William Henry Harrison Born at Berkeley Plantation

Summary

William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773, at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia. The son of Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, he entered the U.S. Army and served in campaigns in the Northwest Territory. Harrison later governed the Indiana Territory, where his administration negotiated and imposed land agreements that transferred extensive Native American lands to United States control. He gained national fame after leading American forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 and during the War of 1812, including victory at the Battle of the Thames. Harrison subsequently served in Congress, as a diplomat, and in other public offices. The Whig Party elected him the ninth president of the United States in 1840. He became ill soon after taking office and died on April 4, 1841, giving him the shortest presidency in American history.