United States Postal History

VERY FINE. THE ONLY CONFIRMED FREE FRANK OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON SENT DURING HIS BRIEF TERM AS PRESIDENT.

William Henry Harrison assumed the office of President of the United States on March 4, 1841. He caught a cold at his inauguration ceremony, contracted pneumonia, and died on April 4, 1841, exactly one month after assuming office. Harrison has the distinction of being the first United States President to die in office.

Harrison's brief period in office, combined with his illness, provided very little opportunity to produce letters or free-franked mail. According to our records, this is the only surviving presidential free frank of William Henry Harrison, and it is one of the few presidential signatures in private hands.

The style of Washington D.C. datestamp and docketing notations confirm this as an 1841 usage. Harrison had the free-franking privilege as Northwest Territorial delegate in 1800, as a member of Congress in 1816-19 and as a U.S. Senator in 1825-28. This particular style of Washington D.C. datestamp did not come into use until years after Harrison's 1825-28 franking privilege expired. It was used in 1841, and the combination of Harrison's frank and this datestamp usage could only occur after his inauguration in March 1841. (Image)