William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) was an American statesman and military general who served as the ninth president of the United States. A member of the distinguished Harrison family of Virginia, he built his reputation as a war hero after defeating Tecumseh's Confederacy at the Battle of Tippecanoe (7 November 1811) – hence his nickname 'Old Tippecanoe'. In the US presidential election of 1840, the Whig Party nominated him as their candidate, and he defeated incumbent President Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) in the general election. Only three weeks after his inauguration, however, Harrison fell ill and died, becoming the first US president to die in office, as well as the president with the shortest tenure in American history. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), would go on to serve as the 23rd president.
More about: William Henry HarrisonDefinition
Timeline
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9 Feb 1773William Henry Harrison is born on Berkeley Plantation, Virginia.
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25 Nov 1795Harrison marries Anna Symmes.
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13 May 1800William Henry Harrison is appointed Governor of the Indiana Territory.
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7 Nov 1811Battle of Tippecanoe; a US army under William Henry Harrison defeats 500 warriors from Tecumseh's Confederacy.
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17 Sep 1812William Henry Harrison is given command of the Army of the Northwest during the War of 1812.
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5 Oct 1813Battle of the Thames is fought between US and British forces; Tecumseh is killed.
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Dec 1828 - Mar 1829William Henry Harrison briefly serves as first US minister to Gran Colombia.
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4 Dec 1839William Henry Harrison is nominated as the Whig Party's candidate for the US presidential election of 1840.
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4 Mar 1841William Henry Harrison is inaugurated as the ninth US president.
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4 Apr 1841US President William Henry Harrison dies of pneumonia at the age of 68, after only a month in office.
