The Colorful Lives of
Presidential First Ladies
Some presidential first ladies are unforgettable.
The elegance, courage and dignity displayed by Jackie Kennedy and the passionate altruism of Eleanor Roosevelt come to mind.
But all first ladies have left their mark on American history in some manner. Let’s look at some of the relatively obscure but surprisingly colorful women who were presidential wives.
Rachel Jackson
Beautiful, intelligent, and ardently devoted to her husband, Rachel Jackson was known for adeptly restraining Andrew Jackson, thwarting potentially awkward encounters for the brash politician.
Alas, she was also a bigamist, having married Jackson before she was legally divorced from her first husband. When Jackson’s opponents got wind of the indiscretion, the resulting scandal almost cost him the election.
Rachel died two months before Jackson’s inauguration. Her epitaph reads: “A being so gentle and so virtuous, slander might wound but could not dishonor.”
Julia Grant
Ulysses S. Grant’s wife was plain, squat, and cross-eyed. Born to St. Louis slave owners, Julia Grant continued to utilize enslaved people at her homestead while Ulysses served as general of the Union Army during the Civil War.
On one notable occasion, Julia may have saved her husband’s life. The Grants had been invited to join Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln at Ford Theater on the night of Lincoln’s assassination. But Mrs. Grant was suspicious of the man who delivered the invitation.
She convinced her husband to visit their children in New York instead.
Helen “Nellie” Taft
William Howard Taft’s wife, Nellie, was a lady of many firsts: first to own and drive a car, first to ride in her husband’s inaugural parade, first to employ African Americans in the White House, first to smoke cigarettes, and first to successfully lobby for safety standards in federal workplaces.
After suffering a stroke early in her husband’s administration, Nellie was forced to dial back her influence. But she still left a tangible legacy of her White House tenure by introducing the famous cherry blossom trees at West Potomac Park.
In 1914, Nellie published her memoirs – another first.
Florence Harding
Educated and adventurous Florence Harding, wife of Warren G., was the first presidential first lady to vote and fly in an airplane.
She’s also credited with having invented the White House “photo op,” embracing the pop culture of her time by inviting movie stars to the White House and screening their films. Despite Prohibition, the Hardings always maintained a well-stocked bar, for which Florence often served as bartender.
A controversial book written by a former FBI agent, “The Strange Death of President Harding,” published six years after Florence’s death, accused her of poisoning her husband during his third year in office.
Lou Hoover
Herbert Hoover met his future wife, Lou, while both were studying geology at Stanford University. She was known as a skilled horsewoman who also hunted and preserved specimens with the skill of a taxidermist,
Lou spoke multiple languages fluently, including Mandarin Chinese, having been caught in the Boxer Rebellion while she and the future president were still newlyweds.
Mrs. Hoover was once mistakenly reported dead; she read her own obituary in a Beijing newspaper.
Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush was the second first lady – after Abigail Adams — to be both the wife and mother of a president.
She was the only first lady to write a memoir from her dog’s perspective. “Millie’s Book” became a #1 New York Times Best Seller in 1990 and described a day in the life of the Bush family, from Oval Office meetings to breaks for squirrel chasing.
Proceeds of the book sales were donated to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Despite her grandmotherly demeanor, Barbara Bush was known for being a straight shooter. In a 1990 speech at Wellesley College, she brought the house down by remarking that some audience member might one day walk in her footsteps as the presidential spouse, “and I wish him well.”
Sing It!
In the spirit of Presidents’ Day, we invite you to remember the strong women who helped shoulder the burden of the highest office in the land. The following song may help:
Sources:
Featured Image: NARA & DVIDS Public Domain Archive
National First Ladies’ Library
The Hermitage
White House History
Smithsonian Magazine
History.com