Born: 1731
Died: 1802
Martha Dandridge was the oldest of seven children of a prominent Virginia planter. Like other young women of her background, she had limited formal education, but she was able and pleasant and took a positive view of life. At 18, she married 38-year-old tobacco heir Daniel Parke Custis, inheriting his fortune when he died eight years later. She and Custis had four children; two died in childhood, a daughter died at 17, and a son died at 26. Two years after Custis's death. Martha married 26-year-old Colonel George Washington, bringing her wealth and two young children to his Mount Vernon plantation. Though Martha had no children with George, they raised her son and daughter and later two of her grandchildren.
For 43 years, Mount Vernon was Martha's home. She ran the plantation while George was away, but traveled to his northern encampments every winter of the Revolutionary War. Welcomed by the soldiers as "Lady Washington," Martha never forgot the nation's veterans, giving many financial aid later on. When her husband became President, Martha joined him at the nation's first capital, New York, and then Philadelphia, where she acted as dignified hostess to the numerous visitors and official guests who came to call. When George retired, the couple returned to private life at Mount Vernon, where they enjoyed their final days.
First President
George Washington
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Abigail Smith Adams; 1797-1801
Born: 1744
Died: 1818
Abigail Smith and John Adams had much in common. Both were New Englanders steeped in the Puritan ethic, with strong political views. Abigail came from a respected Massachusetts family, her father a Congregational minister, her grandfather a judge. Since formal education was reserved for men, Abigail went to her family's library to study government and philosophy -- interests she shared with young lawyer John Adams. The two wed in 1764 when John was 29 and Abigail 20. Devoted partners for 54 years, they had five children, including future President John Quincy Adams.
The revolutionary cause often separated John from his family. While he served in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and later in diplomatic posts abroad, Abigail raised the children and ran their Quincy, Massachusetts farm, at one point not seeing John for over four years. But the two kept up a vivid correspondence, with Abigail advocating the abolition of slavery and equal rights for women. In 1784 Abigail joined her husband in Europe, returning to America when he became Vice President. Though she liked and admired Martha Washington, Abigail steered a different course when she became First Lady. She freely expressed her political views, prompting critics to call her "Mrs. President." But she was also an able hostess, and enjoyed entertaining in the new, albeit unfinished, White House.
Second President
John Adams
Died: 1818
Abigail Smith and John Adams had much in common. Both were New Englanders steeped in the Puritan ethic, with strong political views. Abigail came from a respected Massachusetts family, her father a Congregational minister, her grandfather a judge. Since formal education was reserved for men, Abigail went to her family's library to study government and philosophy -- interests she shared with young lawyer John Adams. The two wed in 1764 when John was 29 and Abigail 20. Devoted partners for 54 years, they had five children, including future President John Quincy Adams.
The revolutionary cause often separated John from his family. While he served in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and later in diplomatic posts abroad, Abigail raised the children and ran their Quincy, Massachusetts farm, at one point not seeing John for over four years. But the two kept up a vivid correspondence, with Abigail advocating the abolition of slavery and equal rights for women. In 1784 Abigail joined her husband in Europe, returning to America when he became Vice President. Though she liked and admired Martha Washington, Abigail steered a different course when she became First Lady. She freely expressed her political views, prompting critics to call her "Mrs. President." But she was also an able hostess, and enjoyed entertaining in the new, albeit unfinished, White House.
Second President
John Adams
Martha Jefferson Randolph; 1801-1809
Born: 1772
Died: 1836
Martha Wayles Skelton was a 22-year-old widow and mother from a wealthy Virginia family when she married the 29-year-old Thomas Jefferson in 1772. Though no likeness of Martha now exists, she was described as auburn-haired and graceful, a harpsichordist who shared Jefferson's love of music. The couple had six children, but only two daughters lived to adulthood and Martha's own health steadily worsened. In 1780, Jefferson refused an appointment to Paris because of Martha's fragile condition. Two years later, at 33, she died -- 20 years before her husband became President. By all accounts, Jefferson was devastated by the loss. He never remarried.
During Jefferson's Presidency, his eldest child, Martha -- nicknamed Patsy -- served as hostess during her winter visits to the White House. Born in 1772, Patsy attended convent schools in Paris while her father served as Minister to France (1784-1789). In 1790, she married fellow Virginian Thomas Mann Randolph, who joined Patsy at her father's Monticello home. Over the years they had 12 children, including the first baby born in the White House. Besides Patsy, Jefferson sometimes asked his Virginia neighbor Dolley Madison (whose husband, James, he'd appointed Secretary of the State) to act as White House hostess.
Third President
Thomas Jefferson
Died: 1836
Martha Wayles Skelton was a 22-year-old widow and mother from a wealthy Virginia family when she married the 29-year-old Thomas Jefferson in 1772. Though no likeness of Martha now exists, she was described as auburn-haired and graceful, a harpsichordist who shared Jefferson's love of music. The couple had six children, but only two daughters lived to adulthood and Martha's own health steadily worsened. In 1780, Jefferson refused an appointment to Paris because of Martha's fragile condition. Two years later, at 33, she died -- 20 years before her husband became President. By all accounts, Jefferson was devastated by the loss. He never remarried.
During Jefferson's Presidency, his eldest child, Martha -- nicknamed Patsy -- served as hostess during her winter visits to the White House. Born in 1772, Patsy attended convent schools in Paris while her father served as Minister to France (1784-1789). In 1790, she married fellow Virginian Thomas Mann Randolph, who joined Patsy at her father's Monticello home. Over the years they had 12 children, including the first baby born in the White House. Besides Patsy, Jefferson sometimes asked his Virginia neighbor Dolley Madison (whose husband, James, he'd appointed Secretary of the State) to act as White House hostess.
Third President
Thomas Jefferson
Dolley Payne Todd Madison; 1809-1817
Born: 1768
Died: 1849
Dolley Madison was warm, joyful and generous, and both her husband and her country adored her. Her parents were Virginia Quakers whose opposition to slavery prompted their move north to Philadelphia in 1783. One of eight children, Dolley attended Quaker schools open to both sexes. At 21, she married lawyer John Todd and had two sons. At 25, she lost both John and her baby to yellow fever. The next year, she wed the acclaimed Virginia Congressman James Madison. Seventeen years her senior, he was in many ways her opposite -- slight and formal while she was robust and outgoing -- but their 42-year marriage, though childless, was famously happy.
Dolley's love of people and activity served her well at the White House during the Jefferson and Madison Administrations. Though she favored French fashions and fancy turbans, she genuinely welcomed one and all, regardless of their background or station. Her rapport with diplomats and politicians won allies for her husband, and she helped found a home for orphan girls. But Dolley is best known for fleeing with George Washington's portrait before the British burned the White House in 1814. When James retired, the couple returned to Montpelier, their Virginia plantation, and lived there for 20 years. But Dolley moved back to Washington, at 68, when James died. There she remained as popular as ever, visiting Presidents and receiving an honorary seat in Congress.
Fourth President
James Madison
Died: 1849
Dolley Madison was warm, joyful and generous, and both her husband and her country adored her. Her parents were Virginia Quakers whose opposition to slavery prompted their move north to Philadelphia in 1783. One of eight children, Dolley attended Quaker schools open to both sexes. At 21, she married lawyer John Todd and had two sons. At 25, she lost both John and her baby to yellow fever. The next year, she wed the acclaimed Virginia Congressman James Madison. Seventeen years her senior, he was in many ways her opposite -- slight and formal while she was robust and outgoing -- but their 42-year marriage, though childless, was famously happy.
Dolley's love of people and activity served her well at the White House during the Jefferson and Madison Administrations. Though she favored French fashions and fancy turbans, she genuinely welcomed one and all, regardless of their background or station. Her rapport with diplomats and politicians won allies for her husband, and she helped found a home for orphan girls. But Dolley is best known for fleeing with George Washington's portrait before the British burned the White House in 1814. When James retired, the couple returned to Montpelier, their Virginia plantation, and lived there for 20 years. But Dolley moved back to Washington, at 68, when James died. There she remained as popular as ever, visiting Presidents and receiving an honorary seat in Congress.
Fourth President
James Madison
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe; 1817-1825
Born: 1768
Died: 1830
Aristocratic and aloof, Elizabeth Monroe presented a sharp contrast to her predecessor, Dolley Madison. She came from a wealthy, old New York family of Dutch descent; her father was a founder of the Chamber of Commerce and a British sympathizer during the Revolution. At 17, Elizabeth married 27-year-old James Monroe, a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress in New York. The couple had three children, two who survived infancy. The lived in New York, In Philadelphia when James was a Senator, and at their Virginia home near Monticello, before James's diplomatic assignment took them to Paris in the midst of the French Revolution. There Elizabeth helped secure the release from prison of Mme. Lafayette, whose husband had aided General Washington in the Revolutionary War.
Known in France as "la belle Americaine," Elizabeth lived in Europe off and on for 25 years while James served in various diplomatic posts. As First Lady, she brought her European style and taste to the White House, making it a more formal and elegant place. but she rarely attended dinners or other public functions, preferring the private company of family and close friends. Citing ill health, she discontinued Dolley Madison's practice of paying social calls, and spent months at a time away from Washington.
Fifth President
James Monroe
Died: 1830
Aristocratic and aloof, Elizabeth Monroe presented a sharp contrast to her predecessor, Dolley Madison. She came from a wealthy, old New York family of Dutch descent; her father was a founder of the Chamber of Commerce and a British sympathizer during the Revolution. At 17, Elizabeth married 27-year-old James Monroe, a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress in New York. The couple had three children, two who survived infancy. The lived in New York, In Philadelphia when James was a Senator, and at their Virginia home near Monticello, before James's diplomatic assignment took them to Paris in the midst of the French Revolution. There Elizabeth helped secure the release from prison of Mme. Lafayette, whose husband had aided General Washington in the Revolutionary War.
Known in France as "la belle Americaine," Elizabeth lived in Europe off and on for 25 years while James served in various diplomatic posts. As First Lady, she brought her European style and taste to the White House, making it a more formal and elegant place. but she rarely attended dinners or other public functions, preferring the private company of family and close friends. Citing ill health, she discontinued Dolley Madison's practice of paying social calls, and spent months at a time away from Washington.
Fifth President
James Monroe
Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams; 1825-1829
Born: 1775
Died: 1852
Born in London to a British mother and American father, Louisa Catherine Johnson grew up comfortably in the "Old World" of England and France. One of nine children, she attended convent schools, spoke fluent French, and was an accomplished harpist who loved music. At 20, she married John Quincy Adams, the 28-year-old son of America's Vice President then serving as a diplomat in London. John's peripatetic career took Louisa to Germany, Massachusetts, Russia, England and Washington, where she distinguished herself time and again as a skillful and popular hostess. It wasn't easy. She found New England rustic and lonely. In Russia, she was separated for seven years from two of her three sons since John insisted the boys remain in America with his parents. A daughter born in Russia died in 1812. And in the winter of 1814, during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, Louisa, with only her young son and a few servants, rode 40 days by carriage from St. Petersburg to Paris where John was waiting.
Louisa helped John's Presidential campaign, hosting parties and paying calls, but she herself had no wish for the office and suffered depression during her White House years. Complaining in her diary of isolation and of the inferior status of women, Louisa nonetheless performed her social duties with grace, often presenting programs of music.
Sixth President
John Quincy Adams
Died: 1852
Born in London to a British mother and American father, Louisa Catherine Johnson grew up comfortably in the "Old World" of England and France. One of nine children, she attended convent schools, spoke fluent French, and was an accomplished harpist who loved music. At 20, she married John Quincy Adams, the 28-year-old son of America's Vice President then serving as a diplomat in London. John's peripatetic career took Louisa to Germany, Massachusetts, Russia, England and Washington, where she distinguished herself time and again as a skillful and popular hostess. It wasn't easy. She found New England rustic and lonely. In Russia, she was separated for seven years from two of her three sons since John insisted the boys remain in America with his parents. A daughter born in Russia died in 1812. And in the winter of 1814, during Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, Louisa, with only her young son and a few servants, rode 40 days by carriage from St. Petersburg to Paris where John was waiting.
Louisa helped John's Presidential campaign, hosting parties and paying calls, but she herself had no wish for the office and suffered depression during her White House years. Complaining in her diary of isolation and of the inferior status of women, Louisa nonetheless performed her social duties with grace, often presenting programs of music.
Sixth President
John Quincy Adams
Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson; 1829-1837
Born: 1767
Died: 1828
Andrew Jackson met Rachel Donelson in the frontier town of Nashville, Tennessee, when he was a 23-year-old prosecutor living at her mother's boarding house. Rachel, a spirited 23-year-old was back home from Kentucky awaiting a divorce from her jealous and abusive husband of five years, Lewis Robards. Rachel and Andrew fell in love and wed in 1791, only to learn afterward that Robards hadn't divorced Rachel. Robards then did so, claiming adultery, and Rachel and Andrew rewed in 1794. But the Robards matter followed them, used later by Andrew's political enemies who called Rachel a bigamist and adulteress. The attacks always enraged Andrew who took a bullet in the shoulder defending Rachel's honor.
A devoted couple for 37 years, the Jackson's lived at the Hermitage, their pioneer farm outside Nashville. Though they were childless, their house was full of the many people "Aunt Rachel" took in. She was devout, charitable, and overweight -- a good country woman who smoked a pipe. Ridiculed by Andrew's opponents in his 1824 and 1828 Presidential campaigns, Rachel dreaded moving to Washington when he finally won. As fate would have it, she didn't have to. Just months before the inauguration, she died of a heart attack and was buried in her intended inaugural gown. Two of her nieces served as Andrew's White House hostesses. He missed Rachel till the day he died.
Seventh President
Andrew Jackson
Died: 1828
Andrew Jackson met Rachel Donelson in the frontier town of Nashville, Tennessee, when he was a 23-year-old prosecutor living at her mother's boarding house. Rachel, a spirited 23-year-old was back home from Kentucky awaiting a divorce from her jealous and abusive husband of five years, Lewis Robards. Rachel and Andrew fell in love and wed in 1791, only to learn afterward that Robards hadn't divorced Rachel. Robards then did so, claiming adultery, and Rachel and Andrew rewed in 1794. But the Robards matter followed them, used later by Andrew's political enemies who called Rachel a bigamist and adulteress. The attacks always enraged Andrew who took a bullet in the shoulder defending Rachel's honor.
A devoted couple for 37 years, the Jackson's lived at the Hermitage, their pioneer farm outside Nashville. Though they were childless, their house was full of the many people "Aunt Rachel" took in. She was devout, charitable, and overweight -- a good country woman who smoked a pipe. Ridiculed by Andrew's opponents in his 1824 and 1828 Presidential campaigns, Rachel dreaded moving to Washington when he finally won. As fate would have it, she didn't have to. Just months before the inauguration, she died of a heart attack and was buried in her intended inaugural gown. Two of her nieces served as Andrew's White House hostesses. He missed Rachel till the day he died.
Seventh President
Andrew Jackson
Hannah Hoes Van Buren, Angelica Singleton Van Buren; 1837-1841
Hannah, Born: 1783, Died: 1819
Angelica, Born: 1816, Died: 1877
Hannah Hoes and Martin Van Buren were distant cousins who grew up in the small and insular Dutch community of Kinderhook, New York. They married when both were 24, but had only a decade together before Hannah died of tuberculosis. Gentle in manner with auburn curls and doe-like eyes, Hannah had five sons, four of whom survived her, and was active in charity work for the Presbyterian church. Little else is known about her life. Martin never remarried.
When Martin went to the White House 18 years after Hannah's death, he brought his four bachelor sons with him. Dolley Madison introduced the oldest, Abraham, to her 21-year-old cousin from South Carolina, Angelica Singleton, the daughter of a wealthy planter. The two wed in 1838 and toured the courts of Europe on their honeymoon. Angelica thereafter served as Martin's White House hostess, adopting some of the social customs of European royalty. Such practices contributed to the Van Buren family's image as "aristocrats" -- a political liability at a time of national depression. After Martin lost reelection, he returned to Lindenwald, his Hudson River estate, where Angelica and Abraham visited frequently from their home in New York City. A society figure, Angelica raised three sons, none of whom married.
Eighth President
Martin Van Buren
Angelica, Born: 1816, Died: 1877
Hannah Hoes and Martin Van Buren were distant cousins who grew up in the small and insular Dutch community of Kinderhook, New York. They married when both were 24, but had only a decade together before Hannah died of tuberculosis. Gentle in manner with auburn curls and doe-like eyes, Hannah had five sons, four of whom survived her, and was active in charity work for the Presbyterian church. Little else is known about her life. Martin never remarried.
When Martin went to the White House 18 years after Hannah's death, he brought his four bachelor sons with him. Dolley Madison introduced the oldest, Abraham, to her 21-year-old cousin from South Carolina, Angelica Singleton, the daughter of a wealthy planter. The two wed in 1838 and toured the courts of Europe on their honeymoon. Angelica thereafter served as Martin's White House hostess, adopting some of the social customs of European royalty. Such practices contributed to the Van Buren family's image as "aristocrats" -- a political liability at a time of national depression. After Martin lost reelection, he returned to Lindenwald, his Hudson River estate, where Angelica and Abraham visited frequently from their home in New York City. A society figure, Angelica raised three sons, none of whom married.
Eighth President
Martin Van Buren
Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison; 1841
Born: 1775
Died: 1864
The only child of a New Jersey chief justice, Anna Tuthill Symmes was a well-educated 19-year-old when her father took her to the Indiana Territory, where he had purchased a half million acres for settlement. There she met and married 22-year-old Lt. William Henry Harrison, who had left his family's Virginia plantation to pursue a military career. Anna's father opposed the match, worried about the hardships of frontier life, but Anna adjusted nicely. After one year in a log cabin on the Ohio River, Anna and William built ever grander homes in the settlements of North Bend, Ohio, and Vincennes, Indiana. Anna raised ten children (nine died before her) and managed the family's land holdings while William rose in politics and the military.
Though she shared her husband's interest in government and public affairs, Anna, at age 65, did not want William to run for President in 1840. When he won, she was too ill to accompany him to the White House, grieving over the recent loss of a child. She was packing for the long trip to Washington when she received word of her husband's death of pneumonia one month after taking office. Anna remained in Ohio and eventually moved in with son John, whose own son Benjamin would become President in 1888. Anna encouraged her grandson Benjamin to fight for the Union Army.
Ninth President
William. H. Harrison
Died: 1864
The only child of a New Jersey chief justice, Anna Tuthill Symmes was a well-educated 19-year-old when her father took her to the Indiana Territory, where he had purchased a half million acres for settlement. There she met and married 22-year-old Lt. William Henry Harrison, who had left his family's Virginia plantation to pursue a military career. Anna's father opposed the match, worried about the hardships of frontier life, but Anna adjusted nicely. After one year in a log cabin on the Ohio River, Anna and William built ever grander homes in the settlements of North Bend, Ohio, and Vincennes, Indiana. Anna raised ten children (nine died before her) and managed the family's land holdings while William rose in politics and the military.
Though she shared her husband's interest in government and public affairs, Anna, at age 65, did not want William to run for President in 1840. When he won, she was too ill to accompany him to the White House, grieving over the recent loss of a child. She was packing for the long trip to Washington when she received word of her husband's death of pneumonia one month after taking office. Anna remained in Ohio and eventually moved in with son John, whose own son Benjamin would become President in 1888. Anna encouraged her grandson Benjamin to fight for the Union Army.
Ninth President
William. H. Harrison
Julia Gardiner Tyler; 1841-1845
Born: 1820
Died: 1889
Letitia Christian Tyler was in failing health when her husband, John, suddenly became president one month into William Henry Harrison's first term. Letitia and John had married in 1813, when both were 23. Both came from wealthy Virginia planter families. The pious Letitia focused on the domestic sphere, raising seven children and managing finances, while John pursued a political career. In 1839, she suffered a debilitating stroke. Though she accompanied John to the White House, she was in seclusion and died the following year. Her daughter-in-law acted as hostess until John remarried in 1844.
Known as the "Rose of Long Island," Julia Gardiner was a lively and flirtatious 22-year-old when she met the 52-year-old widower President. Visiting Washington with her wealthy parents (the Gardiners owned their own island in New York), Julia was wooed by many, but won by John. She reveled in her brief "reign" as First lady. She entertained lavishly, spent Gardiner money to refurbish the White House, helped relatives win key government posts, and pushed John's plan to annex Texas. She also began the tradition of playing "Hail to the Chief." After leaving office, the Tylers moved to John's Virginia plantation where Julia had seven children. A staunch supporter of the Confederacy, she lobbied Congress for a widow's pension after John's death in 1864.
Tenth President
John Tyler
Died: 1889
Letitia Christian Tyler was in failing health when her husband, John, suddenly became president one month into William Henry Harrison's first term. Letitia and John had married in 1813, when both were 23. Both came from wealthy Virginia planter families. The pious Letitia focused on the domestic sphere, raising seven children and managing finances, while John pursued a political career. In 1839, she suffered a debilitating stroke. Though she accompanied John to the White House, she was in seclusion and died the following year. Her daughter-in-law acted as hostess until John remarried in 1844.
Known as the "Rose of Long Island," Julia Gardiner was a lively and flirtatious 22-year-old when she met the 52-year-old widower President. Visiting Washington with her wealthy parents (the Gardiners owned their own island in New York), Julia was wooed by many, but won by John. She reveled in her brief "reign" as First lady. She entertained lavishly, spent Gardiner money to refurbish the White House, helped relatives win key government posts, and pushed John's plan to annex Texas. She also began the tradition of playing "Hail to the Chief." After leaving office, the Tylers moved to John's Virginia plantation where Julia had seven children. A staunch supporter of the Confederacy, she lobbied Congress for a widow's pension after John's death in 1864.
Tenth President
John Tyler
Sarah Childress Polk; 1845-1849
Born: 1803
Died: 1891
Sarah Childress Polk was a First Lady in the tradition of Abigail Adams -- confident, outspoken, and politically involved. Her parents were wealthy Tennessee Presbyterians who sent Sarah to the best girls' school in the South. At 20, Sarah married 28-year-old James Polk, a Tennessee legislator and Andrew Jackson protege who had prospered in real estate. The two had no children but shared a love of politics, participating jointly in James' career and in the management of his distant cotton plantations.
During Polk's 14 years in Congress, Sarah developed friendships with influential politicians. Behind the scenes, she gave her husband advice, reviewed his speeches, copied his correspondence, and highlighted newspaper articles for him to read. She continued this practice as First Lady. A believer in America's God-given "destiny" to expand across the continent, Sarah shunned dancing, drinking, and card-playing on religious grounds. Even so, she enjoyed entertaining -- albeit sedately -- at the White House, but worried constantly about James' frail health. Widowed just three months after James left office, Sarah lived on for another 42 years in the couple's Nashville home and devoted herself to preserving her husband's memory.
Eleventh President
James Knox Polk
Died: 1891
Sarah Childress Polk was a First Lady in the tradition of Abigail Adams -- confident, outspoken, and politically involved. Her parents were wealthy Tennessee Presbyterians who sent Sarah to the best girls' school in the South. At 20, Sarah married 28-year-old James Polk, a Tennessee legislator and Andrew Jackson protege who had prospered in real estate. The two had no children but shared a love of politics, participating jointly in James' career and in the management of his distant cotton plantations.
During Polk's 14 years in Congress, Sarah developed friendships with influential politicians. Behind the scenes, she gave her husband advice, reviewed his speeches, copied his correspondence, and highlighted newspaper articles for him to read. She continued this practice as First Lady. A believer in America's God-given "destiny" to expand across the continent, Sarah shunned dancing, drinking, and card-playing on religious grounds. Even so, she enjoyed entertaining -- albeit sedately -- at the White House, but worried constantly about James' frail health. Widowed just three months after James left office, Sarah lived on for another 42 years in the couple's Nashville home and devoted herself to preserving her husband's memory.
Eleventh President
James Knox Polk
Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor, Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss (daughter); 1849-1850
Margaret, Born: 1788, Died: 1852
Mary, Born: 1825, Died: 1909
Margaret Mackall Smith, known as "Peggy," grew up amid the comforts of a Maryland plantation and attended finishing school in New York. At 21, while visiting her sister in Kentucky, Peggy met 28-year-old Lt. Zachary Taylor. They wed in 1810 and soon adopted the Army's itinerant lifestyle. They traveled from fort to fort -- in Florida, Arkansas, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Mississippi -- always bringing their good furniture and fine china along. But life on the frontier was hard. In 1820, a fever claimed two of their six children and left Peggy's health impaired. (A third daughter died later, soon after she wed Lt. Jefferson Davis.)
During Zachary's valorous service in the Mexican War of 1846-48, Peggy lived in Baton Rouge on a cotton plantation the couple had bought for retirement. It was there Zachary returned after the War and there he learned of his nomination for and election to the Presidency -- a job neither he nor Peggy wanted. At the white House, Peggy received family and friends privately upstairs. But she assigned all public hostessing duties to her 23-year-old daughter, Betty, the recent bride of Lt. Col. William Bliss. when Zachary died 16 months into office, Peggy was too distraught to attend his funeral. She died two years later. No likeness of her survives.
Twelfth President
Zachary Taylor
Mary, Born: 1825, Died: 1909
Margaret Mackall Smith, known as "Peggy," grew up amid the comforts of a Maryland plantation and attended finishing school in New York. At 21, while visiting her sister in Kentucky, Peggy met 28-year-old Lt. Zachary Taylor. They wed in 1810 and soon adopted the Army's itinerant lifestyle. They traveled from fort to fort -- in Florida, Arkansas, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Mississippi -- always bringing their good furniture and fine china along. But life on the frontier was hard. In 1820, a fever claimed two of their six children and left Peggy's health impaired. (A third daughter died later, soon after she wed Lt. Jefferson Davis.)
During Zachary's valorous service in the Mexican War of 1846-48, Peggy lived in Baton Rouge on a cotton plantation the couple had bought for retirement. It was there Zachary returned after the War and there he learned of his nomination for and election to the Presidency -- a job neither he nor Peggy wanted. At the white House, Peggy received family and friends privately upstairs. But she assigned all public hostessing duties to her 23-year-old daughter, Betty, the recent bride of Lt. Col. William Bliss. when Zachary died 16 months into office, Peggy was too distraught to attend his funeral. She died two years later. No likeness of her survives.
Twelfth President
Zachary Taylor
Abigail Powers Fillmore; 1850-1853
Born: 1798
Died: 1853
Abigail Powers was raised by her widowed mother in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Money was scarce, but Abigail got a good education at home, and later became a student and then, a teacher, at a nearby academy. It was there she met 19-year-old Millard Fillmore, an out-of-work clothmaker two years her junior who aspired to a legal career. Abigail encouraged Millard, sharing his love of learning. The two became engaged, but it was eight years before they could afford to wed in 1826. Abigail continued working until the first of her two children was born. She also taught herself to speak French, play the piano and the harp. When Millard went to Albany as an Assemblyman, and then to Washington as a Congressman and Vice-President, Abigail remained at home, but she regularly corresponded with him on everything from geography to government.
When Millard became President upon Zachary Taylor's sudden death, Abigail joined him in Washington. She successfully lobbied Congress to fund the first White House library and selected books for the collection. Often in poor health, she delegated some of her social duties to her daughter Mary Abigail. A staunch abolitionist, Abigail was unable to persuade her husband to veto the Fugitive Slave Bill. She caught a chill watching Franklin Pierce's inauguration and died of pneumonia 26 days later.
Thirteenth President
Millard Fillmore
Died: 1853
Abigail Powers was raised by her widowed mother in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Money was scarce, but Abigail got a good education at home, and later became a student and then, a teacher, at a nearby academy. It was there she met 19-year-old Millard Fillmore, an out-of-work clothmaker two years her junior who aspired to a legal career. Abigail encouraged Millard, sharing his love of learning. The two became engaged, but it was eight years before they could afford to wed in 1826. Abigail continued working until the first of her two children was born. She also taught herself to speak French, play the piano and the harp. When Millard went to Albany as an Assemblyman, and then to Washington as a Congressman and Vice-President, Abigail remained at home, but she regularly corresponded with him on everything from geography to government.
When Millard became President upon Zachary Taylor's sudden death, Abigail joined him in Washington. She successfully lobbied Congress to fund the first White House library and selected books for the collection. Often in poor health, she delegated some of her social duties to her daughter Mary Abigail. A staunch abolitionist, Abigail was unable to persuade her husband to veto the Fugitive Slave Bill. She caught a chill watching Franklin Pierce's inauguration and died of pneumonia 26 days later.
Thirteenth President
Millard Fillmore
Jane Means Appleton Pierce; 1853-1857
Born: 1806
Died: 1863
Jane Appleton came from a prominent New Hampshire family. Her mother had wealth, her father, prestige. He was a Congregationalist minister and president of Bowdoin College who died when Jane was only 13. But he instilled in her a rigid and puritanical outlook on life that did not bode well for a future in politics. Nonetheless, at 28, Jane defied her family's wishes and married longtime beau Franklin Pierce, a gregarious 29-year-old New Hampshire Congressman. It did not take Jane long to develop a distaste for politics. Her discomfort hardened into contempt once Franklin became a Senator, and in 1842, she persuaded him to quit politics for a lucrative private law practice back home.
When she learned that Franklin had accepted his party's 1852 nomination for President, Jane was so dismayed she fainted. Family life became her refuge. She doted on her only child; Benny, having lost her first in infancy and her second when he was four. Just weeks after Franklin's election, Benny was killed in a train wreck before his parents' eyes. Jane fell into a permanent depression. For her first two years as First Lady, she lived as a recluse, shunning social contact and writing letters to her dead son. A trusted relative, Abby Means, looked after her in the White House and assumed the hostessing role. Later on, Franklin managed to coax his wife into limited entertaining, dressed always in black.
Fourteenth President
Franklin Pierce
Died: 1863
Jane Appleton came from a prominent New Hampshire family. Her mother had wealth, her father, prestige. He was a Congregationalist minister and president of Bowdoin College who died when Jane was only 13. But he instilled in her a rigid and puritanical outlook on life that did not bode well for a future in politics. Nonetheless, at 28, Jane defied her family's wishes and married longtime beau Franklin Pierce, a gregarious 29-year-old New Hampshire Congressman. It did not take Jane long to develop a distaste for politics. Her discomfort hardened into contempt once Franklin became a Senator, and in 1842, she persuaded him to quit politics for a lucrative private law practice back home.
When she learned that Franklin had accepted his party's 1852 nomination for President, Jane was so dismayed she fainted. Family life became her refuge. She doted on her only child; Benny, having lost her first in infancy and her second when he was four. Just weeks after Franklin's election, Benny was killed in a train wreck before his parents' eyes. Jane fell into a permanent depression. For her first two years as First Lady, she lived as a recluse, shunning social contact and writing letters to her dead son. A trusted relative, Abby Means, looked after her in the White House and assumed the hostessing role. Later on, Franklin managed to coax his wife into limited entertaining, dressed always in black.
Fourteenth President
Franklin Pierce
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston; 1857-1861
Born: 1830
Died: 1903
Harriet Lane was born in rural Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven children of Jane Buchanan and Elliot Lane, a prosperous merchant. Orphaned at 11, Harriet chose her favorite uncle, U.S. Senator james Buchanan, to be her guardian. Educated at a Washington convent while "Nunc" served as Secretary of State under Polk, Harriet became a poised and skillful hostess, admired for her political savvy and her gracious manners. When Buchanan became Ambassador to England in 1853, he took Harriet with him and she formed a personal friendship with Queen Victoria. When Buchanan became President, his 26-year-old niece brought a welcome gaiety to the White House after the somber Pierce years. A popular figure, Harriet used her psotion to promote the arts and to further the cause of Native Americans. but the nation was grappling with a more immediate and explosive issue and in Nunc's final year in office, the Civil War began.
When Nunc retired Harriet looked after him at his Pennsylvania farm. At 35, she married Baltimore banker Henry Johnston with whom she had two sons. All predeceased her, leaving Harriet, at 54, on her own once more. She moved back to Washington and devoted herself to worthy causes. She founded a home for invalid children at Johns Hopkins University, and bequeathed her extensive art collection to the government for display in a national museum.
Fifteenth President
James Buchanan
Died: 1903
Harriet Lane was born in rural Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven children of Jane Buchanan and Elliot Lane, a prosperous merchant. Orphaned at 11, Harriet chose her favorite uncle, U.S. Senator james Buchanan, to be her guardian. Educated at a Washington convent while "Nunc" served as Secretary of State under Polk, Harriet became a poised and skillful hostess, admired for her political savvy and her gracious manners. When Buchanan became Ambassador to England in 1853, he took Harriet with him and she formed a personal friendship with Queen Victoria. When Buchanan became President, his 26-year-old niece brought a welcome gaiety to the White House after the somber Pierce years. A popular figure, Harriet used her psotion to promote the arts and to further the cause of Native Americans. but the nation was grappling with a more immediate and explosive issue and in Nunc's final year in office, the Civil War began.
When Nunc retired Harriet looked after him at his Pennsylvania farm. At 35, she married Baltimore banker Henry Johnston with whom she had two sons. All predeceased her, leaving Harriet, at 54, on her own once more. She moved back to Washington and devoted herself to worthy causes. She founded a home for invalid children at Johns Hopkins University, and bequeathed her extensive art collection to the government for display in a national museum.
Fifteenth President
James Buchanan
Monday, December 3, 2007
Mary Todd Lincoln; 1861-1865
Born: 1818
Died: 1882
Mary Todd Lincoln was the most maligned and misunderstood First Lady of the 19th century. High spirited and high strung, Mary was subject to violent mood swings and sudden outbursts of temper. But she was also intelligent, determined and ambitious, and had an unwavering faith in Abraham Lincoln. Born into a prominent Kentucky family, Mary lost her mother when she was six. Her father remarried and though he gave Mary every material comfort, including a fine education, hers was not a happy childhood. At 21 Mary joined her sister in Illinois and met Abe Lincoln, a poor 30-year-old country lawyer who battled depression.
Though she encouraged Abe's quest for the Presidency, Mary's White House years proved trying. Always a spendthrift, Mary's profligacy drew criticism at a time of war and privation. Despite her work in Union hospitals, rumors spread that she was Confederate spy. And in 1862 her 11-year-old son died. All these traumas took their toll, but Abe's assassination left her shattered. She refused to leave her White House room for a month. Then, she worried obsessively about money, even after Congress granted her a widow's pension. Spending years in Europe with her young son Tad, Mary became even more unstable after Tad died at 18. Eventually committed to a mental hospital, she hired a lawyer and got herself released. Mary died at 63 at her sister's Illinois home.
Sixteenth President
Abraham Lincoln
Died: 1882
Mary Todd Lincoln was the most maligned and misunderstood First Lady of the 19th century. High spirited and high strung, Mary was subject to violent mood swings and sudden outbursts of temper. But she was also intelligent, determined and ambitious, and had an unwavering faith in Abraham Lincoln. Born into a prominent Kentucky family, Mary lost her mother when she was six. Her father remarried and though he gave Mary every material comfort, including a fine education, hers was not a happy childhood. At 21 Mary joined her sister in Illinois and met Abe Lincoln, a poor 30-year-old country lawyer who battled depression.
Though she encouraged Abe's quest for the Presidency, Mary's White House years proved trying. Always a spendthrift, Mary's profligacy drew criticism at a time of war and privation. Despite her work in Union hospitals, rumors spread that she was Confederate spy. And in 1862 her 11-year-old son died. All these traumas took their toll, but Abe's assassination left her shattered. She refused to leave her White House room for a month. Then, she worried obsessively about money, even after Congress granted her a widow's pension. Spending years in Europe with her young son Tad, Mary became even more unstable after Tad died at 18. Eventually committed to a mental hospital, she hired a lawyer and got herself released. Mary died at 63 at her sister's Illinois home.
Sixteenth President
Abraham Lincoln
Eliza McCardle Johnson; 1865-1869
Born: 1810
Died: 1876
It was in the mountains of east Tennessee in the town of Greeneville that Eliza McCardle and Andrew Johnson met, married and made their home. Eliza was a cobbler's daughter who attended school until her father's death forced her to go to work. Andrew had left his poor North Carolina home to become a tailor's apprentice. They married while both were in their teens and eventually raised five children. Eliza taught Andrew to write and give speeches, and managed the family finances.
When Andrew was elected to Congress in 1842 Eliza stayed home to educate their children. During the Civil War, she was forced from her home by a Confederate general while Andrew was serving as Lincoln's military governor in Nashville. The travails of the war years took their toll. By the time she became First Lady following Lincoln's assassination, Eliza was ill with tuberculosis and fearful for her husband's safety. She let her daughters serve as White House hostesses while she kept to her private quarters and monitored the President's days. She kept a scrapbook of newspaper articles for him to read and offered advice on matters ranging from Reconstruction policy to cabinet appointments. Throughout Andrew's impeachment trial Eliza remained steadfast in her belief that justice would prevail and he would not be thrown from office. She was right, but only by one vote.
Seventeenth President
Andrew Johnson
Died: 1876
It was in the mountains of east Tennessee in the town of Greeneville that Eliza McCardle and Andrew Johnson met, married and made their home. Eliza was a cobbler's daughter who attended school until her father's death forced her to go to work. Andrew had left his poor North Carolina home to become a tailor's apprentice. They married while both were in their teens and eventually raised five children. Eliza taught Andrew to write and give speeches, and managed the family finances.
When Andrew was elected to Congress in 1842 Eliza stayed home to educate their children. During the Civil War, she was forced from her home by a Confederate general while Andrew was serving as Lincoln's military governor in Nashville. The travails of the war years took their toll. By the time she became First Lady following Lincoln's assassination, Eliza was ill with tuberculosis and fearful for her husband's safety. She let her daughters serve as White House hostesses while she kept to her private quarters and monitored the President's days. She kept a scrapbook of newspaper articles for him to read and offered advice on matters ranging from Reconstruction policy to cabinet appointments. Throughout Andrew's impeachment trial Eliza remained steadfast in her belief that justice would prevail and he would not be thrown from office. She was right, but only by one vote.
Seventeenth President
Andrew Johnson
Julia Dent Grant; 1869-1877
Born: 1826
Died: 1902
Julia Grant often said that her eight years as First Lady were the happiest of her life. The fourth child and first daughter of a prosperous St. Louis slaveholder, Julia was warm and outgoing despite a birth defect that left her with a badly crossed eye. She met Ulysses, her brother's handsome but insecure West Point classmate, when she was 18 and he 22. They wed four years later, after "Ulys" returned from the Mexican War, and eventually had four children. The Grants were an unusually close family, thanks in large part to Julia's indomitable good humor. She believed always that Ulys was destined for greatness despite his string of business and professional failures.
Never meant for business or even politics, Ulys was at his best on the battlefield. During his service as the Union Army's commanding general, Julia frequently joined him in camp, some say to prevent his drinking. whatever the reason, the results were good -- his record propelled him to the White House.l As First Lady, Julia advised her husband on several Cabinet appointments though sadly her judgment was no better than his. In step with the "Gilded Age," Julia entertained lavishly at the White House, particularly for her daughter's wedding, and was disappointed when Ulys wouldn't seek a third term. After a two-year trip around the world, the couple moved to New York where Ulys was swindled. But his bestselling memoir left Julia a comfortable widow.
Eighteenth President
Ulysses S. Grant
Died: 1902
Julia Grant often said that her eight years as First Lady were the happiest of her life. The fourth child and first daughter of a prosperous St. Louis slaveholder, Julia was warm and outgoing despite a birth defect that left her with a badly crossed eye. She met Ulysses, her brother's handsome but insecure West Point classmate, when she was 18 and he 22. They wed four years later, after "Ulys" returned from the Mexican War, and eventually had four children. The Grants were an unusually close family, thanks in large part to Julia's indomitable good humor. She believed always that Ulys was destined for greatness despite his string of business and professional failures.
Never meant for business or even politics, Ulys was at his best on the battlefield. During his service as the Union Army's commanding general, Julia frequently joined him in camp, some say to prevent his drinking. whatever the reason, the results were good -- his record propelled him to the White House.l As First Lady, Julia advised her husband on several Cabinet appointments though sadly her judgment was no better than his. In step with the "Gilded Age," Julia entertained lavishly at the White House, particularly for her daughter's wedding, and was disappointed when Ulys wouldn't seek a third term. After a two-year trip around the world, the couple moved to New York where Ulys was swindled. But his bestselling memoir left Julia a comfortable widow.
Eighteenth President
Ulysses S. Grant
Lucy Webb Hayes; 1877-1881
Born: 1831
Died: 1889
Lucy Webb grew up in a family of Ohio abolitionists and temperance advocates. After graduating from Cincinnati's Wesleyan Female College, the 21-year-old Lucy married longtime beau Rutherford Hayes, a 30-year-old lawyer (their mothers had introduced them). Lucy eventually gave birth to eight children, three who died in infancy. Early in her marriage, she took an interest in politics, espousing abolition and supporting Lincoln and the Republican party. When her husband volunteered for the Union Army, Lucy visited his encampments and served as a nurse. During his two terms as Congressman, she was an able Washington hostess. And back home in Ohio during "Ruddy's" tenure as Governor, Lucy helped found a home for soldiers' and sailors' orphans and visited various state welfare institutions.
By the time Lucy got to the White House, the First Presidential wife to hold a college degree was being hailed as a shining symbol of the "New Woman." But as First Lady, Lucy studiously avoided controversy and refused to be drawn into public debate on women's suffrage or other political issues. In keeping with her long held beliefs, she did ban alcohol from the White House -- prompting the famous nickname, "Lemonade Lucy" -- but otherwise, she assumed the traditional role of hostess, wife and mother. It was Lucy who began the popular children's Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn.
Nineteenth President
Rutherford B. Hayes
Died: 1889
Lucy Webb grew up in a family of Ohio abolitionists and temperance advocates. After graduating from Cincinnati's Wesleyan Female College, the 21-year-old Lucy married longtime beau Rutherford Hayes, a 30-year-old lawyer (their mothers had introduced them). Lucy eventually gave birth to eight children, three who died in infancy. Early in her marriage, she took an interest in politics, espousing abolition and supporting Lincoln and the Republican party. When her husband volunteered for the Union Army, Lucy visited his encampments and served as a nurse. During his two terms as Congressman, she was an able Washington hostess. And back home in Ohio during "Ruddy's" tenure as Governor, Lucy helped found a home for soldiers' and sailors' orphans and visited various state welfare institutions.
By the time Lucy got to the White House, the First Presidential wife to hold a college degree was being hailed as a shining symbol of the "New Woman." But as First Lady, Lucy studiously avoided controversy and refused to be drawn into public debate on women's suffrage or other political issues. In keeping with her long held beliefs, she did ban alcohol from the White House -- prompting the famous nickname, "Lemonade Lucy" -- but otherwise, she assumed the traditional role of hostess, wife and mother. It was Lucy who began the popular children's Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn.
Nineteenth President
Rutherford B. Hayes
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield; 1881
Born: 1832
Died: 1918
Lucretia Rudolph, nicknamed "Crete," grew up in a religious household. Her father was an Ohio farmer and part-time preacher for the Disciples of Christ Church. An excellent student, Crete attended college at the Disciples' "Ecletic Institute" where she met classmate James Garfield. Sharing an interest in literature and philosophy, the couple had a long and unsteady courtship before marrying in 1858. At first the marriage was shaky. Jim was away most of the time -- teaching, serving in the Union Army, then going to Congress. Crete was left to raise the children and later cope with the death of their three-year-old daughter. Resolved to strengthen their marriage, the Garfield's relocated their family to Washington in 1867. Over the next 14 years while Jim served in Congress, the couple grew increasingly close. They joined a literary society, read, dined and traveled together and enjoyed being home with their five children.
Just months after the Garfields moved into the White House, 49-year-old Crete contracted malaria. She was convalescing at the New Jersey shore when word came that the president had been shot. For three months, he vainly fought for life while Crete kept constant vigil by his bedside. She also attended his funeral, which no prior Presidential widow had done. The public admired her courage and raised $385,000 for her family's financial security.
Twentieth President
James A. Garfield
Died: 1918
Lucretia Rudolph, nicknamed "Crete," grew up in a religious household. Her father was an Ohio farmer and part-time preacher for the Disciples of Christ Church. An excellent student, Crete attended college at the Disciples' "Ecletic Institute" where she met classmate James Garfield. Sharing an interest in literature and philosophy, the couple had a long and unsteady courtship before marrying in 1858. At first the marriage was shaky. Jim was away most of the time -- teaching, serving in the Union Army, then going to Congress. Crete was left to raise the children and later cope with the death of their three-year-old daughter. Resolved to strengthen their marriage, the Garfield's relocated their family to Washington in 1867. Over the next 14 years while Jim served in Congress, the couple grew increasingly close. They joined a literary society, read, dined and traveled together and enjoyed being home with their five children.
Just months after the Garfields moved into the White House, 49-year-old Crete contracted malaria. She was convalescing at the New Jersey shore when word came that the president had been shot. For three months, he vainly fought for life while Crete kept constant vigil by his bedside. She also attended his funeral, which no prior Presidential widow had done. The public admired her courage and raised $385,000 for her family's financial security.
Twentieth President
James A. Garfield
Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur; 1881-1885
Born: 1837
Died: 1880
When Ellen Arthur died of pneumonia at home in New York at age 43, she didn't know that a few months later, the Republicans would choose her husband for Vice-President, and the next year, he'd be President. The only child of a prominent Virginia naval officer, Ellen grew up in Washington, D.C., where she was taught by tutors and attended St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House. At 20, she moved with her family to New York where she met Chester Arthur, an ambitious 24-year-old-lawyer. They wed in 1859 and had two children who lived to adulthood. During the Civil War, Ellen's loyalty to the south caused a temporary rift with "Chet," who served as a Union quartermaster in New York. But politics was otherwise of little interest to Ellen. Music was her passion. She was an accomplished soprano who performed frequently with the Mendelssohn Glee Club of New York.
When Arthur became President upon Garfield's assassination, he asked his sister, Mary McElroy, to act as hostess and help care for his daughter, Nell. An avid opponent of women's suffrage, Mary often invited former First Ladies Julia Tyler and Harriet Lane to receive guests with her at the White House. To honor Ellen's memory, Arthur donated a stained-glass window to St. John's Church and asked that it be placed in the south transept, facing the White House, so he could see it illuminated at night.
Twenty-First President
Chester Arthur
Died: 1880
When Ellen Arthur died of pneumonia at home in New York at age 43, she didn't know that a few months later, the Republicans would choose her husband for Vice-President, and the next year, he'd be President. The only child of a prominent Virginia naval officer, Ellen grew up in Washington, D.C., where she was taught by tutors and attended St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House. At 20, she moved with her family to New York where she met Chester Arthur, an ambitious 24-year-old-lawyer. They wed in 1859 and had two children who lived to adulthood. During the Civil War, Ellen's loyalty to the south caused a temporary rift with "Chet," who served as a Union quartermaster in New York. But politics was otherwise of little interest to Ellen. Music was her passion. She was an accomplished soprano who performed frequently with the Mendelssohn Glee Club of New York.
When Arthur became President upon Garfield's assassination, he asked his sister, Mary McElroy, to act as hostess and help care for his daughter, Nell. An avid opponent of women's suffrage, Mary often invited former First Ladies Julia Tyler and Harriet Lane to receive guests with her at the White House. To honor Ellen's memory, Arthur donated a stained-glass window to St. John's Church and asked that it be placed in the south transept, facing the White House, so he could see it illuminated at night.
Twenty-First President
Chester Arthur
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