Images and More: Passed Presidents - # 23

First, there were the Adams’...father and son. In the 20^th century, we had the Roosevelt cousins. More recently, there were Bush 41 and 43. The presidency seems to run in some family’s blood.

In the 19^th century, we had two Harrison’s...William Henry (# 9) and his grandson, Benjamin. Our 23^rd president, who served a single term between Grover Cleveland’s separated terms, died 113 years ago today in 1901. The president is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery which is also the home of three vice presidents and the infamous gangster, John Dillinger.

Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, IN (22 October 2006)

Sandwiched by Cleveland and in the middle of that other forgettable stretch of presidents between Grant and Roosevelt, Ben was honest but dull...and short. At 5’ 6”, the only president he could look down on was 5’ 4” Madison...and Madison was a giant in other ways.

Ben’s daddy was a Congressman, his grandpa was president and his great granddad signed the Declaration of Independence. He marched with Sherman through the South and left the Civil War a brigadier general. He rose through Indiana politics and served a term in the U.S Senate before beating Cleveland in the 1888 election. He actually lost the popular vote but the Electoral College votes are what counts. They called him the “Centennial President” because Washington’s first term began a hundred years earlier.

Benjamin Harrison Grave, Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, IN

(22 October 2006)

His was an undistinguished term. No wars or great conflagrations to address. Just dull tariff and business issues to advance. He signed the Sherman Anti-trust Act, the first federal law to regulate monopolies. Civil Service reforms continued, especially after he appointed Teddy Roosevelt to head the Commission (Yawn). He also knew the U.S. had to move away from isolationism so he expanded the Navy (Zzz). However, his single term saw six new states enter the union...more than any other president can boast.

On the other hand, First Lady Caroline (‘Carrie’) did her part for posterity. She was an artist and china painter who started both the White House china collection and the annual Christmas tree traditions. My stories of late have not had many happy endings for the wives...nor will this one. Two weeks before the 1892 election, Carrie Harrison died of tuberculosis in the White House. The president did not campaign so he could stay at her side. Out of respect to his opponent, Grover Cleveland also refused to campaign and yet he won handily. I’d like to see candidates in today’s billion dollar election cycles stoop to such decency.

I visited the Harrisons on a marvelous autumn road trip through the Midwest. The drive to Wisconsin collected five presidents and three state houses on the way. I planned to visit a fourth capitol in Indianapolis but arrived on a Colts home game Sunday along with thousands of football fans. Downtown was too crowded to do anything else.