BENJAMIN HARRISON
Harrison was born August 20, 1933, at the home of his
paternal grandfather William Henry Harrison in North Bend, Ohio. His father was
John Scott Harrison (1804-1878) and his mother was Elizabeth Irwin Harrison
(1810-1850).
Benjamin had to older half sisters by his father first
marriage- Mrs. Elizabeth “betsie” Eaton of Cincinnati and Mrs. Sarah
“sallie” Devin of Ottumwa, Iowa. Harrison had three full brothers and two
full sisters- Lieutenant Colonel (Archibald) Irwin Harrison, Mrs. Mary Jane
“Jennie” Morris, Carter Harrison, Mrs. Anna Morris and John Scott Harrison
Jr.
Harrison first marriage was with Caroline Lavinia Scott
when he was 20 and she was 21 years of age, on October 20, 1853, at the home of
the bride in Oxford, Ohio. Caroline died of tuberculosis on 1892. As a former
president he married Mary Scott Lord Dimmick on April 6, 1896 when he was 62 and
she was 37. Harrison had a son and a daughter by his first wife-Russell Benjamin
Harrison (1854-1936) and Mary Scott “mammie” Harrison (1858-1930). By his
second wife he had a daughter- Elizabeth Harrison (1897-1955).
Benjamin Harrison served in the military during the civil
war from July 1862 to June 1865, rising from second lieutenant to brigadier
general. He learned the basics from tutors at home and in a one-room log
schoolhouse nearby. During 1847-1850 he attended Farmers’ College, a
preparatory school in Cincinnati. In September 1850 Harrison was admitted as a
junior to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. During 1852-1854 he studied at the
Cincinnati office of Storer and Gwynne. He was admitted to the bar in 1854.
After practicing law in Indianapolis he ran unsuccessfully
for the republican gubernatorial nomination in 1872 but latter served in other
public position as U.S. Senator (1881-1887). He later decided to announce his
candidacy for the republican presidential nomination in February 1888. He won
the nomination in Chicago convention in June 1888. He ran for president having
as his opponent president Grover Cleveland. Harrison and his vice president Levi
Parsons Morton (1824-1920), who served 1889-1893, won the electoral votes and
assumed the white house positions.
During early March 1901, Harrison came down with the flu which developed into pneumonia, He did not respond to treatment and his health steadily declined. He lapsed into unconsciousness on March 12 and died on March 16, 1901.
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