William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison Harrison in 1841; this is an early (circa 1850) photographic copy of an 1841 daguerreotype 9th President of the United States In office March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 Vice President John Tyler Preceded by Martin Van Buren Succeeded by John Tyler United States Minister to Colombia In office May 24, 1828 – September 26, 1829 Nominated by John Quincy Adams Preceded by Beaufort Taylor Watt Succeeded by Thomas Patrick Moore United States Senator from Ohio In office March 4, 1825 – May 20, 1828 Preceded by Ethan Allen Brown Succeeded by Jacob Burnet Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 1st district In office October 8, 1816 – March 3, 1819 Preceded by John McLean Succeeded by Thomas Ross Governor of the Indiana Territory In office January 10, 1801 – December 28, 1812 Appointed by John Adams Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Thomas Posey Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Northwest Territory's At-large district In office March 4, 1799 – May 14, 1800 Preceded by Constituency established Succeeded by Paul Fearing Secretary of the Northwest Territory In office June 28, 1798 – October 1, 1799 Governor Arthur St. Clair Charles Byrd Preceded by Winthrop Sargent Succeeded by Charles Byrd Personal details Born (1773-02-09)February 9, 1773 Charles City, Virginia Colony Died April 4, 1841(1841-04-04) (aged 68) Washington, D.C., U.S. Resting place Harrison Tomb State Memorial North Bend, Ohio Political party Whig Spouse(s) Anna Symmes (1795-1841; his death) Children Elizabeth Bassett Harrison John Cleves Symmes Harrison Lucy Singleton Harrison Este William Henry Harrison, Jr. John Scott Harrison Mary Symmes Harrison Benjamin Harrison Carter Bassett Harrison Anna Tuthill Harrison Taylor James Findlay Harrison Alma mater University of Pennsylvania Hampden-Sydney College Profession Military officer Religion Episcopalian Signature Military service Allegiance United States Service/branch United States Army Indiana Territory militia Years of service 1791–1798 1811 1812–1814 Rank Major general Unit Legion of the United States Commands Army of the Northwest Battles/wars Northwest Indian War Siege of Fort Recovery Battle of Fallen Timbers Tecumseh's War Battle of Tippecanoe War of 1812 Siege of Fort Wayne Battle of the Thames William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was the ninth President of the United States (1841), an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when inaugurated, the oldest president to take office until Ronald Reagan in 1981. Harrison died on his 32nd day in office of complications from pneumonia, serving the shortest tenure in United States presidential history. His death sparked a brief constitutional crisis, but its resolution settled many questions about presidential succession left unanswered by the Constitution until the passage of the 25th Amendment in 1967. He was the grandfather of Benjamin Harrison, who was the 23rd President from 1889 to 1893. Before election as president, Harrison served as the first territorial congressional delegate from the Northwest Territory, governor of the Indiana Territory and later as a U.S. representative and senator from Ohio. He originally gained national fame for leading U.S. forces against American Indians at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, where he earned the nickname "Tippecanoe" (or "Old Tippecanoe"). As a general in the subsequent War of 1812, his most notable action was in the Battle of the Thames in 1813, which brought an end to hostilities in his region. This battle resulted in the death of Tecumseh and the dissolution of the Indian coalition which he led. After the war, Harrison moved to Ohio, where he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. In 1824 the state legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate. He served a truncated term after being appointed as Minister Plenipotentiary to Colombia in May 1828. In Colombia, he spoke with Simón Bolívar urging his nation to adopt American-style democracy. Returning to his farm in Ohio, Harrison lived in relative retirement until he was nominated for the presidency in 1836. Defeated, he retired again to his farm. He was elected president in 1840, and died of pneumonia in April 1841, a month after taking office.