Benjamin Harrison is one of those post-Civil War presidents with a beard.

A Little More About Ben

For the knowledgeable, Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) is generally remembered as the grandson of another President – General William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), who is mostly famous for dying a month after taking his Oath of Office. 

And for the lovers of esoteric, Republican Benjamin Harrison is known as the 23rd POTUS sandwich between the non-consecutive terms of Democrat Grover Cleveland, (22 and 24) who forever confuses the numeric order of Presidencies. 

And yes, he did have a beard.

Past that, poor Ben seems to fade into the woodwork. After all, during the last third of the 19th century (or thereabouts), very little “sexy” historical issues and concepts occurred. The country was at peace, and after the Civil War, that was exactly what was wanted. Racism, temperance, women’s rights, labor unions and similar social issues was were backburnered to the lunatic fringe. And nobody really cared, unless you were personally affected. 

It was The Gilded Age, a time that business-as-usual was booming, great fortunes were being made, and, as the old saying goes, “nothing succeeds like success” and all seemed well. The streets were said to have been paved with gold, according to the millions of immigrants who began pouring in, and who were willing to dig for the gold. 

Why Ben?

Between the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) and Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09), with the exception of Abraham Lincoln (1861-65), most of the presidents were capable men of good character and background – but colorless and compliant. (Ulysses S. Grant, of course, is somewhat of an exception, but he is known mostly for being GENERAL Grant.) 

Congress, and the Senate in particular, had always considered itself to be the dominant branch of government. After all, they represented “the people” in its broadest form. Candidates for the presidency considered it an honor and privilege, rather than an ambition, per se. Expected to be dignified and “presidential,” candidates held back, and let their supporters promote their cause, and their party’s agenda. 

Benjamin Harrison was just such a candidate. A bland fellow. In fact some considered him a cold fish whose wimpy handshake was not encouraging. He was a struggling lawyer in Indianapolis before the Civil War, and even served as Court Clerk to augment his meager practice. But when he hung a flag out of his office window with an “enlist here” sign, he quickly raised a regiment, and was appointed its commanding officer by the Indiana Governor. He served ably and competently, and befitting the Harrison name. Grandpa WHH had been a General of minor distinction in the War of 1812. Ben became a Brigadier General of minor distinction.

But when the war ended, being a lawyer, a Republican, and a Union General were solid credentials for public office, not to mention his illustrious family name. Ben’s law practice improved. The Indiana legislature saw fit to send him to the Senate. And when a Republican candidate was needed to challenge the incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland, Ben seemed handy enough. They waved the bloody shirt, and he squeaked by. 

He is usually rated as pretty fair, as far as Presidents go. 

The Exceptional Note to his Resume

During his four year, single term as President, six states were added to the Union. 

Discounting the original 13, back in 1789-91, no other President has the distinction of formally creating six new states.

As a sidebar, there hadn’t been a new state added for more than a decade. The balance of party-power in Congress after 1870 was fairly even, and votes were incredibly close. And, (what a surprise) it was politics as usual. The Democrats consistently voted against admitting new states, since the applicants were all from the north and northwest, and likely to tilt Republican. Whatever tight edge the Democrats might/might not hold would be swamped by a much larger majority. But now, with a slim Republican majority in Congress another Republican president safely (but barely) ensconced in the White House, the timing was right for six new states, all expected to send Republican legislators to Washington. Before another mid-term election could take place, their applications for statehood was rushed through.

Those states were: North and South Dakota… The territory of “The Dakotas” was so large, that it made sense to create two states (#39 and 40). They were followed by Washington and Montana (#41 and 42). All became legally a part of the United States in November, 1889. The following July, Idaho and Wyoming (#43 and 44) were admitted as well.

And, as expected, every one of them sent two Republican Senators to the Capital. The Republican majority in the Senate now increased by twelve!

All on President Benjamin Harrison’s watch! It is a record, very unlikely to be equaled.

Epilogue on New States

Six more years passed before another state was admitted: Utah (#45), in 1896, during Grover Cleveland’s second (non-consecutive) term.

Another decade passed before the 46th state (Oklahoma) was admitted in 1907. Theodore Roosevelt’s Administration.

New Mexico and Arizona joined the USA in 1912. They were #47 and 48. William Howard Taft’s administration.

And thus it remained for a half century. Alaska (#49) and Hawaii (#50) did not become part of the United States until 1959, under the Eisenhower administration.

Sources:

Boller, Paul F., Jr. – Presidential Anecdotes, Oxford University Press, 1981

Stoddard, Henry L – As I Knew Them: Presidents and Politics from Grant to Coolidge – Harper & Brothers, 1927

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/benjamin-harrison/

https://millercenter.org/president/bharrison/campaigns-and-elections

https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-northern-west-territories

https://millercenter.org/president/bharrison/the-american-franchise