Among the history lessons that thousands of Hoosier children absorb each year is one about the old pioneer, remembered by many as America's shortest-serving president. William Henry Harrison.
He was technically a native of Ohio, having been born in 1773, before Indiana was even a state. Nicknamed “Old Tippecanoe” for his tenacious military leadership against Tecumseh's Union forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe, Harrison also became well known for his role as the first governor of the Indiana Territory. became.
Founded in 1800, the new territory included all the states that would become Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as the northeastern part of Minnesota.
His political career culminated in his assumption of the White House in 1841. However, his term as the 9th President of the United States was incredibly short, lasting just 31 days.
What is the cause of his unhappiness? The illness was probably caused by the long inaugural address given outside the Capitol on a cold, rainy day. He was the first president to die during his time in office, setting a precedent for how presidential funerals and transitions of power should take place.
However, the family's political success continued. Mr. Harrison's grandson, Mr. Benjamin, was the only U.S. president elected from Indiana.
The younger Harrison spent far more time in Washington, D.C., where he served a four-year term as the 23rd president from 1889 to 1893. Still, his presidency was also ruined when First Lady Caroline Harrison died of tuberculosis. She became the second first lady to die in the line of duty.
In total, two presidents and three first ladies have died inside the White House. Presidents Warren G. Harding and Franklin Delano Roosevelt also died while in office, but not inside the presidential mansion. Four presidents died in assassinations: Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy.
The Harrison family's experiences and the losses they endured while in the White House are highlighted in the newest exhibit, “Death in the White House,” at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, a historic home that spans centuries. We are delving into the history of death.
A visit to the nearly 150-year-old Harrison home reveals funeral memorabilia, diary passages, and newspaper clippings from various family deaths. Hair from the president's grandfather and grandson is also on display, recalling the old custom of mourners preserving small locks of hair in brooches or rings.
Harrison's long and cold speech
Although his time as commander in chief was very short, William Henry Harrison may have been one of the longest-serving presidents.
his entrance to the white house It featured several firsts. Mr. Harrison was the first president-elect to arrive in Washington, D.C., by train, and the first official national inaugural committee was formed to plan that day's parade and inaugural ball.
At the time of his inauguration, he was 68 years and 23 days old, making him the oldest president-elect until Ronald Reagan in 1981.
However, the weather was not favorable to the aging presidential candidate. The day of his inauguration was cloudy and windy, with historians estimating the midday temperature to be around 48 degrees.
Still, the president-elect rode to the ceremony on horseback and chose not to wear a cloak, hat or gloves during the celebration, the report said. Records held at the Library of Congress.
On that March day, Harrison delivered the following message: Longest inaugural speech ever, total 8,445 words. He wrote the entire speech himself, and it was edited by soon-to-be Secretary of State Daniel Webster.
Mr. Harrison attended three inaugural balls later that night, but in the days and weeks that followed, the president developed flu-like symptoms.
At the time, it was thought that his illness was a direct result of the inauguration's bad weather, but more modern evidence suggests that Harrison's illness may have been due to: Caused by enteritis or typhoid fever Relating to Washington's water supply.
In any case, medical attempts at treatment failed, and Harrison died on April 4, 1841. He was eventually buried near his home in North Bend, Ohio.
Other White House deaths
President Zachary Taylor also died in the White House on July 9, 1850, after contracting a stomach illness, likely cholera or some other gastrointestinal disease. The 12th president died just 16 months after he took office.
A look back at Hoosier history in the portrait of an Indiana governor
President Warren G. Harding died of a heart attack in a San Francisco hotel room in 1923 while in office, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage at a polio treatment center in Georgia in 1945. The country's four assassinated presidents died at different points during his presidential term.
Three more first ladies died in the White House. Letitia Tyler, wife of President John Tyler, died of a stroke on September 10, 1842. Benjamin Harrison's first lady, Caroline Harrison, died of tuberculosis on October 25, 1892. Then, on August 6, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson's first wife Ellen Wilson passed away after a battle with Bright's disease.
“Death in the White House”
Caroline's passing is given special attention in the Harrison Ruins exhibit, which opened to the public on Friday. She was a first lady who frequently fell ill, and in March 1891, shortly after Benjamin took office as president, she developed pneumonia.
A summer retreat to Loon Lake in the Adirondacks seemed to improve Caroline's health, but by the fall her condition had worsened and she was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis shortly before her death.
A newly discovered first-hand account from the personal diary of Josephine Kneipp, the Harrison family's seamstress, reveals a new side to Caroline's death.
Jennifer Capps, Harrison Site's vice president of curatorship and exhibitions, said the diary has been preserved for generations. Kneipp's family remains in Indiana. Over the last year, this diary has been scanned and transcribed. The exhibit features several texts detailing Caroline's final days.
Thursday. October 20 marked a sad anniversary for the President and Mrs. Harrison, who celebrated 39 years of marriage. Mrs. Morton… sent a beautiful red rose. …
Mon October 24th. Dr. Gardener came early, we all know for the first time (sic) what to expect… Mrs. H said… What time will I die? …It was pitiful to see Mrs. Harrison suffer so much…The President did not even go to eat, and with his brave heart stayed close to his beloved all day…
October 25, 1892, 1:40 a.m. The President had been holding his little white hand until then, but then he was heartbroken… He sat for a while, then suddenly got up, hurried to his room, shut the door, and cried loudly. I talked to the master while doing so.
The exhibit is open to the public and included in general admission to Harrison House through December 30th. Advance tickets can be reserved below. presidentbenjaminharrison.org.
Get the morning headlines delivered to your inbox
