#8 Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, served from 1837 to 1841.
Scott Stephan, Ball State University assistant professor of history, said he was not as well-known as other presidents because he followed in the footsteps of Andrew Jackson.
"His loyalty to Jackson allowed him formal [secretary of state] and informal [part of Jackson's ‘kitchen cabinet'] influence over Andrew Jackson and led to his election as president, but it also meant that his policies have been seen as extensions of Jackson's ideas," Stephan said.
Van Buren also led the Trail of Tears, one of the negatives created by the American government, Stephan said.
"As president, Van Buren used the military to direct the evacuation of Cherokee Indians who had resisted removal to Indian Territory," he said. "His efforts to remove the Seminole Indians in Florida also led to yet another conflict with them, creating one of the costliest wars of this era."
Van Buren's political rivals nicknamed him "Van Ruin," blaming him for hard economic times from 1837 to 1839, Stephan said.
"He had a snappy political nickname, the ‘Little Magician,'" Stephan said. "As his nickname suggests, he was known for his shrewd campaigning, political cunning and promotion of partisanship."
Stephan said he thinks of Van Buren as a great political party organizer on a state and national level.
Historians still debate the reasons for record-high voter participation during this era, but Van Buren's ability to gain loyal part followers cannot be ignored, Stephan said.
Between #11 and #12 David Rice Atchison
David Rice Atchison is one of the least-known presidents, probably because his presidency lasted only one day – from noon on March 4, 1849, to noon on March 5.
Today, a president's term begins on Jan. 20, but before 1930, the political term started at noon on March 4. In 1849, this day fell on a Sunday, and president-elect Zachary Taylor refused to be inaugurated until Monday at noon. Vice president-elect Millard Fillmore wasn't able to accept the honor as well.
As president pro tempore, third in succession to the presidency at the time, Atchison officially became president on Sunday, March 4.
Atchison was born Aug. 11, 1807, in a small town near Lexington, Ky. Four years after completing his degree in law studies, Atchison was inducted in the Kentucky Bar Association.
Atchison's respect for Andrew Jackson helped him rally to the leadership of the state Democratic Party. After serving two years as a circuit court judge, Atchison took over as senator of Missouri after the previous senator, Lewis F. Linn, died. In 1849, he was elected to a full term and served five years in the Senate.
Atchison continued moving forward in his career by opposing the idea that Kansas should become a free state and encouraged slave owners to settle in Kansas in order to take part in the state election. During the Civil War, he organized a military of Confederates, but due to a lack of success, he eventually left Kansas for Texas. He later returned to Missouri but refrained from all political work. He dedicated the rest of his life to farming until his death on Jan. 26, 1886.
#14 Franklin Pierce
Born in a log cabin in Hillsborough, N.H., Franklin Pierce served as the 14th president from March 4, 1853, to March 4, 1857.
After graduating college and serving in the Mexican-American War, Pierce was nominated by friends in New Hampshire as a presidential candidate in 1852. Democrats balloted 53 times in their convention, eventually nominating Pierce.
Pierce opted out of the tradition of swearing in and became the first president to "affirm" his oath instead, placing his hand on a law book instead of a Bible. His vice president, William R. King, died about one month after Pierce's inauguration and was not replaced.
Pierce's life prior to becoming president was challenging. His first two children died in childhood. His wife and 11-year-old son Benny were extremely unhappy when they found out the Democratic Party had made Pierce its candidate.
In a letter to his mother, Benny wrote, "I hope he won't be elected, for I should not like to be at Washington and I know you would not either."
Pierce convinced his family this would be a positive situation. While traveling just a few weeks before Pierce's inauguration, the family's train derailed, killing Benny.
Pierce's wife never wanted him to become president, stating that his politics were corrupt, and distanced herself from her husband during his presidency, causing Pierce to become depressed. It is believed that he turned to alcohol during these times.
Although coming from the anti-slavery state of New Hampshire, Pierce made a resolution to support slavery, which made him unpopular in the North. As a result, he was not re-elected to a second term, losing the Democratic nomination in 1856.
Many of Pierce's politics were seen by the public as negative. Academic historians and political scientists have ranked him as one of America's least effective presidents.
George W. Bush's wife Barbara Pierce Bush is Pierce's fourth cousin four times removed.
Sources: whitehouse.gov and franklinpierce.org
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