#8: Van Buren, Martin

Martin Van Buren
December 5, 1782 - July 24, 1862

• Martin Van Buren presided over the nation's first great depression, the Panic of 1837 (hence, his portrait on an old Talk of the Town article about the fall of the Big Three, from about a year ago). Many of the problems that caused the panic began under Andrew Jackson's presidency. Failure to properly regulate the sale of public lands to actual settlers led to wild speculation; "even clerks and shoe-shine boys" bought up property. When the bubble burst, the ensuing panic "brought financial ruin and misery to millions. Many turned to the government for help, but Van Buren refused all public aid. He believe in Thomas Jefferson's theories that government should play the smallest possible role in American life. . . . [D]uring the three years of panic, Van Buren bore the anger of a disappointed people. His enemies called him 'The Little Magician' and 'The Fox of Kinderhook.'"
• Van Buren was born in Kinderhook, New York. His father ran a truck farm (?) and a tavern. "As a child, Martin enjoyed listening to tavern patrons as they argued politics in the Dutch language."
• Martin started studying law at age 14. He first took part in a court trial at 15. "Another lawyer from [his mentor's practice] had tried the case. As he was about to sum up his arguments, he turned to Martin and said: 'Here, Mat, sum up. You may as well begin early.' The boy was rewarded that day with a silver half dollar. He soon became a familiar sight in the village court."
• Martin married a distant cousin, Hannah Hoes. They had four sons. Mrs. Van Buren passed away 18 years before her husband entered the White House. The four Van Buren boys, by then all young men, were admired by the people of Washington for their modesty and charm. One son later served as White House Secretary, and a second son became attorney general of New York.
• Before being elected to the presidency, Van Buren served in the U.S. Senate where he fought to pass a law abolishing imprisonment for debt, "a social evil of the time." He also introduced a bill forbidding the importation of slaves into Florida unless they were owned by settlers.
• Van Buren served as Andrew Jackson's Secretary of State, then Vice President. In the election of 1836, Van Buren easily won the Democratic nomination, coasting in part on Jackson's popularity.
• "In Van Buren's time, Washington, D.C., was still a city of muddy streets and few trees. One traveler said: 'It looks as if it had rained naked buildings upon an open plain.'" (such fantastic imagery!)
• During Van Buren's presidency: (1) the population of the U.S. approached 18 million; (2) Queen Victoria succeeded to the British throne; (3) the first photograph made in the U.S. was made; (4) and the Underground Railroad became increasingly active.
• In the election of 1840, Van Buren had grown unpopular and was easily defeated by William Henry Harrison, who used the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too." After leaving office, Van Buren remained active in politics for more than 20 years. In 1848, the antislavery Free Soil party nominated him for President. He lost.
• Van Buren died in Lindenwald, New York, on July 24, 1862. It seems a lovely place to visit if ever you are in the Hudson River Valley.