Profile of the Day: Martin Van Buren

On this day in 1782, Martin Van Buren, the 8th President of the United States, was born in Kinderhook, New York. Did you know that he was the first President to be born a U.S. citizen? All previous presidents were born in the British colonies before the American Revolution and were therefore British subjects.

Image: Martin Van Buren / Library of Congress

Van Buren was the son of Dutch parents, and although the Van Buren family had been in America for several generations, Dutch was still the primary language spoken at home. In 1807, he married his childhood sweetheart and first cousin once removed, Hannah Hoes. They were related through Van Buren’s mother and had five children before his wife’s death from tuberculosis in 1819. He never remarried.

In 1837, Van Buren was sworn in as the 8th President of the United States. Although he had easily won the presidency, his popularity greatly diminshed throughout his term and he would lose his re-election bid to William Henry Harrison. At the end of his term, Van Buren returned to his home in Kinderhook. He died on July 24, 1862 at the age of 79.

Explore Martin Van Buren’s family tree on Geni and share your connection to the former President!
 

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