William Henry Harrison

portrait of William Henry Harrison, by Albert Sands Southworth and Josiah Johnson Hawes, c. 1850 copy of 1841 original

Date of Birth: February 9, 1773

Place of Birth: Charles City, Virginia Colony, British America

Date of Death: April 4, 1841

Place of Death: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Ethnicity: English

William Henry Harrison was an American politician. A member of the Whig Party, he served as the ninth President of the United States, in from March 4, 1841 to April 4, 1841. He was elected to the position in 1840. He served as president until his death from pneumonia. He has the shortest tenure of an American President, having served for thirty two days.

President Harrison had previously been a Secretary of the Northwest Territory, from June 28, 1798 to October 1, 1799, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the Northwest Territory, from March 4, 1799 to May 14, 1800, a Governor of the Indiana Territory, from January 10, 1801 to December 28, 1812, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, from October 8, 1816 to March 3, 1819, a U.S. Senator from Ohio, from March 4, 1825 to May 20, 1828, and a United States Minister to Colombia, from May 24, 1828 to September 26, 1829.

He was also the Whig Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 1836.

President Harrison was the son of Elizabeth (Bassett) and Benjamin Harrison V, a prominent revolutionary leader and Founding Father of the United States. President Harrison’s father was the fifth Governor of Virginia (from 1781 to 1784). President Harrison’s grandson, Benjamin Harrison, also served as President of the United States, from 1889 to 1893. The two Harrisons are the only U.S. Presidents to have been grandfather and grandson. He was married to Anna Elizabeth (Symmes) Harrison, with whom he had ten children.

President Harrison was of entirely English ancestry.

President Harrison and his grandson Benjamin Harrison were the first grandfather-and-grandson U.S. president duo. There have been two father-and-son U.S. president duos, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

President Harrison’s paternal grandfather was Benjamin Harrison IV (the son of Benjamin Harrison III and Elizabeth Burwell). President Harrison’s grandfather Benjamin was born in Virginia. President Harrison’s great-grandfather Benjamin was the son of Benjamin Harrison, Jr. and Hannah Churchill. Elizabeth was the daughter of Lewis Burwell, Jr. and Abigail Smith, who was born in Colchester, Essex, England.

President Harrison’s paternal grandmother was Anne Carter (the daughter of Robert “King” Carter and Elizabeth “Betty” Landon). Anne was born in Virginia. Robert was the son of John Carter, who was born in Newgate, London, England, and of Sarah Ludlow, from Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire, England. Elizabeth was born in Credenhill, Herefordshire, England, the daughter of Thomas Landon and Mary.

President Harrison’s maternal grandfather was William Bassett IV (the son of William Bassett III and Joanna Burwell). President Harrison’s grandfather William was born in Virginia. President Harrison’s great-grandfather William was the son of William Bassett, Jr. and Bridget Cary. Joanna was the daughter of Lewis Burwell, Jr. and Abigail Smith. She was the sister of President Harrison’s paternal great-grandmother Elizabeth Burwell, making his parents second cousins.

President Harrison’s maternal grandmother was Elizabeth Churchill (the daughter of William Churchill and Elizabeth Armistead). President Harrison’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in Virginia. William was born in North Aston, Oxfordshire, England, the son of John Churchill and Dorothy. President Harrison’s great-grandmother Elizabeth was the daughter of John Armistead and Judith Hone.

President Harrison was a first cousin, four times removed, of politician Stuart Symington. His paternal grandparents, Benjamin Harrison and Anne Carter, were also Stuart’s great-great-great-great-grandparents.

Sources: Genealogies of President Harrison – http://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://www.findagrave.com