Millard Fillmore is not a name synonymous with the President of the United States but that is not to say he did not have his place in local, US, and even world history.
Millard Fillmore was the 13th president of the United States.
He was actually vice-president and following the death of President Zachary Taylor who died around 1 year into his term. This left Fillmore as president or three years from 1850-1853. The most notable event that happened under his term was the Compromise of 1850 which centered around slavery and the territories acquired from the Mexican-American War. When the debate on this topic began Fillmore was vice-president and president of the senate. The great debate ended after Fillmore became president.
The results:
- California entered as a slavery free state
- Texas lost land that became other territories but were compensated
- These other territories failed to become states but were allowed to decide for themselves if they wanted slavery
- The federal government would further support the Fugitive Slave Act, making punishment harsher for slaves and those who helped them
- The slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia
It will never be looked on favorably by historians or the people of that day. It was a band-aid trying to appease everyone and cool tempers between the North and the South. Fillmore had a hand in it but because he signed it into law as president he will be forever linked. How I view it is he kept the union together long enough to get Lincoln in. Though its not like that was the plan, the country we live in could have been very different had the country not held together long enough to make it to Lincoln.
Internationally he sent Commodore Perry to Japan to open up trade with the West. This wasn't completed till after Fillmore left office but he got the ball rolling.
He through his hat in the ring for the presidency in 1856 and finished third.
Locally however his accomplishments were far greater.
Fillmore came out of Moravia, NY, near Syracuse. He began his time locally after learning law from a local judge in Buffalo and after passing the bar he opened a law practice in East Aurora. NY, a southern suburb of Buffalo. Here he built a home for new bride Abigail Powers and you can still visit it today.
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| Millard Fillmore Museum - East Aurora, NY |
He resided there with is wife from 1826-1830 and moved to Buffalo following her death. His accomplishments for Buffalo were important including co-founding the Buffalo Historical Society, Buffalo General Hospital, and the University at Buffalo, which is still in existence as the largest public university in New York State(SUNY) with over 30,000 students. Fillmore remarried in his later years and died in 1874. He's buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo along with his first wife Abigail.
Update: After his daughter Mary's death 1858, he's friends convinced him to travel abroad. While in England he was given an audience with Queen Victoria. Legend says she thought of him as "the handsomest and most courtly man she'd ever met". The exact words vary a bit and have been disputed but it's more for amusement than an important historical fact.
The home Millard Fillmore built still resides in East Aurora and operates as a museum, run by the East Aurora Historical Society. It is the only local home that he resided in that still stands. On an interesting not for locals the home he resided in with his second wife was on Niagara Square where the Statler hotel is located It may not be as grandiose as Washington's Mount Vernon or Jefferson's Monticello but unlike other President's home Fillmore build most the home himself and like the Monticello and Mount Vernon is a National Historic Landmark.
The home/museum is overflowing with items owned by Fillmore and his family as well as period correct furnishings. Notable items include a book cabinet brought by Fillmore from the White House that has a few book owned by Fillmore signed by the other with personal messages to Fillmore and a early 1800's US Flag, and though not owned by Fillmore(was discovered in the attic of local home) has drawn interest from the Smithsonian for it's odd design. The home is located just off Main street and this is not the original location as it was built on Main Street nor is the entire building part of the original home.
The original home is the first three windows from the front. Subsequent rooms were added by later owners and was moved to its present location in the 1930's. These extra rooms are very helpful to hold all the items as the original house is very small by today's standards.
The lady's providing the tours and information were very friendly and really showed they interest and care in the home. While I was there at 12-15 people came through in less then an hour. This may not seem like a lot but the people I talked to were not local like myself hailing from Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut and Louisiana.
Tours are on every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 1-4 pm from late spring to early fall. For a mere $10 it's a steal. They offer discounts for teenagers and children under 12 are free. Also feel free to get the $15 dollar combo ticket of the Elbert Hubbard Roycroft Museum a few blocks away.
All proceeds benefit the museum and the historical society which in the next two years is planning the build a replica of Fillmore's law office he had in East Aurora on the property as well as a statue of Fillmore. For information about visiting the home following the ink to the museums website
here and address below.
Millard's legacy was an important one locally with his name associated with a local and former hospital various streets in the city and East Aurora and the UB (University at Buffalo) which is an important part of our economy today.
Next up our 22nd/24th President Grover Cleveland.
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| A photo with Fillmore on the porch. |
