History

William Henry Harrison was born on February 9, 1773. He was son to Colonel Benjamin Harrison, who was one of the members to sign the Declaration of Independence. William Henry Harrison chose the path to serve in the military. He became famous as an Indian fighter and had numerous big victories against Britain. He was a firm believer in what our "founding fathers" established for the United States. Major John Mills said “He will be a second Washington” if he is successful with his outstanding military status. As his military career rose, he became a great negotiator with the Indians which opened up the Ohio valley to white settlement.

Harrison’s life was soon to change when he fell in love and married Anna Symmes in 1795. Anna was the daughter of John Cleves Symmes. Three years later Harrison resigned from the military as a General. Harrison and Anna had ten children. Seven out of the ten children died and one of them developed a drinking problem.

The Whig Party selected Harrison as one of the presidential nominees in the Year of 1836. He was elected President of the United States of America in 1841, as the ninth president. He also was the first President to receive over one million votes. Harrison gave the longest inaugural speech on record in the cold, pouring down rain while not wearing a coat. He soon passed away one month later, on April 4, 1841 and was the first President to die in office. He is buried at the “William Henry Harrison Memorial State Park in North Bend Ohio”.

Cleves, Ohio was founded by President William Henry Harrison. President H. Harrison named the town after John Cleves Symmes, who also was President Harrison’s father in-law. John Cleves Symmes was born on July 21, 1742 and passed away on February 26, 1814 in Cincinnati, Ohio. John Cleves Symmes was a very successful educated business man.

John Cleves Symmes was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey. He later on became a pioneer in the Northwest Territory. Symmes was a very educated man and was a lawyer. He also served in the Revolutionary war. Symmes served as a Colonel of the 3rd Regiment of the Sussex County militia from 1777 to 1780.

In the years of 1785 – 1786 he represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress. In the year of 1788, he moved to what became later called North Bend, Ohio. He served as a judge of the Territorial Court until Ohio officially became a state in 1803. Symmes purchased 311,682 acres, for the price of $225,000 from Congress in 1788. The land that he purchased became known as the Miami Purchase and he helped found the town called North Bend, Ohio.