Millard Fillmore doesn't get a great deal of respect. He took over the Presidency after Zachary Taylor died; perhaps being the 13th President was unlucky.
Then Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave Act, as America continued to wrestle with the issue of slavery. Fillmore's actions didn't go over well in his own party, and he didn't even get the Whigs' nomination in 1852. Oops. Millard did the logical thing - went back home to Buffalo, and lived out the rest of his life. He was the President of the University of Buffalo, among other accomplishments.
Fillmore refused to join the Republicans when the Whigs went into the ash heap of history. He opposed Abraham Lincoln but supported Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies, a sure way to get on the wrong side of history.
Fillmore was from upstate New York, and was a Congressman from Buffalo. That's where he is buried. Usually when we have visitors to the area, they are taken past Fillmore's grave to pay respects. He's actually not to far from funky musician Rick James.
Once a year, a ceremony to honor him is held by the grave. The White House sends some flowers along on his birthday, and some remarks are made. This happens for all of the deceased Presidents, and it's a nice tradition.
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