Franklin Pierce, fourteenth President of the United States, was born at Hillsborough, New Hampshire, on November 23, 1804. A lawyer who loved his profession and was a great leader in it, he became a member of the New Hampshire Legislature at 25 and Speaker at 27, a Congressman at 29, and a United States Senator at 32, resigning at 37. Later in life he declined the offices of Attorney General of the United States, Secretary of War, United States Senator, and Governor of his state. He served as President of the New Hampshire Constitutional Convention and as President of the United States. He also served as a brigadier general in the U.S. Army at Puebla, Contreras, Churubusco, Molino Del Rey, and Chapultepec, and was appointed by General Scott to arrange an armistice with General Santa-Anna. He died at Concord on October 8, 1869, and Ulysses S. Grant said, "He was a gentleman and a man of courage."
