Video: 'William Henry Harrison's Farewell Address (Full Audiobook)'

(Thursday, March 4, 1841, approximately noon local time) — Former U.S. Senator William Henry Harrison of Ohio was inaugurated today as the ninth president of the United States at the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with Chief Justice Roger B. Taney administering the oath of office.

Former U.S. Senator John Tyler, 50, of Virginia was inaugurated as the tenth vice president of the United States.

At 68 years, 23 days of age time of his inauguration, Harrison was the oldest president-elect to take office until Ronald Reagan in 1981. Harrison also delivered the longest inaugural address to date, running 8,445 words.

The day of the inauguration was overcast with cold wind and a noon temperature estimated to be 48 °F (9 °C), but the president-elect chose to not wear an overcoat, hat, or gloves for the ceremony.

On March 26, 1841, Harrison developed a cold. According to the prevailing medical misconception of that time, it was believed that his illness was directly caused by the bad weather at his inauguration; however, Harrison’s illness did not arise until more than three weeks after the event.

Despite doctors’ attempts at treating him, Harrison died on April 4, 1841, from pneumonia that developed from the cold. The first President to die in office, his presidency was, and remains the shortest in American history.

The outgoing Democratic president Martin Van Buren did not attend Harrison’s inauguration, making him the third president up to that time to do so (John Adams and John Quincy Adams being the others).

Harrison and Tyler, both members of the Whig Party (the first president and vice president from that political party to serve in these high offices), had defeated Van Buren and incumbent Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson, a Democrat, in the 1840 presidential election.