The Van Buren Boys

President Van Buren and his wife Hannah Hoes had four surviving children, all boys. Born over the course of their short 12-year marriage, the youngest was two when Hannah passed away in 1819. Hannah’s relatives raised the children mostly separate from Van Buren, and most of our knowledge of the four sons comes from their adult lives. The evidence we have suggests they and Van Buren were quite close in later years.

You can follow the links below to learn more info about each of them!

 

Major Abraham Van Buren

NPS Photo

Abraham Van Buren

1807-1873

Oldest Son, West Point Graduate, and Mexican-American War Soldier

 

John Van Buren

NPS Photo

John Van Buren

1810-1866

Lawyer, Attorney General of New York, and Free Soil Politician

 

One of Martin Jr's hobbies was molding bullets that he used for hunting. Pictured above is a modern replica of a pullet molder of the style he may have used.

Wikicommons Image

Martin Van Buren Jr.

1812-1855

Secretary, Father's Companion, and Victim of Tuberculosis

 

Tintype photograph of Smith Thompson Van Buren. This is the only known photograph of Smith and was made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal. Date unknown.

Appears in "Van Buren Wizard of O.K. & 8th USA President" by Ted Welles, published 1987.

Smith Thompson Van Buren

1817-1876

Youngest Son, Lawyer, and Home Remodeler