William Henry Harrison (Feb 9, 1773-Apr 4, 1841), ninth president of the U.S., was the son of a Declaration of Independence signer, and the grandfather to another president – both named Benjamin Harrison. A military leader, he earned the nickname “Old Tippecanoe,” after he commanded a force of militia and regulars that put down a Shawnee uprising at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. But his real claim to fame is his untimely death. The oldest elected president (before Ronald Reagan), Harrison gave the longest inaugural address in history (8,445 words), and died of pneumonia one month after taking office. It was believed that Harrison’s exposure to the elements that March 1841, contributed to his early death, causing him to have the shortest presidency ever.
-Edward Thomas