10 Facts About Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States, served from 1850 to 1853 during one of the nation’s most turbulent periods. Rising to the presidency after the sudden death of Zachary Taylor, Fillmore inherited a deeply divided country teetering on the brink of sectional conflict.

Although often overshadowed by more prominent figures of the era, Fillmore’s legacy remains significant for his role in signing the controversial Compromise of 1850, which sought to maintain balance between free and slave states but ultimately inflamed tensions further.

His presidency, marked by cautious pragmatism, legalism, and attempts to preserve national unity, has left historians divided in their assessments.

Despite his controversial record, Fillmore’s life and political career reveal a complex figure who navigated difficult decisions while trying to balance the competing interests of a fractured nation.

Millard Fillmore Facts

1. Millard Fillmore Became President After Zachary Taylor’s Death.

On July 9, 1850, Millard Fillmore unexpectedly became the 13th President of the United States after the sudden death of President Zachary Taylor. Taylor had fallen ill after attending a Fourth of July event and died just a few days later, likely due to acute gastroenteritis.

Also Read: Millard Fillmore Timeline

Fillmore, who was serving as vice president at the time, was quickly thrust into the role of president at a critical juncture in U.S. history. His transition came at a time of intense national division over the issue of slavery, and Fillmore would find himself making decisions that defined his political legacy.

Millard Fillmore

2. The Last Whig Party President.

Fillmore holds the distinction of being the final president to represent the Whig Party, a major political force in the first half of the 19th century. The party was formed to oppose the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic Party.

Fillmore’s presidency marked the beginning of the end for the Whigs, as the party fractured over the divisive issue of slavery.

Also Read: Accomplishments of Millard Fillmore

By the late 1850s, the party had dissolved, giving rise to the new Republican Party, which quickly gained prominence with leaders like Abraham Lincoln. Fillmore’s inability to unite the Whigs during this turbulent period contributed to the party’s collapse.

3. Millard Fillmore Signed the Compromise of 1850.

One of Fillmore’s most significant—and controversial—acts as president was his support for the Compromise of 1850, a package of bills aimed at resolving the escalating tensions between Northern free states and Southern slave states. The compromise included key provisions such as admitting California as a free state and abolishing the slave trade in Washington, D.C.

However, it also included the deeply divisive Fugitive Slave Act, which required citizens in free states to assist in capturing and returning escaped slaves. Fillmore believed the compromise would preserve the Union, but the Fugitive Slave Act caused widespread outrage in the North and damaged his political standing.

4. Millard Fillmore Started His Career as a Lawyer.

Fillmore’s journey from humble beginnings to the presidency began with hard work and determination. Born in a log cabin in Cayuga County, New York, in 1800, Fillmore had little formal education and grew up in poverty.

As a teenager, he was apprenticed to a cloth maker, but he later pursued self-education and became a schoolteacher. His ambition led him to study law under the guidance of a local judge, and by 1823, he was admitted to the bar.

His legal career flourished, and his reputation as a lawyer helped him gain entry into politics, eventually serving in Congress before becoming vice president.

Millard Fillmore

5. Millard Fillmore Helped Establish the University at Buffalo.

Fillmore played a key role in founding the University at Buffalo, which was chartered in 1846. He believed in the importance of higher education and worked to establish the institution as a way to advance learning and opportunity in Western New York.

Fillmore served as the university’s first chancellor, a position he held from 1846 until his death in 1874. His contributions to the university helped lay the groundwork for its growth into one of New York’s major educational institutions. Today, the university honors Fillmore’s legacy, though his presidency is often viewed with more ambivalence.

6. Millard Fillmore Opposed the Expansion of Slavery but Enforced Pro-Slavery Laws.

Fillmore’s views on slavery were complex and controversial. Although he personally opposed the spread of slavery into new territories, he believed that the federal government was bound by the Constitution to protect existing laws, even those supporting slavery.

His strict legalist approach led him to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act, which mandated the capture and return of escaped slaves.

Fillmore’s enforcement of this law caused him to lose support among Northern abolitionists, who saw it as a betrayal. His actions highlight the difficult balancing act he attempted to perform in an era of intense national division over slavery.

7. Millard Fillmore Lacked a Strong Political Base.

One of the key challenges Fillmore faced during his presidency was his lack of a strong political foundation.

The Whig Party was already divided when he took office, and his moderate stance on issues like slavery alienated both pro-slavery Southern Whigs and anti-slavery Northern Whigs. As a result, he was unable to unify his party or secure widespread support for his policies.

This political weakness ultimately prevented him from receiving the Whig nomination for president in 1852, effectively ending his chances for reelection. Without a clear base of support, Fillmore’s political career after the presidency struggled to gain traction.

Millard Fillmore

8. Millard Fillmore Ran for President Again in 1856 with the Know-Nothing Party.

Despite his lack of success in the 1852 election, Fillmore re-entered politics in 1856 as the presidential candidate for the Know-Nothing Party, officially known as the American Party. The party was known for its nativist platform, opposing immigration and the influence of Catholics in American society.

Fillmore’s association with the party marked a significant shift from his earlier political affiliations and was seen as an attempt to revive his political fortunes. However, his campaign was largely unsuccessful, and he only managed to carry the state of Maryland. His defeat marked the end of his national political ambitions.

9. Millard Fillmore Had a Minimalist Approach to Foreign Policy.

During his presidency, Fillmore pursued a cautious and minimalist approach to foreign policy, seeking to avoid entanglement in international conflicts.

One of his most notable foreign policy achievements was authorizing Commodore Matthew Perry’s mission to Japan. Perry’s expedition, which began during Fillmore’s presidency, ultimately resulted in the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, opening Japan to trade with the United States.

Although Fillmore did not see the mission’s full success during his time in office, his decision to initiate the effort is considered a significant moment in U.S. diplomatic history. Beyond this, Fillmore largely focused on domestic issues.

10. Millard Fillmore Died Largely Forgotten and Uncelebrated.

By the time of his death on March 8, 1874, Fillmore’s reputation had diminished significantly. His enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act and his association with the Know-Nothing Party left him viewed by many as a symbol of compromise and failure in an era when bold action was needed.

While he had some achievements, such as his contributions to higher education and infrastructure, he was largely remembered for his controversial presidency. Historians have reassessed Fillmore’s legacy in recent years, but he remains one of the lesser-known and more divisive figures in American presidential history.