Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Fillmore, Millard
FILLMORE, MILLARD, an American
statesman, 13th President of the
United States; born in Summer Hill,
Cayuga co., N. Y., Feb. 7, 1800. Apprenticed
to a wool-carder, he made amends
by his zeal in the pursuit of knowledge.
His talents and aptitude procured him
the notice of Judge Wood, an eminent
lawyer who invited the young man to
a desk in his office, and offered to defray
his expenses while he prepared for the
bar. Fillmore accepted the offer, but
continued teaching in a school to help
pay his way. He moved to Erie county
in 1821 and was admitted as attorney two
years later. In 1829 he was a member
of the Legislature, and in 1832 was
elected to Congress as a Whig. In 1847
he was elected comptroller of New York
State and a year later Vice-President
of the United States. President Taylor
entered on his office in March, 1849, and
died suddenly in July, 1850. Fillmore
became, in virtue of his office, President of

the United States. It was the era of the
Lopez expedition against Cuba; and of a
more than usual bitterness in the
relations between North and South on the
slavery question. Fillmore made Daniel
Webster his Secretary of State. President
Fillmore's messages favored the
fugitive slave law, and recommended a
protective, but not a prohibitory tariff.
Under his presidency California was
admitted as a new State into the Union. In
his final message he had to deplore the
death of Webster; and in March, 1853,
he yielded up his office to his successor,
General Pierce. He was the candidate
of the American party for the presidency
in 1856, but he received a very small
minority of votes. After his retirement
from public life he resided in Buffalo, N.
Y., where he died, March 8, 1874.