William Henry Harrison's Life

William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773 in Charles City County, Virginia. His father was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a friend of George Washington. Harrison was taught at home until he attended Hampden-Sidney College in Virginia. He joined the Army one year later- his father died the same year. In 1795 William Henry Harrison married Anna Symmes; they had ten children. Harrison was appointed Secretary of the Northwest Territory by President John Adams and served as the delegate to Congress from that region. He was appointed Governor of the Indiana territory where he served for twelve years. He took millions of acres of land from Native Americans by battle or by treaty. And he recaptured Detroit  from the British in the War of 1812.  Harrison defeated the Shawnee Indians and destroyed their settlement. Harrison defeated the British and Indians at the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812. He moved his family to North Bend, Ohio. In 1816 he was elected to Congress and in 1819 he was elected to the state senate. At the end of that term in 1825 he was elected to the United States Senate. President John Quincy Adams appointed Harrison minister to Colombia in 1828. He offended Colombian President Simon Bolivar and he was forced to leave the country in 1829. Harrison returned to his farm in North Bend. He was nominated by the Whig Party to run for President against Martin Van Buren, and lost. Harrison ran for President in 1841 and won. He died of pneumonia only 32 days after his Inauguration on April 4, 1841. Note: William Henry Harrison was President from March 4, 1841 to April 4, 1841 and the Vice President was John Tyler.