William Henry Harrison--the Shortest Serving President?

[W. Gray]

Wikipedia says that William Harrison, who spent only around 30 days as president, was the shortest serving president.

However, they are forgetting about the fella who served even a shorter time as President. That is the fellow who has a presidential library in Atchison, Kansas, the second in the state.

That presidential library is billed as the smallest presidential library.

Atchison, Kansas, took its name from this President, who happened to be the first man from Missouri to serve as president, making Harry S. Truman, the second.


Following is a cut and paste from my August 19, 2007, post on this forum. The reference to Kermit is to a former prolific poster to the forum. I have also added a photo at the bottom.



Most folks probably would not recognize the name David Rice Atchison.

One of his claims to fame was that the town of Atchison, Kansas, was named after him. There is also an Atchison County in both Missouri and Kansas named after him.

He has a bigger claim to fame, however.

He was President of the United States.

Kermit might like to know he was born in Frogtown, Kentucky, (that town now has another name) but immigrated to Missouri. He is not a Kansan.

A statue in front of the Clinton County courthouse in Plattsburg, Missouri, honors his accomplishment.

During the 1950s, the Hallmark Hall of Fame had a program showing his rise to power. The telecast was appropriately titled "President for a Day." I watched the program but the only thing I remember is the title.

Citizens elected Zachary Taylor to replace James K Polk in 1848 and the 1849 inauguration called for a Sunday noon swearing in. However, Taylor was religious and refused to swear on the Sabbath. Atchison as the President Pro Tempore of the Senate was appointed as President until Monday when Taylor could be sworn in.

Atchison was awakened at 3:00 am on Sunday morning and advised he was President of the United States until noon of the following Monday. Atchison always said he slept in on that Sunday because of lengthy Senate business.

A museum claiming to be the smallest presidential library in the U.S. is at the Atchison County Historical Museum in Atchison, Kansas. His grave marker in a Plattsburg, Missouri, cemetery reads "President of the United States for One Day."


David Rice Atchison statute in Plattsburg, Missouri:

[frawin]

Waldo, see why I posted my Post about you being the Forum Historian. It has been almost 60 years since I studied American History. All of my reading these days is About Antique Cars, Guns, the Various Ammos, Calibers, And Loads.

[Diane Amberg]

I used to know that from long ago, but had completely forgotten it.Thank you.
I miss Kermit. I got to meet him in Lawrence.  He was / is a very nice and extremely intelligent man. I'm sorry he felt he had to leave the forum. I think he had moved to PA. at one point, but I lost track of him. Rudy may know where he is. He had some health issues that I hope haven't gotten him down.