President Franklin Pierce
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President (1804-1869)

Born in Hillsborough, NH where his homestead still stands, Franklin Pierce was educated at Bowdoin College and was admitted to the state bar in 1827. Initially a Jacksonian, he served in the US Senate and did not favor abolitionism. Enlisting in the Mexican War, he later won the presidency as a "dark horse" candidate as the Civil War approached. Franklin passed the Fugitive Slave Act and pushed states rights Westward. Wracked by the death of his three children, Franklin's administration sparked little support and he was not renominated.

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FRANKLIN PIERCE LINKS

BIOGRAPHY

The White House
The official US Government bio of President Pierce

The American Presidency
Biography series from Grolier Encyclopedia

Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Life of Franklin Pierce"
Complete e-text of campaign biography by his Bowdoin classmate

Franklin Pierce for Kids
From a 4th grade class in Nashua, NH

The Shadow President
American President series with extensive notes, lesson plans, historical details, supplemental info and images

United States Online
Appears to be the same text as Grolier site with added summary

US Presidents
Thinkquest Library summary of FP's life and administration

Comptons
Short encyclopedia bio sketch

Life of Franklin Pierce
A short summary written by the Pierce Homestead in NH

The Franklin Pierce Page
A fan web site from "noted experts" and a good source of original data

Young Hickory of the Granite Hills
An article on early Pierce from NH Magazine

Learning Network
A small bio as part of a Presidential Gallery at Infoplease.com

Quick Facts About FP

Short FP Bio

Common Conservatism Reference Library

Encarta MSN Online Encyclopedia

Grolier Encyclopedia Entry

The Franklin Pierce Quiz

IMPORTANT EVENTS

Inaugural Address
Friday, March 4, 1853

Pierce Visits Portsmouth (1850)
Having been a law clerk in the Port City, Pierce was welcomed here

Franklin Pierce Obituary
From The New York Times, October 9, 1869

HISTORIC SITES

Pierce Homestead, Hillsborough, NH
Nice overview of the ancestral home of the "forgotten" American
President and home of the Hillsborough Historical Society

Pierce Mansion (Manse)
National Historical Landmark in Concord, NH

Early Photos of the Manse, Concord
From the Franklin Pierce College Library

FP Tomb in Concord, NH
From the "Dead Presidents" collection

Bart Barker's Dead Presidents
This guy has visited all the graves of the presidents

Pierce Gravesite
From the famous "Find-a-Grave" web site

FAMILY

Gov. Benjamin Pierce (1757 - 1839)
Franklin's father was a governor of New Hampshire

Pierce Genealogy

Jane Means Appleton Pierce
The White House bio of the 14th First Lady (1806-1863)

Jane Appleton Pierce
Biographical sketch by Olive Tardiff of Exeter

The First Lady
From "The Shadow President"

PHOTO & IMAGE GALLERY

Images of American Political Leaders

National Portrait Gallery

FP Clip Art

Library of Congress Images
Searchable portraits of US presidents and first ladies

Franklin Pierce College Library
FP Portraits collected in a nice page

American Presidency

Presidents, First Ladies & Vice Presidents
Thumbnail info and pictures in this "Home of Heroes" series

NAMESAKES

Franklin Pierce School System, Tacoma, WA

Franklin Pierce Law Center Online

Franklin Pierce College

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Photo from SeacoastNH.com Image Library
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