US Presidents Who Died In Office And What Happened After

When He Died: April 4, 1841

How He Died: William Henry Harrison was both the first US president to die in office and the president with the shortest term of office. His death came one month after his inauguration and just over a week after he began feeling ill.

Harrison had given a 2-hour long inaugural address on March 4 without a coat or hat, something observers would later opine influenced his demise. Later that month, however, he was caught in a cold rain storm and it was after that event that Harrison took ill.

The debate about Harrison's fatal ailment continues today, but doctors treated Harrison for “pneumonia of the lower lobe of the right lung, complicated by congestion of the liver.” He was given repeated enemas and given medication such as opium, but continued to get sicker. He passed away in the early morning hours of April 4.

What Happened After: After Harrison's death, there was a 30-day period of mourning during which public observances and a private funeral were held. Harrison's body was transported to Ohio where he was buried.

There was no precedent for presidential succession in 1841 and Harrison's death highlighted the vagaries of the US Constitution on the matter. Harrison's vice president, John Tyler, could either assume presidential duties until a new election could be held or become president for the remainder of Harrison's term. 

When Tyler issued an inaugural address on April 9th, took the oath of office on June 6th, and subsequently moved into the White House, sealing the process for presidential succession in history. He held the office until 1845.

When He Died: July 9, 1850

How He Died: Zachary Taylor took the presidential oath of office in March 1849 and died 16 months later. As the 12th President of the United States, Taylor was anti-slavery and, as a result, embroiled in a contentious relationship with Congress over slavery legislation when he became ill on July 4, 1850. 

Amid excessive heat in Washington, DC, Taylor attended an Independence Day celebration where he ate a bowl of cherries in iced milk. Then he drank a bunch of water. The stomach illness that set in soon after was likely caused by cholera, a water-borne disease that ran rampant through the city. After five days of diarrhea, digestive upset, and ultimately dehydration, Taylor passed away on the morning of July 9th.

What Happened After: Conspiracy theories about how Taylor died developed quickly while arrangements were made for his funeral on July 23, 1850. 

Taylor's vice president, Millard Filmore, was sworn in on July 10th and, as the new US president, reached a compromise with Congress about the status of slavery in US territories and newly admitted states. He also established the borders of Texas, signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, and approved numerous treaties with Indigenous Americans as the country expanded westward. 

When He Died: April 15, 1865

How He Died: On a night at the theater with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth. Booth entered LIncoln's balcony at Ford's Theater on the night of April 14 and fired one shot into the back of Lincoln's head.

Lincoln was taken across the street to a boarding house where he languished until just after 7 am on the morning of the 15th. 

What Happened After: When Lincoln died, he became the first US president to be assassinated while in office. Even as he lay dying, his Secretary of War Edwin Stanton initiated an investigation into what happened. His vice president, Andrew Johnson, was sworn into office within four hours of Lincoln's death.

The nation was shocked by Lincoln's death. The loss of the President as the US Civil War had finally come to an end was devastating. Lincoln's body was prepared and taken to the Capitol to lay in state before being placed on a train to transport him to Springfield, Illinois. As the train progressed across the country, mourners came out in droves to catch a glimpse.

The pursuit of Lincoln's assassins was also underway. Hundreds of people were questioned and, ultimately, nine individuals were tried and sentenced to death or imprisonment in 1865 and 1867. Booth and another man, David Herold, were tracked to a barn in Virginia where Booth was killed. Herold surrendered and was among the individuals who stood trial for the killing. 

As Lincoln's successor, Johnson undertook Reconstruction in the former Confederate States. A native Southerner, Johnson pardoned many former rebels and worked against securing rights for newly freed enslaved individuals. 

When Congress entered its session in December 1865, Radical Republicans - who wanted to fully implement civil rights in the South - found no cooperation with Johnson. His defiance of the Radical Republicans paved the way for his impeachment in 1868.

When He Died: September 19, 1881

How He Died: James A. Garfield was President of the United States for less than a year. Sworn in on March 4, 1881, he died later that same year.

Garfield was the second president to be assassinated, although his death was fairly drawn out. While making his way to join his family in New Jersey in July, Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau. 

Guiteau fired two bullets into Garfield's back. The President was taken to the White House where he endured the pain from his wounds and the summer heat alike. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell tried to find the bullets using a device he designed specifically to do so, but was unsuccessful. Previously, doctors probed Garfield's torso to find them. Their efforts likely contributed to the infection that killed him. 

Garfield was taken to the New Jersey seashore in early September and passed away on September 19th. 

What Happened After: Garfield's vice president, Chester A. Arthur, served out the remainder of his predecessor's term. 

Before Garfield died, Arthur had actively worked against the President's efforts to combat the spoils system. When Arthur became the Commander in Chief, however, he continued Garfield's cause of civil service reform. 

For his part, Guiteau was immediately apprehended. He was bitter about not receiving a diplomatic post - something he believed he'd earned via the spoils system. Guiteau was mentally ill but was tried and convicted of murder. He was hanged on June 30, 1882. 

When He Died: September 14, 1901

How He Died: William McKinley was about seven months into his second presidential term when he was shot at a speaking engagement in Buffalo, New York. Anarchist Leon Czolgosz listened as President McKinley addressed a crowd of thousands on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition on September 6th. When McKinley met with members of the public, Czolgosz shot him twice in the abdomen as he went through the receiving line.

McKinley was pushed away to receive medical assistance while Czolgosz was beaten by the crowd. Doctors operated on McKinley and, while one of the bullets ricocheted and caused little damage, the other could not be found. After surgery, McKinley seemed to be recovering but gangrene and an infection set in. McKinley died in the early morning of September 14. 

What Happened After: McKinley had cried out for the crowd to spare Czolgosz, a plea that may have saved the assassin's life. Czolgosz was put on trial and convicted, however, and was executed on October 29, 1901.

McKinley's first vice president was Garret Hobart. Hobart died in 1889 and was replaced by Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt took the oath of office on the day McKinley died. 

Roosevelt, who would be the President of the United States until 1909, favored a more aggressive foreign policy than his predecessor. McKinley ultimately acquiesced to public opinion when it came to the annexation of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Roosevelt was much more inclined to take a bigger role in global affairs. His “Big Stick” ideology ultimately helped establish the United States as a world power.

Roosevelt also focused on domestic matters, namely conservation and combatting over-reaching business activities. 

When He Died: August 2, 1923

How He Died: Warren G. Harding took office in 1921 and was an advocate for less governmental interference with business. At the time of his death, Warren G. Harding was on a tour of the West Coast and the country was in an economic depression.

While in California in August 1923, Harding was visibly tired. Harding's doctor wanted him to rest, but this flew in the face of the President's busy schedule. As he read the newspaper in bed on the evening of August 2, he twisted, gasped, and collapsed. Harding had a heart attack and died soon after. 

What Happened After: Harding's body was taken back to Washington, DC, via train. He laid in state at the Capitol before his burial in Ohio.

Harding's vice president Calvin Coolidge was sworn in on August 3, 1923. He immediately issued a statement to the public stating he was dedicated to the policies and responsibilities of his predecessor and the office in general. 

What few people knew at the time of Harding's death was how much corruption overran his administration. Even while en route to the West Coast, Harding asked Herbert Hoover, his secretary of commerce, about how to handle it publically. 

In addition to the Teapot Dome scandal - it involved Harding's Secretary of the Interior Albert Bacon Fall and bribes given to oil companies - Harding's political allies like Charles Forbes and Harry Daugherty were implicated in accepting bribes, selling pardons, and other financial crimes related to inappropriate use of political office.