Which U.S. president became the first to die while serving in office—and the first to die inside the White House?
James Madison
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Johnson
William Henry Harrison
Fact: William Henry Harrison died inside the White House on April 4, 1841, only 31 days after beginning his presidency. He became the first president to die in the executive residence and the first to die while holding office. His death shocked the country and turned the still relatively new White House into a place of national mourning. Harrison’s body was displayed in the East Room before a funeral procession carried it through Washington. Zachary Taylor later became the only other president to die in the White House, passing away there in 1850.
Correct Answer: William Henry Harrison