Also, he was frustrated at being a member of the legislative minority and wished to devote his time to his family and law practice. Pierce decided to allow each of the party's factions some appointments, even those that had not supported the Compromise of 1850. To broaden his potential base of southern support as the convention approached, he wrote letters reiterating his support for the Compromise of 1850, including the controversial Fugitive Slave Act. Frances Yung - Wikipedia Much of his $72,000 estate (equal to $1,580,000 today) went to his brother Henry's family, and to Hawthorne's children and Pierce's landlady. [26], On November 19, 1834, Pierce married Jane Means Appleton (March 12, 1806 December 2, 1863), a daughter of Congregational minister Jesse Appleton and Elizabeth Means. Franklin Pierce's Young-Bey sets school mark at D-II Nationals He continued to wrangle with Senator Hale, who was anti-slavery and had opposed the war, stances that Pierce regarded as needless agitation. border, was a crucial part of Douglas's plans for western expansion. Franklin Pierce is inaugurated as the nation's fourteenth President. [80][81] Scott was harmed by the lack of enthusiasm of anti-slavery northern Whigs for him and the platform; New-York Tribune editor Horace Greeley summed up the attitude of many when he said of the Whig platform, "we defy it, execrate it, spit upon it". Democratic strength in New Hampshire was also bolstered by Jackson's landslide re-election that year. Buchanan was sent as minister to London to pressure the British government, which was slow to support a new treaty. His father, Benjamin Pierce, became quite successful. [68], The large Mexican Cession of land divided the United States politically, with many in the North insisting that slavery not be allowed there (and offering the Wilmot Proviso to ensure it), while others wanted slavery barred north of the Missouri Compromise line of 3630 N. Both proposals were anathema to many Southerners, and the controversy split the Democrats. [146][147] In the final days of the Pierce administration, Congress passed bills to increase the pay of army officers and to build new naval vessels, also expanding the number of seamen enlisted. In carrying out his principles of strict construction he was most in accord with Southerners, who generally had the letter of the law on their side. [152], Pierce never lost sight of politics during his travels, commenting regularly on the nation's growing sectional conflict. Biography of President Franklin Pierce for Kids - Ducksters Franklin Pierce: Life Before the Presidency | Miller Center Partisans found themselves unable to secure positions for their friends, which put the Democratic Party on edge and fueled bitterness between factions. As senator, he was able to help his old friend Nathaniel Hawthorne, who often struggled financially, procuring for him a sinecure as measurer of coal and salt at the Boston Customs House that allowed the author time to continue writing. [145], Pierce did not temper his rhetoric after losing the nomination. Wanting to die at home, he returned to his plantation in Alabama on April 17 and died the next day. [25], In late 1832, the Democratic Party convention nominated Pierce for one of New Hampshire's five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. His popularity declined sharply in the Northern states after he supported the KansasNebraska Act, which nullified the Missouri Compromise, while many Southern whites continued to support him. "Friendship, politics, and the literary imagination: The impact of Franklin Pierce on Hawthorne's work" (PhD dissertation, University of North Texas, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 1996. [12] During his final year at Bowdoin, he spent several months teaching at Hebron Academy in rural Hebron, Maine, where he earned his first salary and his students included future Congressman John J. It was tenaciously opposed by northerners such as Ohio Senator Salmon P. Chase and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner, who rallied public sentiment in the North against the bill. [158][159], Jane Pierce died of tuberculosis in Andover, Massachusetts in December 1863; she was buried at Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire. [149], After leaving the White House, the Pierces remained in Washington for more than two months, staying with former Secretary of State William L. He issued a circular recommending that U.S. diplomats wear "the simple dress of an American citizen" instead of the elaborate diplomatic uniforms worn in the courts of Europe, and that they only hire American citizens to work in consulates. [28][29][30], Jane Pierce disliked Hillsborough as well, and in 1838, the Pierces relocated to the state capital, Concord, New Hampshire. The Whigs chose General Zachary Taylor, a Louisianan, whose views on most political issues were unknown. Jane Pierce was shy, devoutly religious, and pro-temperance, encouraging Pierce to abstain from alcohol. It witnessed the collapse of the party system inherited from the Age of Jackson". He took up the life of an "old farmer", as he called himself, buying up property, drinking less, farming the land himself, and hosting visiting relatives. Pierce was always a nationalist attempting to find a middle ground to keep the Union together. He took the opportunity to defend his record on fiscal policy, and on achieving peaceful relations with other nations. [161] He spent most of his time in Concord and his cottage at Little Boar's Head on the coast, sometimes visiting Jane's relatives in Massachusetts. [148] Pierce and his cabinet left office on March 4, 1857, the only time in U.S. history that the original cabinet members all remained for a full four-year term. Parkland/Spanaway Library 13718 Pacific Ave S, Tacoma WA 98444 12:00-1:30pm. Nichols leaves the reader with ample evidence to believe that Franklin Pierce owed at least something of his steady rise through local offices to the reputation of his father, General Benjamin Pierce, a Revolutionary war hero and governor of New Hampshire in his own right. A favorable reciprocity treaty was ratified in August 1854, which Pierce saw as a first step towards the American annexation of Canada. [1] Their last surviving son was killed in a train accident while the family was traveling, shortly before Pierce's inauguration. 0 Reviews. Northerners had been suspicious of the Gadsden Purchase, moves towards Cuba annexation, and the influence of slaveholding Cabinet members such as Davis, and saw the Nebraska bill as part of a pattern of southern aggression. He then returned to command and led his brigade throughout the rest of the campaign, eventually taking part in the capture of Mexico City in mid-September, although his brigade was held in reserve for much of the battle. Douglas and Davis convinced him to support the bill regardless. Other possible standard-bearers included Douglas, Cass, William Marcy of New York, James Buchanan of Pennsylvania, Sam Houston of Texas, and Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. It also passed a tariff reduction bill he had long sought. [103] Another of Pierce's reforms was to expand the role of the U.S. attorney general in appointing federal judges and attorneys, which was an important step in the eventual development of the Justice Department. Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 - October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. During this time period (the early 1830s), Pierce's drunken escapades . A caretaker was hired; none of his family members were present in his final days. Franklin Pierce | The White House New Hampshire Historical Markers #65, #80, #125, and #216 commemorate Pierce and his family around New Hampshire.[168]. As a national political leader Pierce was an accident. Franklin Pierce - Wikipedia [108][109] Marcy received international praise for his 73-page letter defending Austrian refugee Martin Koszta, who had been captured abroad in mid-1853 by the Austrian government despite his intention to become a U.S. He responded, "For God's sake, General, this is the last great battle, and I must lead my brigade." Scroll to learn more about the Granite State native. [136][137], The midterm congressional elections of 1854 and 1855 were devastating to the Democrats (as well as to the Whig Party, which was on its last legs). Franklin Pierce Young (1854-1917) - Find a Grave Memorial [13][14], Pierce read law briefly with former New Hampshire Governor Levi Woodbury, a family friend in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. [114][113] The acquisition brought the contiguous United States to its present-day boundaries, excepting later minor adjustments. A northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity, he alienated anti-slavery groups by signing the KansasNebraska Act and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act. But Pierce never was a strong leader and, if ever the times called for such leadership, it was in the 1850's. The act's passage led to violent conflict over the expansion of slavery in the American West. Newspapers across the country carried lengthy front-page stories examining Pierce's colorful and controversial career. Pierce was the fifth of eight children born to Benjamin and his second wife Anna Kendrick; his first wife Elizabeth Andrews died in childbirth, leaving a daughter. It is both an inaccurate and unfair judgment. Franklin Pierce | Miller Center The film co-stars Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Richard Haydn, and . [35] "I consider slavery a social and political evil," Pierce said, "and most sincerely wish that it had no existence upon the face of the earth. This abolition movement must be crushed or there is an end to the Union. The Canadian treaty was ratified by Congress, the British parliament, and by the colonial legislatures in Canada. He never fully understood the nature or depth of Free Soil sentiment in the North. [71] The fiasco compromised the election for the Democrats, who lost several races; still, Pierce's party retained its control over the state, and was well positioned for the upcoming presidential election. He was known chiefly for being the congressman least able to hold his liquor. Franklin Pierce Aaron Young Year: So. [17] In Hillsborough, his law partner was Albert Baker, who had studied law under Pierce and was the brother of Mary Baker Eddy. Wiki User 2013-06-30 00:42:06 Study now See answer (1) Best Answer Copy He was given this nickname in honor of Andrew Jackson, who was. [6], Pierce's father ensured that his sons were educated, and placed Pierce in a school at Hillsborough Center in childhood and sent him to the town school in Hancock at age 12. Franklin Pierce's father once made him walk for miles in a thunderstorm. A politician of limited ability, Pierce was behind one of the most crucial pieces of legislation in American history. Davis also deployed the Army Corps of Engineers to supervise construction projects in the District of Columbia, including the expansion of the United States Capitol and building of the Washington Monument. [63] The battle was disastrous for Pierce: his horse was suddenly startled during a charge, knocking him groin-first against his saddle. The next 34 ballots passed with no winner even close, and still no votes for Pierce. Douglas, only 43 years of age, believed that he could be nominated in 1860 if he let the older Buchanan win this time, and received assurances from Buchanan's managers that this would be the case. To date, Franklin Pierce is the only president from the State of New Hampshire. His father fed him dinner and drove him part of the distance back to school before ordering him to walk the rest of the way in a thunderstorm. The Whigs split along sectional lines; the conflict destroyed them as a national party. Pierce was a Young America expansionist who signed the Gadsden Purchase of land from Mexico and led a failed attempt to acquire Cuba from Spain. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Franklin Pierce, Young Hickory of the Granite Hills ", Franklin Pierce statue was criticized even before its creation, New Hampshire Highway Historical Markers, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Essays on Franklin Pierce and his presidency, Exterior Statues and Memorials N.H. Division of Historical Resources, New Hampshire's at-large congressional district, United States Senator (Class 3) from New Hampshire, United States Senate Democratic Conference Secretary, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, National Democratic Redistricting Committee, United States senators from New Hampshire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franklin_Pierce&oldid=1161659961, 19th-century presidents of the United States, American military personnel of the MexicanAmerican War, Democratic Party presidents of the United States, Democratic Party (United States) presidential nominees, Democratic Party United States senators from New Hampshire, Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire, Speakers of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Democratic Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, United States Attorneys for the District of New Hampshire, Candidates in the 1852 United States presidential election, Candidates in the 1856 United States presidential election, American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0. A Detroit bookseller, J. [143] Geary was able to restore order in Kansas, though the electoral damage had already been doneRepublicans used "Bleeding Kansas" and "Bleeding Sumner" (the brutal caning of Charles Sumner by South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks in the Senate chamber) as election slogans. Due to illness he declined, but sent a letter appealing to the people of Alabama to remain in the Union, and give the North time to repeal laws against southern interests and to find common ground. Pierce's words hardened abolitionist sentiment against him. He was honest and tenacious of his views but, as he made up his mind with difficulty and often reversed himself before making a final decision, he gave a general impression of instability. Franklin Pierce | Encyclopedia.com Congress also included a protection clause for a private citizen, Albert G. Sloo, whose interests were threatened by the purchase. [66] For much of the Mexico City battle, he was in the sick tent, plagued with acute diarrhea. Some Democrats tried again to put Pierce's name up for consideration as the 1864 presidential election unfolded, but he kept his distance; Lincoln easily won a second term. Calhoun apologized after Pierce replied to him in a speech which stated that most signatories were women and children, who could not vote, which therefore cast doubt on the one-in-33 figure. [98] Pierce spent the first few weeks of his term sorting through hundreds of lower-level federal positions to be filled. He was a Young America expansionist who signed the Gadsden Purchase of land from Mexico and led a failed attempt to acquire Cuba from Spain. Delegates selected Alabama Senator William R. King, a Buchanan supporter, as Pierce's running mate, and adopted a platform that rejected further "agitation" over the slavery issue and supported the Compromise of 1850. [153], As the Democratic Convention of 1860 approached, some asked Pierce to run as a compromise candidate that could unite the fractured party, but Pierce refused. [31] They had three sons, all of whom died in childhood. [139][140][141] This loss marked the only time in U.S. history that an elected president who was an active candidate for reelection was not nominated by his political party for a second term. Pierce supported the outcome despite the irregularities. With 3.2million votes cast, Pierce won the popular vote with 50.9 to 44.1 percent. Although he did not author the Kansas-Nebraska Act, he did encourage its passage by Congress. At 27, he was a star of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. His hope to fight in the MexicanAmerican War was one reason he refused an offer to become Polk's Attorney General. Pierce supported a resolution by Calhoun against this proposal, which Pierce considered a dangerous stepping stone to nationwide emancipation. The alternative to attempting to steer a moderate course was the breakup of the Union, the Civil War and the deaths of more than six hundred thousand Americans. The administration's opponents in the North worked together to return opposition members to Congress, though only a few northern Whigs gained election. "[87] This proved to be true, as Scott won only Kentucky, Tennessee, Massachusetts and Vermont, finishing with 42 electoral votes to Pierce's 254. To the President's surprise, the British did not expel Buchanan in retaliation. This extended vacancy meant that for nearly the entirety of Pierce's presidency the Senate President pro tempore, initially David Atchison of Missouri, was next in line to the presidency. The British, according to Buchanan, were impressed by the message and were rethinking their policy. Pierce wanted to avoid war at all costs, and wrote to Van Buren, proposing an assembly of former U.S. presidents to resolve the issue, but this suggestion was not acted on. Despite his past support for Van Buren, Pierce supported Cass, turning down the quiet offer of second place on the Free Soil ticket, and was so effective that Taylor, who was elected president, was held in New Hampshire to his lowest percentage in any state. Maintained by: DOROTHY STRATTON. [102] The Interior Department was reformed by Secretary Robert McClelland, who systematized its operations, expanded the use of paper records, and pursued fraud. Pierce was outraged when South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun read the article on the Senate floor as "proof" that New Hampshire was a hotbed of abolitionism. The Appletons were prominent Whigs, in contrast with the Pierces' Democratic affiliation. Despite a reputation as an able politician and a likable man, during his presidency Pierce served only as a moderator among the increasingly bitter factions that were driving the nation towards civil war. Later that month, the pro-administration Detroit Tribune printed an item calling Pierce "a prowling traitor spy", and intimating that he was a member of the pro-Confederate Knights of the Golden Circle. [83][84][85] Pierce's opponents caricatured him as an anti-Catholic coward and alcoholic ("the hero of many a well-fought bottle"). He fully expected the Democrats to renominate him in the 1856 presidential election, but they abandoned him and his bid failed. [46] New Hampshire Democrats insisted that their state's U. S. senators be limited to one six-year term, so he had little likelihood of re-election. On the 49th ballot, Pierce received all but six of the votes, and thus gained the Democratic nomination for president. In Pierce's New Hampshire, hitherto loyal to the Democratic Party, the Know-Nothings elected the governor, all three representatives, dominated the legislature, and returned John P. Hale to the Senate. [41], Pierce voted the party line on most issues and was an able senator, but not an eminent one; he was overshadowed by the Great Triumvirate of Calhoun, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster, who dominated the Senate. Why was Franklin Pierce's nickname young hickory? [57] Pierce responded by re-assembling the state Democratic convention to revoke Hale's nomination for another term in Congress. The young Franklin Pierce enjoyed attention and involvement so much that he placed academics as a second priority, right behind social involvement. He insisted that northern abolitionists stand down to avoid a southern secession, writing that the bloodshed of a civil war would "not be along Mason and Dixon's line merely", but "within our own borders in our own streets". Franklin Pierce - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Wikinews [51] Pierce returned to Concord in early 1842, and his reputation as a lawyer continued to flourish. border, U.S. interests were also an issue in Central America, where the ClaytonBulwer Treaty of 1850 had failed to keep Great Britain from expanding its influence in the region. The outcome further strengthened the Democratic Party, and Pierce won his first legislative seat the following year, representing Hillsborough in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. On the second anniversary of Jane's death, Pierce was baptized into his wife's Episcopal faith at St. Paul's Church in Concord. [75][76], The convention assembled on June 1 in Baltimore, and the deadlock occurred as expected. [123] Under the Pierce administration, Commodore Matthew C. Perry visited Japan (a venture originally planned under Fillmore) in an effort to expand trade to the East. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" (a Northerner with Southern sympathies . Their son Benjamin wrote to his mother hoping that Franklin's candidacy would not be successful, as he knew she would not like to live in Washington. The president continued to recognize the pro-slavery legislature, which was dominated by Democrats, even after a Congressional investigative committee found its election to have been illegitimate. Still interested in politics, he expressed support for Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policy and supported the president's acquittal in his impeachment trial; he later expressed optimism for Johnson's successor, Ulysses S. History has accorded to the Pierce administration a share of the blame for policies that incited the slavery issue, hastened the collapse of the second party system, and brought on the Civil War. Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 - October 8, 1869) was the 14th President of the United States (1853-57). Growing Up Franklin was born in New Hampshire in a log cabin. Seeking warmer weather, he and Jane spent the next three years traveling, beginning with a stay in Madeira and followed by tours of Europe and the Bahamas. His military exploits elevated his popularity in New Hampshire, but his injuries and subsequent troubles in battle led to accusations of cowardice which would long shadow him. [52], Pierce remained involved in the state Democratic Party, which was split by several issues. Debate over slavery continued in Congress, and abolitionists proposed its end in the District of Columbia, where Congress had jurisdiction. [95] In the address he hailed an era of peace and prosperity at home and urged a vigorous assertion of U.S. interests in its foreign relations, including the "eminently important" acquisition of new territories. [49] A statue of Pierce by Augustus Lukeman, dedicated in 1914,[167] stands on the grounds of the New Hampshire State House. [181] The failure of Pierce, as president, to secure sectional conciliation helped bring an end to the dominance of the Democratic Party that had started with Jackson, and led to a period of over seventy years when the Republicans mostly controlled national politics. In the months between Lincoln's election, and his inauguration on March 4, 1861, Pierce looked on as several southern states began plans to secede. He served in the House of Representatives from 1833 until his election to the Senate, where he served from 1837 until his resignation in 1842. Publication date 1998 Topics Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869, Presidents -- United States -- Biography, Presidents, United States Publisher Newtown, CT : American Political Biography Press Collection inlibrary; printdisabled; internetarchivebooks December 30, 1853 Gadsden Purchase Pierce's candidacy for the Senate was championed by state Representative John P. Hale, a fellow Athenian at Bowdoin. [158][159] Pierce's comments were ill-received in much of the North, especially as his criticism of Lincoln's aims coincided with the twin Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The Americans won the battle and Pierce helped negotiate an armistice. As president, Pierce attempted to enforce neutral standards for civil service while also satisfying the Democratic Party's diverse elements with patronage, an effort that largely failed and turned many in his party against him. Marcy. Needing time to assemble his brigade, Pierce reached the already-seized port of Vera Cruz in late June, where he prepared a march of 2,500 men accompanying supplies for Scott. Why was Franklin Pierce's nickname young hickory? - Answers He was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in late 1827 and began to practice in Hillsborough. Organizing the territory was necessary for settlement as the land would not be surveyed nor put up for sale until a territorial government was authorized. Franklin Pierce Buchanan had solid political connections and had been safely overseas through most of Pierce's term, leaving him untainted by the Kansas debacle. The. Top Outdoor Performances 200m - 25.06 (4/20 at Eric Loeschner Memorial Invitational) Known for his gracious personality, eloquence, and excellent memory, Pierce attracted large audiences in court. [163], In his last will, which he signed January 22, 1868, Pierce left a large number of specific bequests such as paintings, swords, horses, and other items to friends, family, and neighbors. [99], Buchanan had urged Pierce to consult Vice President-elect King in selecting the Cabinet, but Pierce did not do soPierce and King had not communicated since they had been selected as candidates in June 1852. Franklin Pierce Young (1853 - 1946) - Genealogy - Geni.com Franklin Pierce: Young Hickory of the Granite Hills - amazon.com [72], As the 1852 presidential election approached, the Democrats were divided by the slavery issue, though most of the "Barnburners" who had left the party with Van Buren to form the Free Soil Party had returned. [15] He then spent a semester at Northampton Law School in Northampton, Massachusetts, followed by a period of study in 1826 and 1827 under Judge Edmund Parker in Amherst, New Hampshire. [65], As the Battle of Churubusco approached, Scott ordered Pierce to the rear to convalesce. [23][24] Pierce served as a Norwich University trustee from 1841 to 1859, and received the honorary degree of LL.D. Organizing the largely unsettled Nebraska Territory, which stretched from Missouri to the Rocky Mountains, and from Texas north to what is now the CanadaU.S. In that capacity, he urged the modernization and expansion of the Army, with a focus on militias and mobility rather than on coastal fortifications, which he considered outdated. [150] The rise of the Republican Party forced the Democrats to defend Pierce; during his debates with Republican Senate candidate Abraham Lincoln in 1858, Douglas called the former president "a man of integrity and honor". [91] She avoided social functions for much of her first two years as First Lady, making her public debut in that role to great sympathy at the annual public reception held at the White House on New Year's Day, 1855. [48], Despite his resignation from the Senate, Pierce had no intention of leaving public life. Anti-immigrant fervor brought the Know-Nothings their highest numbers to that point, and some northerners were elected under the auspices of the new Republican Party. In December 1841 Pierce decided to resign from Congress, something he had been planning for some time. Jackson's second term was under way, and the House of Representatives had a strong Democratic majority, whose primary focus was to prevent the Second Bank of the United States from being rechartered. They both suffered severe depression afterward, which likely affected Pierce's performance as president.

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