Abstract:
William Rufus King of North Carolina holds the distinction of being the only U.S. Vice-Presidential nominee who was elected and sworn in but never served. King, was born in Sampson County in 1786, was unanimously nominated as Franklin Pierce's running mate in 1852. On Inauguration Day King was in Havana, Cuba, visiting for his health. It was there that he took the oath of office and, six weeks later, died before he could return to Washington, D.C.