First Ladies of the United States
|
First Lady |
President | Interesting Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Martha Dandridge Custis Washington | George Washington | Burned all correspondence between herself and her husband before her death |
| Abigail Smith Adams | John Adams | Highly respected and intelligent as seen by correspondence between herself and both her husband and Thomas Jefferson |
| None. Wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson died before he took office. | Thomas Jefferson | Martha was extremely wealthy and Jefferson was heartbroken when she died. |
| Dolley Payne Todd Madison | James Madison | Well-loved first lady credited with saving many national treasures when Washington was under attack during the War of 1812 |
| Elizabeth Kortright Monroe | James Monroe | Often ill and disliked as first lady, especially after the popular Dolley Madison |
| Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams | John Quincy Adams | Only foreign-born first lady |
| Rachel Robards Jackson | Andrew Jackson | Had been married before and marriage was not legally ended when she married Jackson causing much scandal |
| Hannah Hoes Van Buren | Martin Van Buren | Not much is known but she was deeply religious |
| Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison | William Henry Harrison | Never actually occupied the White House because her husband died before she arrived |
| (1)Letitia Christian Tyler (2)Julia Gardiner Tyler | John Tyler | Letitia died while Tyler was in office; Julia became the first woman to be married to a sitting president |
| Sarah Childress Polk | James Knox Polk | Well respected first lady who was noted for her sobriety and tactful conversation |
| Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor | Zachary Taylor | Did not enjoy being first lady and would not attend any formal social occasions |
| Abigail Powers Fillmore | Millard Fillmore | Had a deep love of learning and was a major part in the creation of the White House library |
| Jane Means Appleton Pierce | Franklin Pierce | Was very religious and spent most of her time in the White House in grief over her youngest son's death |
| None | James Buchanan | Buchanan's ward, Harriet Lane, served as first lady |
| Mary Ann Todd Lincoln | Abraham Lincoln | Was unpopular as first lady and had a mental illness diagnosed as "cerebral disease" after her death |
| Eliza McCardle Johnson | Andrew Johnson | Was an invalid throughout Johnson's presidency |
| Julia Boggs Dent Grant | Ulysses S Grant | Gracious first lady who helped refurbish the White House |
| Lucy Ware Webb Hayes | Rutherford B. Hayes | Staunch opponent of slavery who was nicknamed "Lemonde Lucy" for banning alcohol at the White House |
| Lucretia Rudolph Garfield | James Garfield | Was reluctant to be first lady and was known for talking with her husband and the press about political issues |
| None. Wife Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur died before he took office. | Chester A Arthur | Arthur's sister acted as the unofficial first lady |
| Frances Folsom Cleveland | Grover Cleveland | Cleveland married Frances while president and she became an instant celebrity and trendsetter |
| Caroline Lavinia Harrison | Benjamin Harrison | Was active as first lady performing major renovations and acting as a huge advocate for women's rights |
| Ida Saxton McKinley | William McKinley | Was an epileptic and suffered through many illnesses during her time as first lady |
| Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt | Theodore Roosevelt | Roosevelt's second wife, Edith was an active first lady who remodeled the White House |
| Helen "Nellie" Herron Taft | William Howard Taft | Had a stroke while first lady yet continued to serve at functions throughout Taft's term in office |
| (1)Ellen Louise Axton Wilson (2)Edith Bolling Galt Wilson | Woodrow Wilson | Took control of the presidency after husband had a stroke in office |
| Florence Mabel Kling DeWolfe Harding | Warren G. Harding | Was a good businesswoman who helped Harding become president |
| Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge | Calvin Coolidge | Very popular first lady who gracefully dealt with the death of her son Calvin Jr. while Coolidge was in office |
| Lou Henry Hoover | Herbert Clark Hoover | Very involved in the Girl Scouts and spent time as first lady restoring White House rooms |
| Anna Eleanor Roosevelt | Franklin D. Roosevelt | Used her position as first lady to advance important causes such as civil rights and women's rights |
| Elizabeth "Bess" Virginia Wallace Truman | Harry S Truman | Spent as little time as possible in Washington, not relishing her role as first lady |
| Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower | Dwight D. Eisenhower | Very popular first lady who held many state dinners for heads of state |
| Jacqueline "Jackie" Lee Bouvier Kennedy | John F. Kennedy | Known for her fashion sense and poise, she spent much of her time as first lady restoring the White House |
| Claudia Alta Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson | Lyndon B. Johnson | Her pet project while first lady was helping improve the way America looked through her beautification program |
| Thelma Catherine Patricia "Pat" Ryan Nixon | Richard M. Nixon | Espoused volunteerism as her pet project along with continuing the restoration of the White House |
| Elizabeth "Betty" Anne Bloomer Ford | Gerald R. Ford | Spoke openly about personal issues including seeing a psychiatrist and dealing with breast cancer |
| Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter | Jimmy Carter | One of her husbands closest advisors, sitting in on many cabinet meetings |
| Nancy Davis Reagan | Ronald Reagan | Caused controversy after purchasing new china for the White House during a nationwide depression |
| Barbara Pierce Bush | George H. W. Bush | Well-loved first lady who advocated for many causes including AIDS awareness, homelessness, and literacy |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | Bill Clinton | Powerful first lady who advocated nationalized health insurance along with rights for women and children around the world |
| Laura Welch Bush | George W. Bush | Former librarian who has spent her time championing education issues including literacy |
| Michelle Robinson Obama | Barack Obama | While still early in her tenure as first lady, Michelle Obama has stated that she has an interest in helping working and military families. |
