Presidential Profiles: John Tyler (1841-1845)

John Tyler was born on March 29, 1790 in Charles City County, Virginia to an old family from Virginia's ruling class. After graduating from the College of William and Mary at 17, John Tyler studied law. By the age of 21, he had secured a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, starting a long career in politics. Basic information about president’s childhood/young adulthood.

John Tyler was the first Vice President to be elevated to the office of President by the death of his predecessor. On April 6, 1841, John Tyler took the oath of office. His salary was $25,000 a year. He would serve the majority of 1 term as president from 1841 to 1845. On March 3, 1845, John Tyler's tenure as president would end. On January 18, 1862, he died at 71 years of age in Richmond, Virginia.


John Tyler's Administration

First Lady:

Letitia Christian Tyler, married March 29, 1813 (died in 1841)
Julia Gardiner Tyler, married June 26, 1844

Vice President: None

Secretaries of State:

Daniel Webster (1841-43)
Abel P. Upshur (1843-44)
John C. Calhoun (1844-45)

Secretaries of the Treasury:

Thomas Ewing (1841)
Walter Forward (1841-43)
John C. Spencer (1843-44)
George M. Bibb (1844-45)

Secretaries of War:

John Bell (1841)
John C. Spencer (1841-43)
James M. Porter (1843-44)
William Wilkins (1844-45)

Attorneys General:

John J. Crittenden (1841)
Hugh S. Legare (1841-43)
John Nelson (1843-45)

Postmasters General:

Francis Granger (1841)
Charles A. Wickliffe (1841-45)

Secretaries of the Navy:

George E. Badger (1841)
Abel P. Upshur (1841-43)
David Henshaw (1843-44)
Thomas W. Gilmer (1844)
John Y. Mason (1844-45)

Inaugural Information

Since John Tyler was not elected, but became president after the death of William Henry Harrison, he did not have an inauguration. Rather, he had a swearing in ceremony.

Swearing-In of Vice President John Tyler after the death of President William H. Harrison, April 6, 1841

For more information on President Name, check out these resources...

John Tyler, White House

American President: John Tyler, Miller Center, University of Virginia

John Tyler, POTUS, Internet Public Library


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Presidential Profiles: William Henry Harrison (1841)

William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773 in Berkeley, Virginia. Born two years before the American Revolution, Harrison's family was among the richest and the most politically prominent in the colony. Harrison's father had served three terms as governor in Virginia.

To the disappointment of his father, Harrison chose a career in the military. He would go on to serve as governor of the Northwest Territory for twelve years. He would became a household name after the battle at Tippecanoe Creek in 1811. Riding on the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too," Harrison would beat his opponent Martin Van Buren by 174 electoral votes in the 1840 presidential election. On March 4, 1841, William Henry Harrison took the oath of office. He was the first President to arrive in Washington, D.C. by train. He also delivered the longest Inaugural address--8,445 words. On April 4, 1841, just a month after the Inauguration, his term would end with his death of pneumonia at 68 years of age in Washington, D.C. The pneumonia is believed to have been caused by his prolonged exposure to inclement weather at his Inauguration.


William Henry Harrison's Administration

First Lady: Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison, married November 25, 1795

Vice President: John Tyler (1841)

Secretary of State:

Daniel Webster (1841)

Secretary of the Treasury:

Thomas Ewing (1841)

Secretary of War:

John Bell (1841)

Attorney General:

John J. Crittenden (1841)

Postmaster General:

Francis Granger (1841)

Secretary of War:

George E. Badger (1841)

Inaugural Information

Fourteenth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1841

For more information on President William Henry Harrison, check out these resources...

William Henry Harrison, White House

American President: William Henry Harrison, Miller Center, University of Virginia

William Henry Harrison, POTUS, Internet Public Library

William Henry Harrison, The History Channel


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Presidential Profiles: Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

Martin Van Buren was born on December 5, 1782 in Kinderhook, New York. Martin Van Buren was the son of a tavern owner (and supporter of Thomas Jefferson) of Dutch descent. This would make Van Buren the first president not born a British subject--and the first that was not even of British descent.

A lawyer by trade, Martin Van Buren would prove to be an adept politician. His ascent to the Vice Presidency with Andrew Jackson's second presidential term would seal his fate as a future president. On March 4, 1837, Martin Van Buren took the oath of office in the Capitol. His annual salary was $25,000. He would serve 1 term as president from 1837 to 1841. On March 3, 1841, Martin Van Buren's tenure as president would end. On July 24, 1862, he died at 79 years of age in Kinderhook, New York.


Martin Van Buren's Administration

First Lady: widowed before taking office
Angelica Singleton Van Buren (daughter-in-law) filled the role as White House hostess

Vice President: Richard M. Johnson (1837-41)

Secretary of State:

John Forsyth (1837-41)

Secretary of the Treasury:

Levi Woodbury (1837-41)

Secretary of War:

Joel R. Poinsett (1837-41)

Attorneys General:

Benjamin F. Butler (1837-38)
Felix Grundy (1838-39)
Henry D. Gilpin (1840-41)

Postmasters General:

Amos Kendall (1837-40)
John M. Niles (1840-41)

Secretaries of the Navy:

Mahlon Dickerson (1837-38)
James K. Paulding (1838-41)

Inaugural Information

Thirteenth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1837

For more information on President Martin Van Buren, check out these resources...

Martin Van Buren, White House

American President: Martin Van Buren, Miller Center, University of Virginia

Martin Van Buren, POTUS, Internet Public Library

Biography: 8. Martin Van Buren, PBS


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Presidential Profiles: Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)

Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 in the Waxhaw area, on North Carolina-South Carolina border. Born to obscure parents and orphaned in youth, he was the first "self-made man" and the first westerner to reach the White House. He fought as a boy in the Revolutionary War, studied law, and in 1788 moved west to Nashville. In 1791, he began living with Rachel Donelson Robards, whose husband had abandoned her. They were formally married after her divorce in 1794. Charges of adultery arising from the episode dogged Jackson's later political career.

After serving as Tennessee prosecutor, judge, congressman, and senator, he won fame as a major general in the War of 1812 with smashing victories against the Creek Indians in 1814 and the British at New Orleans in January 1815. n a confused, four-candidate presidential race in 1824, Jackson led the popular and electoral vote but lost in the House of Representatives, through the influence of Speaker Henry Clay, to John Quincy Adams. Jackson challenged Adams again in 1828 and defeated him in a campaign which centered on Jackson's image as a man of the people battling aristocracy and corruption. This election would prove to be contentious. Andrew Jackson would blame his opponent, John Quincy Adams, for the death of his wife, holding the verbal attacks made by Adams and his political allies responsible for her passing. On March 4, 1829, Andrew Jackson took the oath of office, the first president to take the oath on the east front portico of the U.S. Capitol. Annual salary was $25,000. He would serve 2 terms as president from 1829 to 1837. On March 4, 1837, Andrew Jackson's tenure as president would end. On March 4, 1837, he died at 78 years of age at the Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee.


Andrew Jackson's Administration

First Lady: none - widowed before taking office

Vice Presidents:

John C. Calhoun (1829-1832)
Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)

Secretaries of State:

Martin Van Buren (1829-31)
Edward Livingston (1831-33)
Louis McLane (1833-34)
John Forsyth (1834-37)

Secretaries of the Treasury:

Samuel D. Ingham (1829-31)
Louis McLane (1831-33)
William J. Duane (1833)
Roger B. Taney (1833-34)
Levi Woodbury (1834-37)

Secretaries of War:

John H. Eaton (1829-31)
Lewis Cass (1831-36)

Attorneys General:

John M. Berrien (1829-31)
Roger B. Taney (1831-33)
Benjamin F. Butler (1833-37)

Postmasters General:

William T. Barry (1829-35)
Amos Kendall (1835-37)

Secretaries of the Navy:

John Branch (1829-31)
Levi Woodbury (1831-34)
Mahlon Dickerson (1834-37)

Inaugural Information

Eleventh Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1829

Twelfth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1833

For more information on President Andrew Jackson, check out these resources...

Andrew Jackson, White House

American President: Andrew Jackson, Miller Center, University of Virginia

Andrew Jackson, POTUS, Internet Public Library

Andrew Jackson: Good, Evil, and the Presidency, PBS

The Hermitage: Home of Andrew Jackson


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Presidential Profiles: John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)

John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. John Quincy Adams was the son of America's second president John Adams and his wife Abigail. He was essentially raised to become a leader.

Before becoming president, John Quincy Adams served as Secretary of State, becoming one of the most respected leaders to hold that position. Sadly, his presidency would not live up to this reputation. On March 4, 1825, John Quincy Adams took the oath of office in Washington, D.C. His annual salary was $25,000. He would serve 1 term as president from 1825 to 1829. On March 3, 1829, John Quincy Adams' tenure as president would end. On February 23, 1848, he died at 80 years of age in Washington, D.C.


John Quincy Adams' Administration

First Lady: Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, married July 26, 1797

Vice President: John C. Calhoun

Secretary of State:

Henry Clay (1825-1829)

Secretary of the Treasury:

Richard Rush (1825-1829)

Secretaries of War:

James Barbour (1825-1828)
Peter B. Porter (1828) Attorney General:

William Wirt (1825-1829)

Secretary of War:

James Barbour (1825-1828)
Peter B. Porter (1828)

Secretaries of the Navy:

Samuel L. Southard (1825-29)

Inaugural Information

Tenth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1825

For more information on President John Quincy Adams, check out these resources...

John Quincy Adams, White House

American President: John Quincy Adams, Miller Center, University of Virginia

John Quincy Adams, POTUS, Internet Public Library

John Quincy Adams, American Experience, PBS

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Presidential Profiles: James Monroe (1817–1825)

James Monroe was born on April 28, 1758 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Born to prosperous Virginia planters, he was orphaned in his teens, inheriting part of the family farm.

Before becoming president, James Monroe would have a long and distinguished public career as a soldier, diplomat, governor, senator, and cabinet official. On March 4, 1817, James Monroe took the oath of office in Washington, D.C. His annual salary was $25,000. He would serve 2 terms as president from 1817 to 1825. On March 3, 1825, James Monroe's tenure as president would end. On July 4, 1831, he died at 73 years of age in New York, New York.

John Monroe's Administration

First Lady: Elizabeth "Eliza" Monroe, married February 16, 1786

Vice President: Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)

Secretary of State:

John Quincy Adams (1817-25)

Secretary of the Treasury:

William H. Crawford (1817-25)

Secretary of War:

John C. Calhoun (1817-25)

Attorneys General:

Richard Rush (1817)
William Wirt (1817-25)

Secretaries of the Navy:

Benjamin W. Crowninshield (1817-18)
Smith Thompson (1819-23)
Samuel L. Southard (1823-25)

Inaugural Information

Eighth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1817

Ninth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1821

For more information on President James Monroe, check out these resources...

James Monroe, White House

American President: James Monroe, Miller Center, University of Virginia

James Monroe, POTUS, Internet Public Library

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Presidential Profiles: James Madison (1809-1817)

James Madison was born on March 16, 1751, in Port Conway, Virginia. James Madison grew up in Virginia in a prosperous family of planters. As a result, he received an excellent education and found himself drawn to the debates about independence.

A planter himself, James Madison would find himself becoming the youngest member of the Continental Congress. Though he spoke softly and was small in stature, he emerged a respected leader in Congress, developing a reputation as a hard worker and careful planner. On March 4, 1809, James Madison took the oath of office in Washington, D.C. This would be the first time that an Inaugural Ball was held. It took place at Long's Hotel, where tickets to the event cost $4 each. His annual salary was $25,000. He would serve two terms as president from 1809 to 1817. On March 3, 1817, James Madison's tenure as president would end. On June 28, 1836, he died at 85 years of age in Montpelier, Virginia.

James Madison's Administration

First Lady: Dolley Madison, married September 15, 1794

Vice President: George Clinton (1809-12); Elbridge Gerry (1813-14)

Secretaries of State:

Robert Smith (1809-11)
James Monroe (1811-17

Secretaries of the Treasury:

Albert Gallatin (1809-14)
George W. Campbell (1814)
Alexander J. Dallas (1814-16)
William H. Crawford (1816-17)

Secretaries of War:

William Eustis (1809-12)
John Armstrong (1813-14)
James Monroe (1814-15)
William H. Crawford (1815-16)

Attorneys General:

Caesar A. Rodney (1809-11)
William Pinkney (1812-14)
Richard Rush (1814-17)

Secretaries of the Navy:

Paul Hamilton (1809-12)
William Jones (1813-14)
Benjamin W. Crowninshield (1815-17)

Inaugural Information

Sixth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1809

Seventh Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1813

For more information on President James Madison, check out these resources...

James Madison, White House

American President: James Madison, Miller Center, University of Virginia

James Madisonn, POTUS, Internet Public Library

James Madison Papers (1723-1836), Library of Congress


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Presidential Profiles: Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 on Shadwell plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. The son of a planter and surveyor, Thomas Jefferson proved to be quite the scholar, excelling in languages and becoming one of the sharpest legal minds in the history of the U.S. He would become a planter and a lawyer--and eventually a great statesman.

Thomas Jefferson first ran for the presidency in 1792, receiving only four electoral votes. George Washington would win his second term as president with 132 electoral votes. Jefferson ran again in 1796, losing by only three electoral votes to John Adams. Third time would prove a charm when, in 1800, Jefferson would tie with Aaron Burr, each having 73 electoral votes. This led to the House of Representatives voting on the president, 10-4 in favor of Jefferson. It was settled: Jefferson would be president, and Aaron Burr would be vice president. On March 4, 1801, Thomas Jefferson took the oath of office; it would be the first inauguration to take place in Washington, D.C. Of course, this inauguration heralded a lot of firsts: the first time the Marine Band played at the inauguration and the first time that the inaugural speech was published in a newspaper the morning of the inauguration. President Jefferson would also break the precedent of riding in a carriage; instead, he would walk to and from his swearing-in ceremonty. His salary was $25,000 a year, and he would serve 2 terms as president from 1801 to 1809. On March 3, 1809, President Thomas Jefferson's tenure as president would end. On July 4, 1826, he died at 83 years of age at his home Monticello.

President Thomas Jefferson's Administration

First Lady: Martha Jefferson, married January 1, 1772

Vice President: Aaron Burr (1801-1805); George Clinton (1805-1809)

Secretary of State:

James Madison (1801-1809)

Attorneys General:

Levi Lincoln (1801-04)
John Breckinridge (1805-06)
Caesar A. Rodney (1807-09)

Secretary of War:

Henry Dearborn (1801-1809)

Secretaries of the Treasury:

Samuel Dexter (1801)
Albert Gallatin (1801-09)

Secretaries of the Navy

Benjamin Stoddert (1801)
Robert Smith (1801-09)

Inaugural Information

Fourth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1801

Fifth Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1805

For more information on President Thomas Jefferson, check out these resources...

Thomas Jefferson, White House

American President: Thomas Jefferson, Miller Center, University of Virginia

Thomas Jefferson, POTUS, Internet Public Library

Thomas Jefferson Papers (1606-1827), Library of Congress

Thomas Jefferson, PBS

Thomas Jefferson, Monticello


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Presidential Profiles: John Adams (1797-1801)

President was born on October 30, 1735 in North Precinct of Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. John Adams was the son of a deacon, who also earned a living as a farmer and shoemaker. John Adams had no interest in following in the footsteps of his father, instead choosing to teach in a Latin school and eventually to study law.

John Adams began his legal career in 1758. After several years of struggling, Adams was a highly successful lawyer by 1770. He was so successful that he was the lawyer chosen to defend the British soldiers who were charged in the Boston Massacre in March 1770. None of the accused soldiers went to jail. His success, along with his young, growing family, made him hesitant to play a prominent role in the popular movement against parliamentary policies. He also distrusted many of the radical leaders, like his own cousin Samual Adams. Eventually Britain's continued efforts to tax the colonies and strip them of autonomy persuaded John Adams that the radicals were correct.

During the American Revolution, he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, helping to negotiate a peace treaty. This, along with his service as Vice President, led him to win the presidential election against Thomas Jefferson by three electoral votes. On March 4, 1797, John Adams took the oath of office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first president to receive the oath of office from a Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The speech from that inauguration can be found here. His annual salary was $25,000 a year. He would serve one term as president from 1797 to 1801. On March 3, 1801, John Adams' tenure as president would end. On July 4, 1826, he died at 90 years of age in Braintree, Massachusettes.

John Adams' Administration

First Lady: Abigail Adams, married October 25, 1735

Vice President: Thomas Jefferson

Secretaries of State:

Timothy Pickering (1797–1800)
John Marshall (1800–1801)

Attorney General:

Charles Lee (1797–1801)

Secretaries of War:

James McHenry (1797–1800)
Samuel Dexter (1801)

Secretaries of the Treasury:

Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1797-1801)
Samuel Dexter (1801)

Secretary of the Navy:

Benjamin Stoddert (1798-1801)

Inaugural Information

Third Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1797

For more information on President John Adams, check out these resources...

John Adams, White House

American President: John Adams, Miller Center, University of Virginia

John Adams, POTUS, Internet Public Library

John and Abigail Adams, American Experience


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Presidential Profiles: George Washington (1789-1797)

On Thursday, April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States of America. In honor of that, we are starting a new series called Presidential Profiles, which will complement a new series by the same name on the Gov Info 4 Schools blog. That series, however, will be briefer and aimed at school children.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Pope's Creek, Virginia. At the age of 16, George Washington was a surveyor and helped survey the Shenandoah lands. He was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in 1754, fighting in the early skirmishes of what would become the French and Indian Wars. His work as a surveyor, along with his military experience, would help him in May 1775 when he was elected to one of his most important roles of all--Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. After taking command of an ill-trained and ill-equipped army on July 3, 1775, George Washington would spend the next six years fighting in the war until Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in 1781.

Though he had hoped to retire to Mount Vernon after the war, Washington quickly realized that the infant nation was not functioning well under the Articles of Confederation. He became the prime force that led to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. After ratifying the constitution, the Electoral College unanimously elected George Washington as the first President of the United States of America. On Thursday, April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York. To read his speech, click here.Though his annual salary was $25,000, Washington refused to accept it. He would serve two terms as president from 1789 to 1797. His second inauguration would take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 4, 1793. At this inauguration, George Washington delivered the shortest inaugural address at just 135 words. To his great disappointment, two party systems had already begun to develop by the end of his first term. On March 3, 1797, George Washington's tenure as president would end. Within two short years, on December 14, 1799, he died at 67 years of age in his home, Mount Vernon.

George Washington's Administration

First Lady: Martha Washington, married January 6, 1759

Vice President: John Adams

Secretaries of State:

Thomas Jefferson (1789–1793)
Edmund Randolph (1794–1795)
Timothy Pickering (1796–1797)

Attorneys General:

Edmund Randolph (1789–1794)
William Bradford (1794–1795)
Charles Lee (1795–1797)

Secretaries of War:

Henry Knox (1789–1794)
Timothy Pickering (1795–1796)
James McHenry (1796–1797)

Inaugural Information

First Inaugural Ceremonies, April 30, 1789

Second Inaugural Ceremonies, March 4, 1793

For more information on President George Washington, check out these resources...

George Washington, White House

American President: George Washington, Miller Center, University of Virginia

George Washington, POTUS, Internet Public Library

George Washington Papers (1741-1799), Library of Congress

Rediscovering George Washington, PBS

Meet George Washington, Mount Vernon


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