Death of William Henry Harrison

Date: April 4, 1841 • Location: Washington, United States

William Henry Harrison became the first U.S. president to die in office, sparking a brief constitutional crisis regarding questions of presidential succession that were unanswered by the U.S. Constitution.

William Henry Harrison was the ninth president of the United States, serving from March 1841 until his death in April that year. He was the shortest-serving president, at 31 days, and the first one to die in office. After his death, a succession crisis arose that concluded with John Tyler, his vice president, assuming the presidency.