(You can view the rest of our presidential Best Book lists by going to our Best US President Books page, or for a more in-depth look at how we found and ranked the books you can visit our Best Book About Every United States President article.)
William Henry Harrison Quick Facts |
| President Number | 9 |
| Terms In Office | 1/48th |
| Years | 1841-1841 |
| Political Party | Whig |
| Vice President | John Tyler |
| Home State | Ohio |
| Slaves Owned | 11 |
| Presidential Pet | Cow (Sukey) |
| Campaign Slogan | “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” |
| Articles Used in Ranking | 12 |
| Number of Unique Books | 15 |
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Often remembered as the president who died shortly after taking office, William Henry Harrison remains misunderstood by most Americans. Before becoming the ninth president of the United States in 1841, Harrison was instrumental in shaping the early years of westward expansion. Robert M. Owens now explores that era through the lens of Harrison’s career, providing a new synthesis of his role in the political development of Indiana Territory and in shaping Indian policy in the Old Northwest.
Freeman Cleaves’s great achievement in this book is to describe this life in dramatic prose that captures much of the excitement of a young nation expanding westward in the early 19th century. Primarily a military historian, Cleaves focuses on Harrison’s tenure as territorial governor of Indiana and his service as a general in the War of 1812, a period that served as the foundation for his subsequent political prominence.
Wearied by the hotly contested “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign that unseated the Democratic incumbent, Martin Van Buren, Harrison succumbed to pneumonia after only one month in office, the first chief executive to die in the White House. His death precipitated a governmental crisis, which Vice President John Tyler promptly resolved—to the consternation of his Whig Party—by claiming the office and title of president, thus setting a precedent that only later was codified in the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution.
William Henry Harrison died just thirty-one days after taking the oath of office in 1841. Today he is a curiosity in American history, but as Gail Collins shows in this entertaining and revelatory biography, he and his career are worth a closer look. The son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Harrison was a celebrated general whose exploits at the Battle of Tippecanoe and in the War of 1812 propelled him into politics, and in time he became a leader of the new Whig Party, alongside Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. But it was his presidential campaign of 1840 that made an indelible mark on American political history.
For 32 days in 1841, William Henry Harrison was the President of the United States of America. His election in 1840 followed one of the rowdiest, most colorful, and most memorable presidential campaigns in history. A month after his inauguration, he was dead. It was the first time in the nation’s history that a sitting president died in office, and the voters who placed their hopes in “Old Tippecanoe” were devastated. This book examines Harrison’ rise from military hero and public servant to the highest office in the land, his often misunderstood illness and death, the nation’s response to his death, and his lasting legacy.
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Today, William Henry Harrison is best known for holding the presidency for the shortest amount of time and dying about a month after his inauguration speech, but he was one of the most important Americans of his day. Like many presidents in the 19th century, he rose to fame and fortune as a general, first for his decisive actions at the Battle of Tippecanoe and then in the subsequent War of 1812.
Lists It Appears On:
This series discusses the highlights and issues of each president’s time in office. The straightforward narrative provides key facts from early childhood to retirement, while emphasizing international and historical perspectives.
In his study of William Henry Harrison, David Curtis Skaggs sheds light on the role of citizen-soldiers in taming the wilderness of the old Northwest. Perhaps best known for the Whig slogan in 1840―”Tippecanoe and Tyler Too”―Harrison used his efforts to pacify Native Americans and defeat the British in the War of 1812 to promote a political career that eventually elevated him to the presidency.
Lists It Appears On:
Originally published in 1951, this biography of the childhood years of America’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison, details the boyhood adventures and character of young Tippecanoe prior to his assumption of the highest office. The story opens with young Harrison’s rousing rescue of sister Sally from drowning when he was just seven, followed soon after by an account of Harrison’s quick thinking as he saved his uncle from bleeding to death following an accident. The famous battle at Tippecanoe is also reviewed, as are many more events and actions that young history buffs will enjoy.
| Source | Article |
| All The Presidents Books | One Through Forty-Two or Forty-Three |
| At Times Dull | Janet’s Presidential Biography Project & Blog |
| Best Presidential Bios | The Best Presidential Biographies |
| Huffington Post | Presidents’ Day History: The Must-Reads Of Presidential Biographies |
| Library of Congress | Selected Bibliography |
| Mandi Lindner | 44 Presidents and Their Definitive Biographies |
| Mashable | Why I’m spending a year reading about every U.S. president |
| Presidential History | Presidential Resources |
| Presidential History (Again) | Pulitzer Prize Winning Books About Presidents |
| Presidents USA | FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON |
| The Tailored Man | The 44 Best Presidential Biographies |
| The Washington Post | The Fix’s list of best presidential biographies |
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