Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800, in Cayuga County, New York, and grew up in modest circumstances on the frontier. Much of his education came through his own effort, and before entering national politics he built a career as a lawyer in western New York. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, helped establish the University at Buffalo, and became vice president in 1849.

Fillmore became president in 1850 after the death of President Zachary Taylor. He is often remembered for his connection to the Compromise of 1850, a set of measures meant to ease tensions between free and slave states. That moment brought him into one of the most difficult periods in U.S. history, and his support for enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act has remained one of the most criticized parts of his legacy.

After leaving the White House, Fillmore remained active in civic life in Buffalo, New York, though he never regained lasting national influence. He died in 1874. Today, he is usually seen as a transitional president whose life reflects both the possibilities of self-made success in early America and the deep divisions that were pulling the country apart.