William R. King - Vice Presidency and Death

Vice Presidency and Death

King was elected Vice President of the United States on the Democratic ticket with Franklin Pierce in 1852 and took the oath of office on March 24, 1853, in Cuba, twenty days after he became Vice President. He had gone to La Ariadne plantation, owned by John Chartrand in Matanzas, due to his ill health. This unusual inauguration on foreign soil took place because it was believed that King, then known to be terminally ill with tuberculosis, would not live much longer. Congress passed a special act to enable this in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the government of the United States. Although he did not take the oath until 20 days after the inauguration day, he was legally the Vice President during those three weeks.

Shortly afterward, King returned to his Chestnut Hill plantation, where he died within two days. He was interred in a vault on the plantation and later reburied in Selma's Live Oak Cemetery.

Following King's death, the office of Vice-President was vacant for four years, until March 4, 1857, when John C. Breckinridge was inaugurated. In accordance with the Presidential Succession Act of 1792, the President pro tempore of the Senate was next in order of succession to President Pierce from 1853 to 1857.