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The Presidents
Martin Van Buren

The Eighth President • 1837-1841

Martin Van Buren

“The Red Fox”


Biographical Facts

Birth: Kinderhook, New York, December 5, 1782

Ancestry: Dutch

Father: Abraham Van Buren
Birth: Albany, New York, February 17, 1737
Death: Kinderhook, New York, April 8, 1817
Occupations: Farmer; tavern keeper

Mother: Maria Goes Hoes Van Alen Van Buren
Birth: Claverack, New York, January 16, 1747
Death: Kinderhook, New York, February 16, 1817

Brothers: Lawrence Van Buren (1786-1868); Abraham Van Buren (1788-1836)

Sisters: Derike Van Buren (1777-1865); Hannah Van Buren (1780-unknown)

Half Brothers: James Isaac Van Alen (1776-1870); unknown; unknown

Marriage: Kinderhook, New York, February 21, 1807
Wife: Hannah Hoes Van Buren
Birth: Kinderhook, New York, March 8, 1783
Death: Albany, New York, February 5, 1819
Children: Abraham Van Buren (1807-1873); John Van Buren (1810-1866); Martin Van Buren (1812-1855); Smith Thompson Van Buren (1817-1876)

Religious Affiliation: Dutch Reformed

Education: Local schools; studied law

Occupation Before Presidency: Lawyer

Prepresidential Offices: Surrogate of Colombia County, New York ; New York State Senator; Attorney general of New York; Delegate to Third New York State Constitutional Convention; United States Senator; Governor of New York; Secretary of state; United States Vice President

Inauguration Age: 54

Occupation After Presidency: Politician

Death: Kinderhook, New York, July 24, 1862

Place of Burial: Kinderhook Cemetery, Kinderhook, New York



 
First Administration

Inauguration: March 4, 1837; the Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Vice President: Richard M. Johnson

Secretary of State: John Forsyth

Secretary of the Treasury: Levi Woodbury

Secretary of War: Joel R. Poinsett

Attorney General: Benjamin F. Butler; Felix Grundy (from September 1, 1838 ); Henry D. Gilpin (from January 11, 1840)

Postmaster General: John M. Niles

Secretary of the Navy: Mahlon Dickerson; James K. Paulding (from July 1, 1838)

Supreme Court Appointments: John Catron (1837); John McKinley (1837); Peter V. Daniel (1841)

Congress #25 (September 4, 1837-March 3, 1839):
Senate: 35 Democrats; 17 Whigs
House: 108 Democrats; 107 Whigs; 24 Others

Congress #26 (December 2, 1839-March 3, 1841):
Senate: 30 Democrats; 22 Whigs
House: 124 Democrats; 118 Whigs


Election of 1836
CandidatesElectoral Vote Popular Vote
Martin Van Buren
(Democratic)
170 764,176
William H. Harrison
(Whig)
73 550,816
Hugh L. White
(Whig)
26 146,107
Daniel Webster
(Whig)
14 41,201
Willie P. Mangum
(Anti-Jacksonian)
11 1,234



 
 

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