James O. Gorman painted the ivory miniature of William Henry Harrison in Cincinnati, Ohio. Gorman exhibited six untitled miniature portraits at the Society for the Promotion of Useful Knowledge and three at the Cincinnati Academy of Fine Arts. The artist's work in Cincinnati dates from 1838-1843.
William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) was born in Virginia. He joined the army and served as aide-de-camp to "Mad" Anthony Wayne during the Battle of Fallen Timbers (1794). After resigning from the army in 1798, he became secretary of the Northwest Territory and served as the territory's first representative to Congress. In 1801, Harrison became governor of the Indiana Territory, a position he held for twelve years. During the War of 1812, Harrison commanded the Army of the Northwest and attained the rank of brigadier general. In 1813, he defeated the combined forces of the British and American Indians at the Battle of the Thames, where Chief Tecumseh was killed. In 1814 Harrison returned to Ohio. He entered politics and served in the Ohio Senate and both houses of the United States Congress. Harrison campaigned for president in 1840, representing the Whig party. He won the election and was inaugurated the ninth president, but contracted pneumonia and died after only one month in office. His grandson Benjamin Harrison was elected the 23rd president of the United States in 1889.
From the description of Painting [realia] : William Henry Harrison. 1841. (Ohio Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 236165752
