Remembering Old Tippecanoe
On April 4, 1841, (170 years ago today) President William Henry Harrison died, a month after his taking office as the 9th President of the United States, ending what has thus far been the shortest Presidency on Record.
During the campaign of 1840, Harrison ran against incumbent Martin Van Buren for President. Van Buren's supporters tried to paint Harrison as elderly, senile, and out-of-touch with the American people. Harrison had better spin doctors. His supporters portrayed Harrison as being more like the common man. They presented Van Buren as an aristocrat with a silver spoon inhis mouth. The Harrison campaign also made much of Harrison's military service in the wars against the Indians and in the War of 1812 using the slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." This strategy worked. Although Harrison had only a slight lead in the popular vote, he won a landslide victory in the electoral college (234 to 60).
At 68 years old he was the oldest President to that point in American history and was derided by some as a "Granny." Therefore, he still felt that he had to prove that he was the robust hero of Tippecanoe. That March 4th (inauguration day) was an extremely cold and wet day, but Harrison went without his overcoat to prove that he was not a frail old man. Standing in the rain, the delivered the longest inaugural address in American history. The speech lasted almost two hours after which he rode through the streets in the inaugural parade. Again, he did not wear an overcoat.
A popular misconception is that this led to his getting ill and ultimately to his death. But it actually wasn't until three weeks later on March 26 that Harrison became ill with a cold. The cold worsened, rapidly turning to pneumonia and pleurisy. Harrison tried to rest in the White House, but could not find any peace and quiet because of the steady parade of office seekers.
Harrison's doctors tried cures, applying opium, castor oil, leeches, and Virginia snakeweed. But the treatments only made Harrison worse, and he became delirious. He died nine days after becoming ill, at 12:30 a.m. on April 4, 1841. The cause of death is reported to be "right lower lobe pneumonia, jaundice, and overwhelming septicemia." He was the first United States president to die in office. His last words were to his doctor, but assumed to be directed at John Tyler, "Sir, I wish you to understand the true principles of the government. I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more." Harrison served the shortest term of any American president: March 4 – April 4, 1841, 30 days, twelve hours, and 30 minutes.
Harrison's funeral took place in the Wesley Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1841. His original interment was in the public vault of the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. He was later buried in North Bend, Ohio. The William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial was erected in his honor.
During the campaign of 1840, Harrison ran against incumbent Martin Van Buren for President. Van Buren's supporters tried to paint Harrison as elderly, senile, and out-of-touch with the American people. Harrison had better spin doctors. His supporters portrayed Harrison as being more like the common man. They presented Van Buren as an aristocrat with a silver spoon inhis mouth. The Harrison campaign also made much of Harrison's military service in the wars against the Indians and in the War of 1812 using the slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." This strategy worked. Although Harrison had only a slight lead in the popular vote, he won a landslide victory in the electoral college (234 to 60).
At 68 years old he was the oldest President to that point in American history and was derided by some as a "Granny." Therefore, he still felt that he had to prove that he was the robust hero of Tippecanoe. That March 4th (inauguration day) was an extremely cold and wet day, but Harrison went without his overcoat to prove that he was not a frail old man. Standing in the rain, the delivered the longest inaugural address in American history. The speech lasted almost two hours after which he rode through the streets in the inaugural parade. Again, he did not wear an overcoat.
A popular misconception is that this led to his getting ill and ultimately to his death. But it actually wasn't until three weeks later on March 26 that Harrison became ill with a cold. The cold worsened, rapidly turning to pneumonia and pleurisy. Harrison tried to rest in the White House, but could not find any peace and quiet because of the steady parade of office seekers.
Harrison's doctors tried cures, applying opium, castor oil, leeches, and Virginia snakeweed. But the treatments only made Harrison worse, and he became delirious. He died nine days after becoming ill, at 12:30 a.m. on April 4, 1841. The cause of death is reported to be "right lower lobe pneumonia, jaundice, and overwhelming septicemia." He was the first United States president to die in office. His last words were to his doctor, but assumed to be directed at John Tyler, "Sir, I wish you to understand the true principles of the government. I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more." Harrison served the shortest term of any American president: March 4 – April 4, 1841, 30 days, twelve hours, and 30 minutes.
Harrison's funeral took place in the Wesley Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1841. His original interment was in the public vault of the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. He was later buried in North Bend, Ohio. The William Henry Harrison Tomb State Memorial was erected in his honor.