The Terrible Catsafterme

If I were ever to achieve the office of the President (which most likely isn’t going to be happening), I’m not sure if I’d rather be thought of as one of the most unknown U.S. Presidents, or one of the worst U.S. Presidents. Franklin Pierce has somehow managed to achieve both. Despite his messy haircut and the fact that he wasn’t even considered a candidate for the Presidency during the election of 1852, he was elected to the highest office in the land and remained so for one term from 1853-1857. A Northerner with Southern sympathies, our 14th President entered the Presidency a thoroughly sad and depressed man, after losing his only surviving child during a train accident weeks after he was elected President. Obviously this disturbing event was enough to take Pierce’s mind off his job running the nation. Pierce was eventually abandoned by his own party and wasn’t nominated by the Democratic Party to run in the next election.

Good, bad, or indifferent, Franklin Pierce still deserved the respect that I have afforded every other President and it was a pleasure to visit some of the major locations pertaining to his life – a feat I was able to complete in just over two hours during my visit to New Hampshire.

Friday, July 13, 2012 – Birthplace of Franklin Pierce – Let’s get this straight right off the bat. No one knows precisely where Franklin Pierce was born. In fact he’s one of the rare Presidents whose birth state has not hazarded a guess as to the exact – or even the general – location. Within the wording of the State Historic marker located at the Franklin Pierce Homestead in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, are the words: “Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsboro November 23, 1804 and the family occupied this dwelling shortly thereafter.”

This particular house was built in 1804 by Franklin’s father Benjamin Pierce – who would later become a two-time governor of New Hampshire – so it is entirely possible that the house was under construction at the time of the future President’s birth. As the earliest home of Pierce, one in which he leaved until his marriage in 1834 (excepting his seven years away at college), the house was designated as a National Historical Landmark in 1962. Unfortunately, the homestead was already closed at the time that my friend Bob and I visited it.

Entering Hillsborough, who are famous for exactly one thing

On location, but closed out

With the stone and plaque that was placed at the homestead early in the game by the Daughters of the American Revolution

The house where baby Franklin lived for the bulk of his young life

The State Historic marker that confesses that this is not the birth location

Locked out again. Sigh.

It is widely believed that the Pierce Homestead was not the site of his Pierce’s actual birth. The nearby log cabin which probably served as the actual birthplace was located elsewhere in Hillsborough and is the site of it is now under Franklin Pierce Lake. How appropriate. But since I’m a completest, we stopped by the lake to get a picture… just to cover our bases.

The lake in which Franklin Pierce was likely born, perpetuating rumors that Franklin Pierce might actually have been the Loch Ness Monster

Friday, July 13, 2012 – The Pierce Manse – This home located in Concord, New Hampshire, is the only house ever to be both owned and lived in by Franklin Pierce. The family occupied the home from 1842-1848. Interestingly, the house had originally been located in downtown Concord, but was slated to be torn down as part of an urban renewal program. It was moved to its current location in 1971. At that time it had already been dubbed with the name “Pierce Manse,” but that title was only two years old. That name had been selected to differentiate it from the Pierce Homestead in Hillsborough and the Pierce Mansion, located elsewhere in Concord.

The house has been open to tours since 1974, but at the time that Bob and I visited it, the house was already closed for the night. We settled for photos outside.

Visiting the Pierce Manse… to no avail

The re-located Pierce home in which he lived from 1842-48

Assuming the day’s ‘Presidential front door’ position

Friday, July 13, 2012 – The Franklin Pierce House location – One of the reasons that the state hardly made an effort to save the Pierce Manse detailed above was because they saw the Pierce home located on Main Street in downtown Concord to be much more historically significant to the life of the President. Sadly, this house, which was once open to the public, burned down in 1983. Bob and I scouted this location, and found a monument on the site where the house once stood. Apparently the steps and the fence are original.

Image of the Pierce House before it was destroyed by fire

Locating the original steps and fence, and look…there’s a marker!

Unassuming marker indicating the site of the Pierce home, which was also the site of his death

The monument at the location indicates that the President and his wife lived here following his Presidency, and Pierce remained here until his death (from 1856 to 1869), passing away in his bedroom inside this location – but other sources indicate that Pierce was staying here when he found out that he had won the election of 1852. It seems that since the house itself has burned down, this location has been largely forgotten, understandably overshadowed by the two other Pierce homes in New Hampshire. I have found conflicting information as to when exactly he lived there, whether he owned the house himself or not, and when the fire destroyed it. If anyone has any further info on this location, please comment below.

Friday, July 13, 2012 – Franklin Pierce grave – Franklin Pierce outlived all three of his sons and his wife, passing away at his home (detailed directly above) on October 8, 1869, from cirrhosis of the liver – due to alcoholism. He was interred in the Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire, along with his wife and two sons (the youngest son who died as an infant does not have a marker and it is unknown to me where he was buried). The grave is rather unpretentious and is located in a very rural neighborhood cemetery.

State Historical marker at the cemetery

The grave of Franklin Pierce

Franklin P. and me

Continue to the next President…

Return to Friday in New Hampshire…

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 13th, 2013 at 6:03 am and is filed under 2010's - Early, Famous Graves, Historical Locations, US Presidents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.