William Henry Harrison was the 9th President of the United States. He also served as the 1st Governor of the Indiana Territory and a Senator from the state of Ohio. Before his life in politics, he served for the United States Army.

After the death of His father, Benjamin Harrison who signed the Declaration of Independence, an 18 year old William was asked to join the United States Army by Virginia Governor Henry Lee who was a close friend to his father. He would be placed in the 11th US Regiment Infantry and sent to the Northwest Territory where he would be engaged in the Northwest Indian War. The year was 1791, but it was in 1792 that his whole life would change when Revolutionary War General Mad Anthony Wayne would be placed in charge of the whole Western Army. Wayne would promote Harrison to lieutenant and later as an aid-de-camp to himself. There Wayne would teach Harrison how to control an army and how to lay out a good effective battle plan. Is was under Wayne that Harrison became the great general that he would become later in life.

Harrison would resign from the Army in 1797 to pursue a life in Politics. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson would place Harrison as the 1st Governor of the Indiana Territory. There, he was given the power to negotiate with Indians in the area. He would negotiate 13 different treaties with the Native Americans. He would buy a total of 60 million acres of land for a cheap price while Governor. With all the expansion going on, an Indian uprising was being started by Chief Indian Tecumseh in the Indiana Teritory to stop this taking of their land.

In 1811, while still Governor of the Indiana Territory, Harrison found himself back in the midst of a war. Secretary of War William Eustis would put Harrison in charge of a military unit of 1000 men and were sent to the northern part of the territory to show force and convince Tecumseh and the Shawnee tribe that there should be peace here. While camped at the corner of the Wabash and Tippecanoe River, Harrison's army was surprised by the Shawnee tribe and a battle would emerge which would be named the Battle of Tippecanoe. Under Harrison's leadership, his men would defeat the Shawnee tribe and Tecumseh would retreat. This would cause people to see Harrison as a local hero and there is where he earned the name Old Tippecanoe. After this battle, the British would join sides with the Indian nation and the War of 1812 would break out.

As commander of the Indiana army, Harrison hope to lead a charge against the British but after the British took Detroit, General James Winchester was put in charge of the Northwest Army and offered Harrison a Brigadier General post but Harrison refused because he wanted control over the whole army. President Madison would give that command to Harrison over Winchester which would be a good decision. Harrison would lead the army in decisive victories in Indiana and Ohio and were able to retake Detroit. He would also lead the army into Canada where the would have a deceive victory at the Battle of Thames where Chief Indian Tecumsah would be killed. After this victory, Secretary of War John Armstrong would split up the army giving most control to a general under Harrison and giving Harrison a smaller role. Harrison did not take this lightly considering his accomplishments, so he would resign from the Army and move to Ohio.

There, Harrison would enter politics winning the role as a US Senator from Ohio in 1819 and again in 1824. He would lose the race for Ohio Governor in 1820. He was not happy with a role as Senator or Governor, he wanted a higher position, President of the United States.

In 1836, the Whig Party would put Harrison on the ticket where he would run against heavily favorite, Democrat Martin Van Buren. Harrison fell a few votes from tying Buren and sending the main vote to the House of Representative which was mostly ran by Whigs, and would of put Harrison in Office. Harrison would not be outdone though, he would run again in 1840. In 1840, Harrison would run again against Van Buren but would run his campaign differently then in 1836. He would use his military career and the Panic of 1837 to show himself as heroic and blame the decline of the economy on President Van Buren. He would choose his running mate as John Tyler from Virginia and would use the catchy slang, Tippecanoe and Tyler too. Also being from Virgina, Harrison was perceived by the people as this frontiersman who was a great military leader, most like favorite, 7th President Andrew Jackson. This would be enough to elect Harrison as the 9th President of the United States.

On March 4, 1841, Harrison took the oath of office but wanted to show people he was still the rugged military leader from 30 years ago. It was a rainy and cold day and Harrison gave a 2 hour speech with no coat or hat on. He would then ride in the parade to the White House where he would catch a cold. 3 weeks later, this cold would turn to pneumonia. Harrison would die 31 days after taking his oath of office. He is the shortest serving President in history. His memory would not be forgotten. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, would become the 23rd President making them the 2nd set of Presidents to be elected from the same family.

This monument of William Henry Harrison is located on the Sailors and Soldiers Monument at the Circle Center in Indianapolis, In.

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John Wall is an All Star guard for the Washington Wizards in the NBA.

This is John Wall signing autographs at the team hotel in Indianapolis, In on Nov. 8, 2014. The Wizards were in town to play the Indiana Pacers. Wall would lead the Wizards with 18 points, 4 assist, and 4 steals to lead the Wizards over the Pacers 97-90.

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