Presidential Tenure: More than 1, Less than 2

Seven presidents have served more than one term but less than two.  In all but one case, this was on account of the death of the president.

Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) had served 2 years as a congressman and failed to win a seat in the Senate before being nominated for the presidency.  His presidency is entirely defined by the Civil War.  South Carolina seceded before Lincoln's first inauguration and Lincoln was assassinated only days after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox.  Viewed as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, presidents, he served 4 years and 6 weeks.

William McKinley (1897-1901) was the last Civil War veteran to serve as President.  McKinley's presidency saw the US rise on the world stage.  The Cuba Crisis led to the Spanish-American War.  Troubles in Hawaii saw the US annexing the small island nation.  Acquisition of parts of the Spanish Empire saw the US fighting the Philipine Insurrection.  He won re-election in 1900 but was assassinated in September of that year, serving 4 years and 6 months.

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) took over in the wake of McKinley's assassination.  In addition to the vice presidency, Roosevelt had already served as Governor of New York, an Army Colonel during the recent war, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, New York City police commissioner, and more.  Almost manic in his activity level, Roosevelt tackled a wide variety of issues.  He embraced America's role on the world stage, speaking softly and carrying a big stick.  Despite a reputation as a jingoistic warmonger, he was the first president to win the Nobel Peace Prize.  He proved a very popular president and easily won re-election in 1904.  Thus, he served 7 1/2 years as president.

Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) had a long career in government, serving as governor, lt. governor, state senator, mayor, and state representative before becoming Warren Harding's vice president.  When Harding died in office, Coolidge became president.  He won a landslide victory for re-election in 1924.  Though still popular at the end of his term, he thought it would be inappropriate for a president to serve for 10 years and declined to run again in 1928.  He was the most laconic president, widely known as Silent Cal.  He served for 5 years and seven months.

Harry Truman (1945-1953) had been a senator from Missouri when he was tapped to be FDR's 3rd vice president.  When FDR died 1 month into his 4th term, Truman took the helm of a country at war.  He approved the dropping of the atom bomb on Japan, oversaw the Berlin Airlift, recognized Israel, integrated the military, and was president when both the Cold War and the Korean War began.  Truman was plainspoken and noted for his 'buck stops here' attitude.  He served 7 years and 11 months.

Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1969) was the majority leader in the Senate before he became JFK's vice president.  Taking over after JFK's assassination, he oversaw the Great Society and the escalation of the Vietnam War.  He won an overwhelming re-election in 1964, but domestic strife and an increasingly unpopular war convinced him not to run again in 1968.  He served 5 years and 2 months.

Richard Nixon (1969-1974) had been a member of the House, a Senator, and Eisenhower's vice president.  He had a failed run for the presidency in 1960 and for governor of California in 1962.  It looked like his career was over.  It was not.  Nixon won the presidency in 1968.  Every moon landing took place during his first term (1969 to 1973).  He oversaw the drawdown of the Vietnam War, opening of China, SALT treaty with the USSR, and a dramatic expansion of the executive branch.  He was re-elected in a landslide in 1972.  However, the Watergate break-in during the campaign derailed his second term.  He was forced to resign and Gerald Ford assumed the presidency.  This is the only case where a president resigned from office.  He served 5 years and 7 months.

Lincoln, McKinley, and Nixon are presidents who won re-election and didn't get to complete their second term.  Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, and Johnson were vice presidents thrust into the presidency and then proved to the country that they were the right men for the job, thus winning election on their own merits.