William Henry Harrison, the 9th President, was born on February 9, 1773, in Virginia. His presidency is the shortest in U.S. history; he died just 31 days after taking office on April 4, 1841, from pneumonia, likely contracted during his lengthy inaugural address in cold weather. Known for his military service, particularly at the Battle of Tippecanoe, Harrison’s brief presidency left little legislative mark but set a precedent for presidential succession when John Tyler assumed the office.
