MARTIN VAN BUREN
1837 - 1841
Arizona Timeline
1837 to 1841 – Land disputes between United States and Mexico continue. Annexation of Texas delayed for political and diplomatic reasons.
Martin Van Buren was born in
1782 at Kinderhook, New York.
He entered law practice in 1803
and became active in New York
State politics as a senator and
Attorney General. He was elected
to the U. S. Senate in 1820, served
as governor of New York from
1828 to 1829, and resigned to
become Andrew Jackson's
Secretary of State.
Hannah Hoes Van Buren was
born in 1783, and grew up with
her cousin, Martin Van Buren, in
Kinderhook. They were married
in 1807 and had five sons; one
died in infancy.
Martin Van Buren became vice president in 1832 under Andrew Jackson and was elected president in 1836. His administration favored establishing an
independent treasury, and near the end of his term, he established a ten- hour day on public works. His term in office was overwhelmed by the longest
financial recession in the history of the Nation. To prevent the spread of slavery, Van Buren blocked the annexation of Texas because the political climate
at the time would have most likely meant Texas would be a slave territory. Van Buren died in Kinderhook on July 24, 1862.
In the winter of 1818, Hannah Van Buren's health was failing and she died on February 5, 1819. Van Buren never remarried. After he moved into the
White House, Dolly Madison brought her relative, Angelica Singleton, to visit. In 1838, Angelica married Van Buren's son , Abraham, and thereafter
presided as White House hostess.
