Discover the Only President Ever Born in New Hampshire

The men who have become President of the United States have all been different. They have all been born in different places throughout the country, therefore having a unique perspective that has shaped their presidencies. Theodore Roosevelt was one of five born in New York, but Herbert Hoover was the only one born in Iowa. When it comes to New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce is the one president born in the Granite State. Let’s explore the only president born in New Hampshire and where he was raised. We’ll also include some facts about President Pierce and the places where he lived.

The Only President Ever Born in New Hampshire

There are a whopping four presidents born in Massachusetts, but only one born in Nebraska. and when it comes to New Hampshire, just one president was born in the Granite State. Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsborough, NH, on November 23, 1804. Pierce served as the 14th President from 1853 to 1857. He lived in Hillsboro throughout his entire life, except when he was in university in Maine.

About Hillsborough, NH

Hillsborough is a town in New Hampshire with a population of about 6,000 people. There are two forests located in Hillsborough including Fox State Forest and a sliver of Low State Forest. The town was founded in 1735 by the colonial governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Jonathan Belcher.

Other Places Where Pierce Lived

Franklin Pierce lived in several places around the country. Let’s take a look at each of those places.

• Hancock, NH: Pierce attended school when he was a child. Once, he grew homesick and walked 12 miles back to his home.
• Exeter, NH: He attended Phillips Exeter Academy to prepare for university education.
• Brunswick, ME: Here he attended Bowdoin College.
• Portsmouth, NH: Studied law with Levi Woodbury, former New Hampshire Governor.
• Northampton, MA: Attended Northampton Law School for a semester.
• Amherst, NH: Studied law with Judge Edmund Parker between 1826 and 1827.
• Concord, NH: Moved here shortly after marriage, where they stayed for the rest of their lives (except Washington D.C. when he was President).
• Washington D.C.: Lived here as President from 1853 to 1857.

About Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce was born and raised in New Hampshire and lived in the state throughout his entire life. He represented New Hampshire in the State Legislature and he also represented the state when he was in Congress as both a US Representative and a US Senator. After leaving Congress in 1842, he practiced law and subsequently became a US Attorney. He was also a Brigadier General during the Mexican-American War, where he gained recognition as a potential presidential candidate. A lifelong Democrat, Franklin Pierce was viewed as the compromise candidate between the North and the South and thus was nominated in 1852. He ran for president against Whig candidate Winfield Scott and won handily.

Pierce Presidency’s Major Highlights

Throughout his presidency, Franklin Pierce enacted legislation that impacted many people throughout the country. Let’s take a look at President Pierce’s highlighting legislation during his presidency.

• Pierce signed the Gadsden Purchase which transferred land from Mexico to the US.
• He was also president during a time when he wanted to acquire Cuba from Spain, but he was unsuccessful.
• Pierce signed trade treaties with Great Britain and Japan.
• He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which angered Northerners while keeping Southerners happy. This further created divisions between the North and South.

Franklin Pierce After His Presidency

Thinking he would be renominated, Democrats picked someone else because of his tarnished reputation with the North. After his presidency, Franklin Pierce and his wife Jane moved to Portsmouth, NH, but later they decided to spend 3 years traveling throughout Europe and the Bahamas. He kept one ear in politics, however, and regularly gave his opinions on political matters concerning the country. He was a Southern appeaser who made friends with many pro-Confederates, but still implored Southern states to remain part of the US. Pierce was also a deep critic of President Abraham Lincoln.

The final years of his life were marred by his intense alcoholism. However, in mid-1865, he decided that he wanted to better himself. He became more spiritual, he stopped drinking as much, and he became a farmer. A few years later, however, he started drinking more, which rapidly affected him. Decided to go back to Concord, NH, and that is where he died of cirrhosis of the liver. Pierce passed away on Friday, October 8, 1969 (aged 64).

Conclusion

And there you have it, the only president ever born in New Hampshire was Franklin Pierce. Pierce was president during a consequential time in American history. The decisions he made greatly influenced how the US would plunge into a civil war less than five years after he left the presidency. Thus, his legacy is tainted, and historians put him on the bottom rung of presidents.