Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

EIGHTH PRESIDENT.
'"~ _

4

(i " -3

/e i ' -T, ARTIN VAN BUREN, the
_,f-]^\t ^:eighth President of the
(JER ^ UlUnited States, was born at, g Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5,
1782. He died at the same
place, July 24, I862. His,tody rests in the cemetery
at Kinderhook. Above it is
a plain granite shaft fifteeii feet
high, bearing a simple inscription,.% about half way up on one face.
The lot is unfenced, unbordered
or unbounded by shrub or flower.
'l'here is but little in the life of Martin Van Buren
af romantic interest. He fought no battles, engaged
ia no wild adventures. Though his life was stormy in
political and intellectual conflicts, and he gained many
signal victories, his days passed uneventful in those
incidents which give zest to biography. His ancestors, as his name indicates, were of D)utch origin,
and were among the earliest emigrants from Holland
to the banks of the Hudson. His father was a farmer,
residing in the old town of Kinderhook. His mother,
also of Dutch lineage, was a woman of superior intelligence and exemplary piety.
Ae was decidedly a precocious boy, developing unusual activity, vigor and strength of mind.. At the
age of fourteen, he had finished his academic studies
in his native village, and commenced the study of
law, As he had not a collegiate education, seven
years of study in a law-office were required of him
before he could be admitted to the bar. Inspired with. lofty ambition, and conscious of his powers, he pursued llis studies with indefatigable industry. After
spending six years in an office in jSs native village,

he went to the city of New York, and prosecuted his
studies for the seventh year.
In I803, Mr. Van Buren, then twenty-one years ot
age, commenced the practice of law in his native village. The great conflict between the Federal and
Republican party was then at its height. Mr. Van
Buren was from the beginning a politician. He h>ad,
perhaps, imbibed that spirit while listening to the
many discussions which had been carried on in his
father's hotel. He was in cordial sympathy with
Jefferson, and earnestly and eloquently espoused the
cause of State Rights; though at that time the Federal party held the supremacy both in his town
and State.
His success and increasing ruputation led him
after six years of practice, to remove to Hudson, tl,.
county seat of his county. Here he spent seven years
constantly gaining strength by contending in thl.
courts with some of the ablest men who have adorned
the bar of his State.
Just before leaving Kinderhook for Hudson, Mi.
Van Buren married a lady alike distinguished for
beauty and accomplishments. After twelve short
years she sank into the grave, the victim of consumption, leaving her husband and four sons to weep ovei
her loss. For twenty-five years, Mr. Van Buren was
an earnest, successful, assiduous lawyer. The record
of those years is barren in items of public interest.
In T 8 2, when thirty years of age, he was chosen to
the State Senate, and save his strenuous support to
Mr. Madison's adminstration. In 1815, he was appointed Attorney-General, and the next year moved
to Albany, the capital of the State.
While he was acknowledged as one of the most
p.ominent leaders of the Democratic party, he had