William Henry Harrison

Overview

At a Glance

• Established local administration in St. Louis
• Facilitated land negotiations between Native American tribes and settlers
• Supported local efforts to petition Congress to separate the Louisiana and Indiana territories (ultimately granted in 1805)

Personal History

William Henry Harrison was born at Berkeley, his family’s plantation on the James River in Virginia, as the seventh son of a prominent family. His father, Benjamin Harrison, was a planter, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a governor of Virginia. At 14, he began studying at Hampton-Sydney College in 1790 before pursuing medicine at what is now the University of Pennsylvania. After his father’s death in 1791, and without an expected inheritance, Harrison left school to pursue a military career.

In 1792, Harrison distinguished himself as aide-de-camp to General Anthony Wayne during the Northwest Indian War, serving until its conclusion in 1795. In 1798, Harrison began is political career through his election as the Territorial Representative to Congress.

During the War of 1812, Harrison was commissioned as a brigadier general and commander of the Northwestern Army. He resigned from his gubernational role to focus on the war, ultimately achieving significant victories in Indiana and Ohio, re-capturing Detroit, and winning the pivotal Battle of Thames in Canada in 1813.

Harrison secured the U.S. presidency in 1841. However, Harrison fell ill on March 26, 1841, and passed away on April 4 just 31 days into his term. Harrison was buried at Mt. Nebo in North Bend, Ohio.

Political History

In 1798, he resigned his military commission to become Secretary of the Northwest Territory, and the following year, he was elected as the Territorial Representative to Congress. Although he lacked voting rights in Congress, Harrison contributed by serving on various committees, including chairing the Committee on Public Lands.

While serving in Congress, Harrison advocated for legislation aimed at reforming public land policies to enhance accessibility for small landowners. He also supported the division of the Northwest Territory into the Ohio and Indiana territories in 1800. In the spring of that year, President John Adams appointed him as governor of the Indiana Territory, a position he continued to hold through reappointments by Presidents Jefferson and Madison.

In October 1804, the newly acquired District of Louisiana was administratively attached to the Indiana Territory, making Harrison the first American governor of an area that included present-day Missouri.

From 1816 to 1829, Harrison held various state and federal positions, including U.S. Representative and Senator from Ohio, as well as U.S. Minister to Colombia. He initially ran for president in 1836 as a Whig candidate but lost to Martin Van Buren. The two faced off again in the 1840 election, with Harrison winning this time and becoming the oldest person elected to the presidency at the age of 68 at the time, inaugurated on March 4, 1841.

The territorial captain in Vincennes, Indiana, raised concerns about effective governance, particularly regarding land claims based on previous French and Spanish grants and the ambiguous state of slavery of the region. Although slavery was outlawed in the old Northwest, it was already established in Louisiana. To address these challenges, Harrison traveled to St. Louis to establish local administration, appointing many individuals who had previously held similar roles. He also supported local efforts to petition Congress for the formation of a separate Louisiana Territory, which was granted in March 1805.

Harrison continued as the Governor of the Indiana Territory, where he was responsible for managing relations with various Native American nations, a task that required balancing the maintenance of peace with Native American tribes and settlers while facilitating land acquisition for settlers. Tensions escalated between Native American tribes and settlers in 1808. This led to the formation of a confederacy of tribes led by the Shawnee warrior Tecumseh, which resisted further encroachment. Negotiations between Tecumseh and Harrison broke down by 1810, prompting Harrison to lead military forces against the confederacy, achieving victory at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Historical Significance

William Henry Harrison supported efforts to separate the Louisiana and Indiana Territories; a petition that was granted in 1805. Additionally, Harrison successfully negotiated cessions of over 70,000 square miles of land between Native American tribes and settlers.