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Martin Van Buren Jr. (December 20, 1812- March 19, 1855)

Biography Martin Van Buren Jr. was born on December 20, 1812 in Hudson, New York. His father, Martin, eighth President of the United States, was 30 and his mother Hannah (Hoes), was 29. He was the third of Martin and Hannah’s four surviving children. Martin Jr. spent most of his adult life suffering from tuberculosis which he ultimately died from on March 19, 1855 in Paris, France.

Career In 1839 Martin Jr. became the Secretary of the General Land Office in Washington, District of Columbia. He held this position during his father’s one and only term as President of the United States.

Personal Life After his father’s presidency, Martin Jr. and his father moved to Kinderhook, New York. Martin Jr. was close friends with Elizabeth Blair Lee, the daughter of his father’s friend Francis Preston Blair. The two exchanged letters throughout the 1830’s, 1840’s, and 1850’s. Martin Jr. had interests in molding bullets, hunting, fishing, eating rich foods, and smoking cigars. Martin Jr. never married and did not have children.

Illness and Death During the early 1840’s Martin Jr. contracted tuberculosis. His health was relatively stable, but still weakened, up until the early 1850’s. By the early 1850’s Martin Jr.’s health began to decline. In a desperate attempt to find a cure, Martin Jr. and his father traveled to Europe in 1853. Martin Jr. spent time in England and in France. Martin Jr. died on March 19, 1855 while seated at the dinner table in Paris, France. After his death, Martin Jr.’s remains were kept at the Montmaire Cemetery until they were sent back to the United States in late April of 1855. He is currently buried in the Kinderhook Cemetery in Kinderhook, New York.

References https://figgy.princeton.edu/catalog/81501bef-f495-4430-bf88-0f2a4dfb5093 https://figgy.princeton.edu/catalog/d676f58b-6022-4d74-927e-e87789ba0085 https://figgy.princeton.edu/catalog/8d917068-4ed2-4c59-8a7c-9b31893d9378 https://figgy.princeton.edu/catalog/079356d6-f067-4850-84ad-9f2faffd0db0 https://figgy.princeton.edu/catalog/0308748a-6748-494f-a715-7b94adbdaafc

External Links https://www.nps.gov/mava/index.htm https://library.princeton.edu/special-collections/collections/blair-and-lee-family-papers