Originally published in 1951, this biography of the childhood years of America’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison, details the boyhood adventures and character of young Tippecanoe prior to his assumption of the highest office. The story opens with young Harrison’s rousing rescue of sister Sally from drowning when he was just seven, followed soon after by an account of Harrison’s quick thinking as he saved his uncle from bleeding to death following an accident. The famous battle at Tippecanoe is also reviewed, as are many more events and actions that young history buffs will enjoy.

Chapter 2
The Picnic

The Harrison family owned Berkeley, a plantation of several hundred acres. Besides the shipyard, Berkeley had a mill for grinding corn and wheat, a blacksmith shop, a carriage shed, and stables for cattle and horses. There were barns for drying tobacco, cribs for corn, hogpens, chicken coops and a smokehouse. Like other wealthy Virginian families, the Harrisons also owned slaved. A hundred enslaved people worked for them.

The Harrison’s house stood in the center of everything, facing the James River. It was a red-brick mansion on a green lawn, with a red-brick guesthouse on one side, and a red-brick kitchen on the other. A porch shaded the back of the house where the avenue came up from the pike. Its high roof rested on three white pillars at either end.

One August morning a little procession came out the back door. First Smoky dashed out. Billy ran after him. Then came Sally, followed by Mrs. Harrison. Last of all were two house servants. The woman, Peony, carried a basket covered with a white napkin. Abe, an old man, carried a small bundle of wood and a hatchet.

When they came to the creek, both Billy and Sally ran to the mill. The building was empty and the gray-stone grinding wheels stood still. The mill ran only when the Harrisons needed corn meal or wheat flour. But the children liked to climb up on the big water wheel.

”Isn’t it nice and cool up here?” Sally said. She listened to the pleasant murmur of the rapids in the creek.

Billy climbed to the very top of the wheel. He was rocking it with his weight when his mother and the servants came up. “Let’s go swimming!” he called.

Sally made a face and shook her head. “I had enough water last week, thank you!”

”Why don’t you just wade and find me some pretty stones to border my flower beds?” Mrs. Harrison suggested.

Billy scrambled down. He rolled up his breeches and waded into the creek. Smoky splashed in after him. Mrs. Harrison and Sally sat down on the bank, while Abe started a small fire. Peony spread a linen cloth on the grass and began to take food out of the basket. Billy waded around looking for stones. He was trying to find bits of clear quartz. Sally called it rock crystal.

 

The Ducking

The Picnic

The Young Doctor

News of a Traitor

The New Tutor

The Christmas Task

Berkeley in Danger

Tarleton's Trooper

Billy Meets His Hero

The Muster Day Match

William Henry Tries To Be A Doctor

The Army Calls

Governor and President William Henry Harrison

What Happened Next
Fun Facts About William H. Harrison
About the Author

Howard S. Peckham was a founder and early editor of American Heritage magazine. He was the author of numerous historical works, including Pontiac: Young Ottawa Leader and Nathanael Greene: Independent Boy.

 

William Henry Harrison, Young Tippecanoe by Howard S. Peckham
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