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Portrait of William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison, ninth U.S. president and hero of Tippecanoe, was born at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia.

Profession
President, General
From
Charles City County, Virginia
Born
February 9, 1773
Years active
1791–1841

Early life

Born in 1773 at Berkeley Plantation, Harrison abandoned medical studies for a military career on the northwestern frontier.

Career

He won fame at the Battle of Tippecanoe, served as governor of Indiana Territory and later as a congressman before winning the presidency in 1840.

Major achievements

His "Log Cabin" campaign helped define modern American electioneering, though his term lasted only 31 days — the shortest in history.

Legacy

Harrison is remembered both for his frontier military exploits and for dying of illness barely a month into office.

References

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