Harrison, William Henry

Old Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison and His Time

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Presidential Reader
Harrison needs new biography
An Unknown President
Laudatory but Solid Political Bio
Good introduction to the life of WH Harrison.

Old Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison and His Time
Freeman Cleaves
Manufacturer: American Political Biography Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0945707010

Customer Reviews:

Presidential Reader.......2007-01-12

Very thorough book. As Harrison had not much of a Presidency, the book is mostly about his military career. I found it very interesting. The book is well written and the author adds interesting bits of information along the way to keep the reader well entertained. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to get a chronological view of American History and the Presidency.

Harrison needs new biography.......2006-04-21

If the reader is interested in a chronological presentation of Harrison's life, this biography may be fine. For those seeking an analysis of his life and times, Cleaves makes several factual errors and contextual omissions in his biography.

Cleaves describes Tecumseh, Harrison's principal foe in several battles for control of the Ohio Valley, as a triplet and he claims that Tecumseh's mother was a Creek. Neither is true. Methotasa, born Cherokee, was captured and then adopted into the Shawnee tribe. She married Tecumseh's father in about 1753. Tecumseh was born in 1768, nearly three years before his mother gave birth to the triplets. In order of birth, they were Kumskaka, Sauwaseekau and Lowawluwaysica. It is the third triplet, later called Tenskwatawa the Prophet, and the circumstances of his birth, that Cleaves confuses with Tecumseh.

Tecumseh is also described as the Shawnee war chief, which he was not nor ever claimed to be. The Shawnee Nation was divided into five "septs," Maykujays, Packuwes, Thawegilas, Kispokothas and Chalahgawthas. Each sept had its specific charge. The Kispokothas were the warrior sept. Tecumseh was Chalahgawtha. Tecumseh, by tribal tradition, was of the wrong sept to ever be considered for the position.

To understand Harrison's place in American history, a biography must include an analysis of Harrison's approach to western lands acquisition, his relationship with the several Indian nations and the the broader context of these events in American/European diplomacy.

There is certainly a place for a new biography of Harrison.

An Unknown President.......2006-04-03

Harrison is probably one of the least known presidents. Serving in office for only a month, very little is written about him, and this book was the only volume I was able to find on his life written for adults.

It portrays his earlier career as an indian fighter in a very enlightening way, and lets the reader get a feel for the times that is often missed in more conventional biograhpies.

I wish the author had spent a little more time on Harrison's home life with his wife and children, but the book does shatter many of the myths surrounding Harrison's life that were published about him during the election of 1840.

The biography at times is a little slow, but overall is a good read and is an excllent insight into the 9th president of the United States.

Laudatory but Solid Political Bio.......2005-03-05

This bio was first published in 1939, so the style is a bit old. But it is still quite readable. As far as I know, it is the only non-juvenile biography of Harrison in print.

The author has an excellent grasp of the details of Harrison's career as a general, governor of Indiana Territory, and Congressman. There is not much to say, of course, about his month-long administration, except for the distribution of the spoils.

The biggest weakness of the book is the author's tendency to view everything Harrison did in a positive light. For example, Harrison made some major mistakes in his battles that cost lives, yet Cleaves glosses over these issues. Clay and Harrison also seem not to have gotten along well, yet Clay is the one at fault, according to Cleaves.

Cleaves also does not clearly explain the turning point in Harrison's career--at age 62 after having left Congress years earlier and while working as a lowly common court clerk to pay off his debts, he somehow became a presidential candidate in the campaign to succeed Jackson. Cleaves attributes it to the widespread reprinting of a letter Harrison wrote defending his generalship during the War of 1812. But he overlooks the question of why it was so widely reprinted. Harrison must have had an organization to get the campaign going--I just can't see it as having been a "draft Harrison" campaign as he was so far from the political limelight. A fascinating question that Cleaves left untouched.

This book contains good material regarding relations with the Indians in the Northwest Territory. Of course, it narrates a lot of tragedy and injustice, but it also gives a dynamic and somewhat sympathetic portrayal of the Indians with whom Harrison dealt. Cleaves describes the different strategies the Indians adopted, ranging from unswerving alliance with the Britith to assimilation into white society. Harrison comes across as sympathetic to the Indians but unwilling to rock the boat to protect them from injustice. I was surprised by the Indians's varying strategies regarding land. Some happily sold, others were pressured into it, and yet others fought to the death. It's not a pretty story and something I'm not proud of as an American, but it's also not the simple story of the white man stealing the Indians' land.

Finally, Cleaves says that Harrison died not as a result of a sickness contracted during his inaugural address but as a result of walks in the cold and slush about three weeks later (something Chitwood confirms in his Tyler bio). This is the first time I have read this, but Cleaves has his point well documented. It would be interesting to read an analysis of the origin of this discrepancy.

Overall, this book is a good (and probably the only serious) bio of Harrison. You won't really understand his personality or what drove him, but you will gain a good view of his career. And the writing is fairly good as well.

Good introduction to the life of WH Harrison........1999-10-28

I enjoyed this book. The majority of the book focuses on WHH's experience as Govenor of Indiana Territory, and as a commander in the war of 1812. The book was written in the 1930's. As is typical of many biographies of its era, little attention is paid to Harrison's family or his personal life. Some may find that a refreshing change from the psychologically based biographies of today. Others may feel that an important facet is missing.

Presidencies of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler (American Presidency Series)

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An important contribution
A Review: The Presidencies of Wm. H. Harrison and John Tyler
A GREAT ANALYSIS!!
An exciting and scary period in history - well covered

Presidencies of William Henry Harrison and John Tyler (American Presidency Series)
Norma Lois Peterson
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0700604006

Book Description

Wearied by the hotly contested "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" campaign that unseated the Democratic incumbent, Martin Van Buren, Harrison succumbed to pneumonia after only one month in office, the first chief executive to die in the White House. His death precipitated a governmental crisis, which Vice President John Tyler promptly resolved--to the consternation of his Whig Party--by claiming the office and title of president, thus setting a precedent that only later was codified in the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the Constitution.

Instead of the pliable Harrison, the Whigs confronted in Tyler a tenacious defender of presidential prerogative and a formidable foe of their plan to establish congressional supremacy over the executive branch. Threatened with impeachment, repeatedly exhorted to resign, banished from the Whig Party, abandoned by his cabinet, and burned in effigy, Tyler stood firm and maintained the integrity of the presidential office.

Peterson argues that the Tyler administration deserves more credit than it has received for what was accomplished--and preserved--under difficult circumstances.

This book is part of the American Presidency Series.

Customer Reviews:

An important contribution.......2003-07-15

To my knowledge, this is the most recent bio on John Tyler, our tenth president. Tyler's presidential contributions are debated by scholars. This book highlights past scholarship and is quite detailed on the political events and people surrounding Tyler's presidency. It does an adequate job of setting the stage by explaining what was happening in American culturally and economically at the time of Tyler's term. John Tyler was a president without a party. He was despised and harangued throughout his term, and despite the trememdous pressures, he did some very important things. These acts and their later role on our nation, is well presented in Peterson's book. I still came away with mixed feelings about Tyler. I think this is because the views of him are so contradictory. Another book to compliment this one is Seager's and Tyler Too. Seager's book details Tyler, the man, and his married life to Julia Gardiner. Without reading both books it is tough to get a full picture. Highly recommended for a detailed and comprehensive look at Tyler's presidency. Well researched, many primary sources (letters) and a full bibliography in the back.

A Review: The Presidencies of Wm. H. Harrison and John Tyler.......2000-05-07

This book fairly and vividly relates the "accidential" presidency of John Tyler. The author conveys the unique difficulties faced by Tyler as he assumes the presidency from W. H. Harrison. In fact, Tyler was most courageous in standing firm against Henry Clay and his Whig cohorts, who tried extremely hard to bully Tyler into submission. Norma Peterson, the author, provides credit where it is due, be it with Tyler or his equally courageous Secretary of State, Daniel Webster. The story in total flows extremely well, and maintains the interest of the reader throughout. The author's stance overall is pro-Tyler, and she bases this on clear reasoning and factual analysis. In total I agree with her position, that Tyler has received far less credit for his accomplishments and strength of presidential character than most historians have given him.

A GREAT ANALYSIS!!.......1999-09-30

THIS BOOK IS TYPICAL OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PRESS PRESIDENTIAL SERIES. GREAT INSITE OF THE GROWING UNITED STATES DURING OUR POLITCAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE UGLY SIDE OF PERSONAL POLITICS. INTRIGUE REACHED A FEVERED PITCH WITH LESSOR KNOWN INDIVIDUALS ELECTED AS PRESIDENT WHILE THE ICONS, CLAY, BENTON, WEBSTER AND CALHOUN HELD OUR COUNTRY IN THE SENATE.

An exciting and scary period in history - well covered.......1999-04-16

This book reads more like a novel than the Polk book in this series (which I found to be very informative). This book is well documented. There is a sense that the author is generally sympathetic to and sometimes apologetic for Tyler and Webster - However I am not informed enough to know if this is a bias or a valid conclusion on the part of the author. With Tyler becoming the first VP to 'inherit' the presidency after the death of Harrison, our country was still navigating in the dark waters of our constitution and a world of threats (Mexico and England). Major players such as Clay, Webster, and Calhoon dominate the scene. Tyler's presidency would make a fine fiction drama. Misplaced trust, overwhelming ambition, and the drumbeat of sectionalism. I very much enjoyed this book.

William Henry Harrison, 1773-1841; John Tyler, 1790-1862: Chronology, Documents, Bibliographical AIDS (Oceana presidential chronology series)

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William Henry Harrison, 1773-1841; John Tyler, 1790-1862: Chronology, Documents, Bibliographical AIDS (Oceana presidential chronology series)
David A., M.D. Durfee
Manufacturer: Oceana Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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William Henry Harrison And Other Poems
David R. Slavitt
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Explorations of William H. Ashley and Jedediah Smith, 1822-1829

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Two giants of the fur trade

The Explorations of William H. Ashley and Jedediah Smith, 1822-1829
Harrison Clifford Dale
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0803265913

Book Description

William H. Ashley's expedition up the Missouri River in 1822 met with misfortunes that forced far-reaching changes in the fur-trading operations of the West. His claim to fame as an entrepreneur and explorer is clear in The Explorations of William H. Ashley and Jedediah Smith. Just as vivid is the story of the Bible-quoting Jedediah Smith, a member of Ashley's original expedition, who branched off into little-known regions, becoming the first American to reach California by an overland route.

In his introduction, James P. Ronda supplies the historical context for their explorations. A professor of history at the University of Tulsa, he is the author of Lewis and Clark among the Indians (1984) and Astoria and Empire (1990).

Customer Reviews:

Two giants of the fur trade.......2006-02-09

This is a major source book of major materials relating to William Ashley and Jedediah Smith and their explorations in the West in the 1820s. Contained are Ashley's narrative of his 1824-25 expedition to the Green River via the South Platte (the first to take the south branch) and his return on the Big Horn River to the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers; Smith's short narrative of his exploring journey to California (1826-28) (his full journal of his trip remained lost to history until 1967 when it came to light; it's also published by Bison Books and should be read in conjunction with this book; see my review of that book for a fuller account of this journey); and two fragmentary journals kept by Harrison G. Rogers, who was with Smith as company clerk, and subsequently killed along with 13 others when the party was attacked by Umpqua Indians in southwestern Oregon (only Smith and three others escaped the massacre).

In addition to this original material, editor Harrison Dale supplies full biographical accounts of both Ashley and Smith, and a thorough review of the fur trade in the west up to 1822. His notes are detailed and complete, among the best to be found in any western book, and he gives a comprehensive annotated bibliography as well. The index is also first-rate and easy to consult for research purposes. This is one of the half-dozen must-read/have books dealing with the early trans-Missouri fur-trade period. Superb history.

William Henry Harrison: Young Tippecanoe (Young Patriots Series, Vol. 2) (Young Patriots series)

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William Henry Harrison: Young Tippecanoe (Young Patriots Series, Vol. 2) (Young Patriots series)
Howard S. Peckham
Manufacturer: Patria Press, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1882859030

Book Description

Originally published in 1951, this biography of the childhood years of America’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison, details the boyhood adventures and character of young Tippecanoe prior to his assumption of the highest office. The story opens with young Harrison’s rousing rescue of sister Sally from drowning when he was just seven, followed soon after by an account of Harrison’s quick thinking as he saved his uncle from bleeding to death following an accident. The famous battle at Tippecanoe is also reviewed, as are many more events and actions that young history buffs will enjoy.

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Originally published in 1951, this biography of the childhood years of America's ninth president, William Henry Harrison, details the boyhood adventures and character of young Tippecanoe prior to his assumption of the highest office. The story opens with young Harrison's rousing rescue of sister Sally from drowning when he was just seven, followed soon after by an account of Harrison's quick thinking as he saved his uncle from bleeding to death following an accident. The famous battle at Tippecanoe is also reviewed, as are many more events and actions that young history buffs will enjoy.

Adventures in the wilderness; or, camp-life in the Adirondacks, William H. H. Murray.

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Adventures in the wilderness; or, camp-life in the Adirondacks, William H. H. Murray.
W. H. H. (William Henry Harrison Murray
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Library
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Binding: Hardcover

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William Henry Harrison: Our Ninth President (Our Presidents)

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William Henry Harrison: Our Ninth President (Our Presidents)
Ann Gaines
Manufacturer: Child's World
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Binding: Library Binding

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Book Description

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William Henry Harrison: Ninth President 1841 (Getting to Know the Us Presidents)

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William Henry Harrison: Ninth President 1841 (Getting to Know the Us Presidents)

Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Wonderful World of Checkers and Draughts

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The Wonderful World of Checkers and Draughts
Thomas Wiswell
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