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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