US Senator. Twice elected as a Senator from Missouri to the United States Senate, serving first from 1843 to 1848, then from 1849 to 1855. Served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate in 1849. The term of President James K Polk ended on Sunday March 4 1849, and President-Elect Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a Sunday, so Senator Atchison is said to have been President of The United States for one day. In reality President Polk's term was extended for one day, and David Atchison spent the entire day he was supposed to have been President in bed. Atchison Counties in Missouri and Kansas are named for him.
US Senator. Twice elected as a Senator from Missouri to the United States Senate, serving first from 1843 to 1848, then from 1849 to 1855. Served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate in 1849. The term of President James K Polk ended on Sunday March 4 1849, and President-Elect Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a Sunday, so Senator Atchison is said to have been President of The United States for one day. In reality President Polk's term was extended for one day, and David Atchison spent the entire day he was supposed to have been President in bed. Atchison Counties in Missouri and Kansas are named for him.
Family Members
-
![]()
William Atchison
1780–1854
-
![]()
Catherine Allen Atchison
1786–1859
-
![]()
Benjamin Allen Atchison
1811–1856
-
![]()
William M Atchison
1813–1871
-
![]()
Alexander H Atchison
1815–1867
-
![]()
Mary H Atchison Allen
1818–1880
-
![]()
Rebecca T Atchison
1820–1874
Flowers
Advertisement
See more Atchison memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
-
David Rice Atchison
Geneanet Community Trees Index
-
David Rice Atchison
1860 United States Federal Census
-
David Rice Atchison
1880 United States Federal Census
-
David Rice Atchison
Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965
-
David Rice Atchison
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
