Three Presidents In Calendar Year

Potential Of 2017 Being Third Time In American History Of Three Presidents, After 1841 And 1881!

Ronald 6 Comments

There is continued turmoil surrounding the Trump Presidency, with the latest developments, including the growing number of Republicans denouncing Trump for his reaction to Charlottesville; the resignation of businessmen from his various councils; the decision of many corporations and groups to refuse to use Trump properties for their gatherings; the condemnation of military leaders, intelligence professionals, diplomats and arts committee members; and legions of conservatives alienated from the 45th President.

So the possibility exists that Donald Trump, under fire, might resign from the Presidency, before the Robert Mueller investigation can bring charges of Russian collusion against him.

It used to seem impossible to imagine a resignation, but the idea looks more possible by the day.

Were that to happen, and if it happened before the end of 2017, it would mark the third time in American history, that the nation has had THREE Presidents in the same calendar year.

In 1841, losing Presidential candidate Martin Van Buren served until March 4, and then was succeeded by his successful opponent, William Henry Harrison. A month later, on April 4, Harrison died of pneumonia, having been sick beginning on the evening of the inauguration, and having been the oldest President at inauguration until then, and until later when we had Ronald Reagan in 1981 and Donald Trump in 2017. Vice President John Tyler succeeded to the Presidency on April 4, marking three Presidents in little more than three months of the year.

In 1881, outgoing President Rutherford B. Hayes finished his term on March 4, and was succeeded by Presidential winner James A. Garfield, who four months later, on July 2, was shot and seriously wounded by assassin Charles J. Guiteau. With medical malpractice, Garfield suffered greatly over the next two and a half months, and died on September 19, having been in a coma much of the time. Vice President Chester Alan Arthur succeeded Garfield, so in eight and a half months, we had seen three Presidents.

Now in 2017, we had Barack Obama as President until January 20, when Donald Trump succeeded him, and the odds are growing that he could resign before the year’s end, making Vice President Mike Pence the 46th President of the United States before the beginning of 2018.

Three Presidents In Same Calendar Year Twice In American History

Ronald Leave a comment

Twice in American history, we have had three Presidents in the same calendar year, due to the inauguration of a new President, and the death of that new President the same year.

The years involved are 1841 and 1881.

In 1841, losing President Martin Van Buren left office on March 4, was succeeded by his winning opponent William Henry Harrison, who died a month later precisely (April 4) of pneumonia, and was succeeded by Vice President John Tyler, the first unelected President.

in 1881, retiring President Rutherford B. Hayes was succeeded on March 4 by incoming President James A. Garfield, who was shot four months later, and after two and a half months of suffering, died on September 19, and was succeeded by Vice President Chester Alan Arthur, the fourth of five Presidents never elected to the Presidency.

The odds of such an event happening another time seems highly unlikely, but it managed to happen twice in forty years!