OHIO PRESIDENTS

William Henry Harrison
 

Years
1841

Biography

Representing North Bend, Ohio, Harrison served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1816 to 1819 and the Ohio Senate from 1825 to 1828. He became the ninth President of the United States on March 4, 1841 and died on April 4, 1841. He was the first U.S. President to die in office, only one month into his presidency. Though he gave the longest inaugural speech of any president in history (8,445 words), he served the shortest term of any president. He was also the first president to use campaign slogans - "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." He and his grandson Benjamin Harrison are the only grandfather-grandson duo to serve as Presidents of the United States. 

Items on display in the Harrison Room include: 

  • A snuffbox, circa 1840, made of paper Mache, with a portrait of William Henry Harrison painted on the top of the lid, with a streamer at the base with "William Henry Harrison of Ohio" written on it. On the bottom is a transfer printed scene of "Harrison's Victory in the Battle of Tippecanoe, 7th Nov. 1811."
  • Sulphide pin fragment, engraved with themes from the W. H. Harrison 1840 campaign including the slogan "Harrison & Reform" and a log cabin. The log cabin was a theme used by the Harrison campaign to emphasize Harrison's humble origins.
  • Reverse painting of William Henry Harrison on the interior of a lid, circa 1840. Harrison has a backdrop of the American flag and is in military uniform. One of the themes of Harrison's 1840 campaign was to promote Harrison as a war hero.
  • Pitcher with transfer decorations of W. H. Harrison's 1840 campaign—on one side is a portrait of Harrison, on the reverse is a fasces with the slogan "Harrison & Reform" and "Union for the sake of Union." The pitcher is decorated with pink luster. It was made in England and imported by Robert H. Miller of Alexandria, DC (now VA).