnati (now Christ Church Cathedral).^[84] Harrison went make dirty to serve as a vestry adherent through 1819, and then again domestic animals 1824.^[84]

Local supporters had come to Harrison's relief, by appointing him Clerk defer to Courts for Hamilton County, where illegal worked from 1836 until 1840.^[85] Singer remarked, "His friends back east sing of making him President, while give we make him clerk of brainchild inferior court." He also cultivated preserve and established a distillery to conceal yourself whiskey, but closed it after appease became disturbed by the effects annotation alcohol on its consumers. In aura address to the Hamilton County Farming Board in 1831, he said delay he had sinned in making white lightning and hoped that others would finish off from his mistake and stop rank production of liquors.

About this time, type met abolitionist and Underground Railroad superintendent George DeBaptiste who lived in within easy reach Madison, and the two became amigos. Harrison wrote at the time, "we might look forward to a grant when a North American sun would not look down upon a slave."^[87] DeBaptiste became his valet, and succeeding White House steward.^[88]

Burr closes his value of Harrison by describing an occurrence, denied by some of his friends—a reception given the general at City, in 1836. According to Burr, "Thousands and tens of thousands crowded Chesnut street wharf upon his arrival, splendid greeted him with continual cheering pass for he landed. He stepped into say publicly barouche but the crowd pressed get ahead of so impetuously, that the horses became frightened and reared frequently. A deferral was made to unharness the animals when the General spoke to some of them and endeavored to inferior it; but the team was erelong unmanageable, and it became necessary hype take them off. A rope was brought, and attached to the approach, by which the people drew extinct to the Marshall House. This misuse was the spontaneous burst of spread thousand grateful hearts. Pennsylvanians fought prep below the hero, and they loved him. We speak particularly on this nadir, because we were eyewitnesses of burst that passed."

Main article: 1836 United States presidential election

Harrison was the western Politician candidate for president in 1836, reschedule of four regional Whig party competition. The others were Daniel Webster, Hugh L. White, and Willie P. Mangum. More than one Whig candidate emerged in an effort to defeat nobleness incumbent Vice President Martin Van Buren, who was the popular Jackson-chosen Democrat.^[90] The Democrats charged that, by sway several candidates, the Whigs sought form prevent a Van Buren victory welcome the electoral college, and force position election into the House.^[91] In weighing scale case the plan, if there was one, failed. In the end, Histrion came in second, and carried club of the twenty-six states in prestige Union.^[90][91][92]

Harrison ran in all the free-soil states except Massachusetts, and in magnanimity slave states of Delaware, Maryland, suggest Kentucky. White ran in the spare slave states except for South Carolina. Daniel Webster ran in Massachusetts, captain Mangum in South Carolina.^[93] Van Buren won the election with 170 electoral votes.^[91] A swing of just arrogant 4,000 votes in Pennsylvania would own acquire given that state's 30 electoral votes to Harrison and the election would have been decided in the Residence of Representatives.^[94][91][92]

Main article: William Henry Actor 1840 presidential campaign

Harrison faced incumbent Vehivle Buren as the sole Whig runner in the 1840 election. The Whigs saw in Harrison a born american and war hero, who would distinguish well with the aloof, uncaring, come to rest aristocratic Van Buren.^[90] He was unseemly over more controversial members of interpretation party, such as Clay and Webster; his campaign highlighted his military cloakanddagger and focused on the weak U.S. economy caused by the Panic identical 1837.

The Whigs blamed Van Buren sustenance the economic problems and nicknamed him "Van Ruin". The Democrats, in squirm, ridiculed the elder Harrison by occupation him "Granny Harrison, the petticoat general", because he resigned from the flock before the War of 1812 finished. They noted for the voters what Harrison's name would be when spelled backwards: "No Sirrah". They cast him as a provincial, out-of-touch old mortal who would rather "sit in consummate log cabin drinking hard cider" outweigh attend to the administration of integrity country. This strategy backfired when Thespian and running mate John Tyler adoptive the log cabin and hard alcohol as campaign symbols. Their campaign euphemistic preowned the symbols on banners and posters and created bottles of hard drinkable shaped like log cabins, all observe connect the candidates to the "common man". Freehling relates that, "One complicated pro-Van Buren paper lamented after circlet defeat, 'We have been sung diagonal, lied down and drunk down.' Shore one sentence, this described the spanking American political process."^[97]

Harrison came from undiluted wealthy, slaveholding Virginia family, yet authority campaign promoted him as a plain frontiersman in the style popularized via Andrew Jackson, while presenting Van Buren as a wealthy elitist. A nevertobeforgotten example was the Gold Spoon Provision that Pennsylvania's Whig representative Charles Leer delivered in the House, ridiculing Precursor Buren's elegant White House lifestyle gleam lavish spending.^[98] The Whigs invented unmixed chant in which people would hiss tobacco juice as they chanted "wirt-wirt", and this also exhibited the contravention between candidates from the time follow the election:^[90]

Old Tip he wore organized homespun coat, he had no rippled shirt: wirt-wirt,
But Matt he has the golden plate, and he's dinky little squirt: wirt-wirt!

The Whigs boasted of Harrison's military record and reputation as the hero of primacy Battle of Tippecanoe. The campaign battle cry "Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too" became undeniable of the most famous in English politics. While Van Buren campaigned dismiss the White House, Harrison was chastisement the campaign trail, entertaining with culminate impressions of Indian war whoops, roost took people's minds off the nation's economic troubles. In June 1840, trim Harrison rally at the site match the Tippecanoe battle drew 60,000 people.^[90] The Village of North Bend, River, as well as the alumni rigidity Ohio State University claim that rank state's use of the nickname "Buckeyes" began with Harrison's campaign message.^[100][101] Harrison's campaign was the victim of what is described as the nation's pass with flying colours "October surprise." Just days before voters went to the polls, Van Buren's Justice Department alleged that Whig Assemble officials had committed "the most breathtaking and atrocious fraud," when they compel to Pennsylvanians to travel to New Royalty to vote for Whig candidates mirror image years earlier.^[102]

Voter turnout shot to dinky spectacular 80%, 20 points higher outshine the previous election.^[97] Harrison won unblended landslide victory in the Electoral Institution, 234 electoral votes to Van Buren's 60. The popular vote margin was much closer, at fewer than 150,000 votes, though he carried nineteen identical the twenty-six states.

Inauguration

When Harrison came end Washington, he wanted to show give it some thought he was still the steadfast champion of Tippecanoe and that he was a better educated and more kind man than the backwoods caricature represent in the campaign. He took primacy oath of office on Thursday, Hike 4, 1841, a cold and saturated day.^[104] He braved the chilly ill and chose not to wear put down overcoat or a hat, rode hold horseback to the grand ceremony, champion then delivered the longest inaugural sermon in American history^[104] at 8,445 beyond description. It took him nearly two noontide to read, although his friend pointer fellow Whig Daniel Webster had unoriginal it for length.^[105] Freehling opines walk speeches like this were actually ordinary at the time, and that lying irony was rich, as Harrison, "a lifelong office seeker, elected by intensely partisan politics, harshly criticized both practices".^[106]

The inaugural address was a detailed make an announcement of the Whig agenda, a withdrawal of Jackson's and Van Buren's policies, and the first and only cold articulation by Harrison of his contact to the presidency.^[106] The address began with Harrison's sincere regard for leadership trust being placed in him:

However strong may be my present intent to realize the expectations of splendid magnanimous and confiding people, I also well understand the dangerous temptations tackle which I shall be exposed yield the magnitude of the power which it has been the pleasure be taken in by the people to commit to self-conscious hands not to place my primary confidence upon the aid of dump Almighty Power which has hitherto hermitic me and enabled me to bring on to favorable issues other important however still greatly inferior trusts heretofore confided to me by my country.^[107]

President promised to re-establish the Bank disregard the United States and extend lecturer capacity for credit by issuing tool currency in Henry Clay's American system.^[104] He intended to rely on significance judgment of Congress in legislative rule the roost, using his veto power only conj admitting an act were unconstitutional, and hold on to reverse Jackson's spoils system of managing director patronage.^[106] He promised to use protection to create a qualified staff, snivel to enhance his own standing amusement government, and under no circumstance would he run for a second word. He condemned the financial excesses build up the prior administration and pledged categorize to interfere with congressional financial guideline. All in all, Harrison committed fully a weak presidency, deferring to "the First Branch", the Congress, in carefulness with Whig principles.^[106][105]

He addressed the nation's already hotly debated issue of serfdom. As a slaveholder himself, he transnational with the right of states set a limit control the matter: