Abraham Van Buren Abraham Van Buren ( November 27 , 1807 – March 15 , 1873 ) was the eldest son of the eighth President of the United States , Martin Van Buren ( Republican - Democrat ) and his wife , Hannah Hoes Van Buren . Born in Kinderhook , New York , Abraham was named in honor of his paternal grandfather who was an officer in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War . Biography . Abraham , a career military man , graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York in 1827 . He was appointed to West Point when he was 15 years of age . Some of his classmates included : 1 . Jefferson Davis , hero of the Mexican - American War with his Mississippi infantry troops and eventual President of The Confederate States of America , 2 . Robert E . Lee , eventual Commandant of West Point and General and Commander of The Army of Northern Virginia and General and overall Commander of the Confederate States of America Army , and 3 . Joseph E . Johnston , eventual General and Commander of The Army of Tennessee of the Confederate States of America Army . Abraham took five years to advance from second lieutenant to first lieutenant in the United States Army . It took him three more years to obtain the rank of captain . According to Wead , it was “ a slow promotion rate — particularly given his father ' s political positions of the time ” ( p . 53 ) . He served two years on the American frontier and he also served under General Winfield Scott in the Seminole War in 1836 . During this time , Abraham was made captain of the United States Army ' s First Dragoons ; however , he resigned his commission to become his father ' s private secretary in the White House starting in early 1837 . In 1838 , Dolley Madison , widow of former President James Madison , introduced Abraham to her cousin , Angelica Singleton , at a White House dinner hosted by his father . Miss Singleton was a daughter of a wealthy South Carolina planter . Angelica was a refined lady who had been schooled in the fine arts at Madame Grelaud ' s Seminary in Philadelphia . Abraham fell in love with Angelica and the two were married at Colonel Richard Singleton ' s Wedgefield , South Carolina plantation named “ Home Place . ” The President was unable to attend the couple ' s wedding ; however , he was delighted with the match . The two honeymooned in London . Upon returning to the United States , Angelica assumed the duties of “ White House Hostess ” because Hannah , Martin Van Buren ' s wife , had died after only twelve years of marriage in 1819 . Angelica ' s and Abraham ' s first born , Rebecca , was born in March 1840 ; however , she died in the White House only months later . The couple later had three more children . Abraham ' s career in the White House ended when his father was defeated by Whig candidate William Henry Harrison in the presidential campaign of 1840 . Abraham left Washington with Angelica in March 1841 after Harrison ' s inauguration . Their first visit was with Angelica ' s family in Sumter , where Angelica gave birth to their first son , Singleton . In June 1846 , at the outbreak of the war with Mexico , Abraham was reappointed to the military as a member of the regular army with the rank of major and position as paymaster . In spite of his absence while serving in the military , Abraham still enjoyed close relations with his father . When the former president renovated and expanded his estate Lindenwald , located in Kinderhook , New York , during the years of 1849 to 1851 , a corner room on the second floor opposite the master bedroom in the original home that was built in 1797 was reserved for Abraham and Angelica . The couple would enjoy extended stays with the former president along with Abraham ' s surviving brothers John , Martin , Jr . , and Smith Thompson . Abraham and his family continued to winter at their plantation in South Carolina . Abraham served for eighteen years in the army as an infantry officer , but never rose above the rank of major . In August 1847 , he was made a brevet lieutenant colonel during the Mexican - American War for gallant and meritorious conduct during the battles of Contreras and Churubusco ( Heitman , p . 980 ) . Abraham served in the war despite the fact that his father was opposed to the conflict . During the war , Abraham also served as an aide to General Zachary Taylor . In 1848 , Abraham ' s family moved to New York City . In June 1854 , Abraham retired from the military . After his military career ended , Abraham spent his remaining years editing and publishing his father ' s presidential papers and served as the leading apologist for his father ' s oft - criticized United States Presidential legacy . He is buried alongside his wife Angelica in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx .