Meet the First Ladies.

FIRST LADY TO GEORGE WASHINGTON // #1

WEALTHY WIDOW

UNUSUALLY POWERFUL, AS HER FIRST HUSBAND, FATHER-IN-LAW, AND BROTHER-IN-LAW HAD DIED

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FIRST LADY TO JOHN ADAMS // #2

MOTHER TO JOHN QUINCY ADAMS // #6, WHO THOUGHT HE WOULD “BE DOOMED TO PERPETUAL CELIBACY” BECAUSE OF HER IMPOSSIBLE “REQUISITES” FOR ANYONE HE WOULD MARRY

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WIFE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON // #3

SHE WAS FIRST LADY OF VIRGINIA

BUT DIED NEARLY 20 YEARS BEFORE JEFFERSON’S PRESIDENCY

JEFFERSON WAS HER SECOND HUSBAND

SHE MADE HIM PROMISE NOT TO REMARRY

HE BEGAN CARRYING ON WITH HER HALF-SISTER, SALLY HEMMINGS

AND BY “CARRYING ON”, I MEAN IT PROBABLY WASN’T CONSENTUAL

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FIRST LADY TO JAMES MADISON // #4

HER FIRST HUSBAND AND INFANT DIED ON THE SAME DAY

WAS THE FIRST TO PERFORM “FIRST LADY” TYPE DUTIES — THOUGH THE TERM HADN’T BEEN COINED YET

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FIRST LADY TO JAMES MONROE // #5

ELIZABETH WAS STYLISH AF, BUT JAMES STILL ROCKED THE FOUNDER LOOK (KNEE BREECHES, HOSE, AND BUCKLED SHOES) WHEN OTHER MEN HAD MOVED TO PANTS

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FIRST LADY TO JOHN QUINCY ADAMS // #6

ONE OF ONLY TWO FOREIGN-BORN FIRST LADIES

ONE OF ONLY TWO WEDDINGS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY…? IF I’M WRONG ABOUT THAT, CORRECT ME

WIFE OF ANDREW JACKSON // #7

TRAGICALLY DIED LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER HE WAS ELECTED AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE HE TOOK OFFICE

JACKSON BLAMED JQA’S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

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WIFE OF MARTIN VAN BUREN // #8

LIKE VAN BUREN, HER FIRST LANGUAGE WAS DUTCH

DIED NEARLY TWO DECADES BEFORE HIS PRESIDENCY

HE DIDN’T MENTION HER IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

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FIRST LADY TO WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON // #9 AND GRANDMOTHER TO #23, BENJAMIN HARRISON

MARRIED BEHIND HER FATHER’S BACK. AS HE DISAPPROVED

NEVER LIVED IN THE WHITE HOUSE (HARRISON DIED ONE MONTH INTO OFFICE; SHE HADN’T MADE IT TO WASHINGTON YET)

ALSO OUTLIVED 9/10 OF THEIR KIDS

FIRST FIRST LADY TO JOHN TYLER // #10

AGE APPROPRIATE! JUST ONE YEAR YOUNGER THAN HER HUSBAND

MARRIED FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES

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SECOND FIRST LADY TO JOHN TYLER // #10

THEY BEGAN FLIRTING ON THE TRAGIC U.S.S. PRINCETON VOYAGE THAT KILLED HER FATHER (AND OTHERS)

22-YEAR-OLD JULIA MARRIED THE PRESIDENT (MORE THAN THREE DECADES HER SENIOR) A FEW MONTHS LATER

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FIRST LADY TO JAMES K. POLK // #11

DANCING AND HARD LIQUOR WERE OFF-LIMITS DURING HER TIME AT THE WHITE HOUSE

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FIRST LADY TO ZACHARY TAYLOR // #12

DIDN’T WANT TAYLOR TO GO INTO POLITICS; PRAYED FOR HIS DEFEAT

THEIR DAUGHTER, BETTY, HANDLED FIRST LADY DUTIES

FIRST LADY TO MILLARD FILLMORE // #13

WAS FILLMORE’S TEACHER

ONLY PRE-20TH CENTURY FIRST LADY TO CONTINUE TO WORK AFTER GETTING MARRIED

GOT SICK AT PIERCE’S INAUGURATION AND DIED LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER LEAVING OFFICE

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SECOND WIFE OF MILLARD FILLMORE // #13

WEALTHY WIDOW

THEY MARRIED AT HER HOME, SCHUYLER MANSION IN THE SAME ROOM WHERE ALEXANDER HAMILTON MARRIED ELIZABETH SCHUYLER

(GUESS WHERE I LEARNED THAT?! IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED!)

FILLMORE SIGNED A PRE-NUP

FIRST LADY TO FRANKLIN PIERCE // #14

DIDN’T WANT PIERCE TO GET INTO POLITICS

WHEN THEIR ONLY SURVIVING CHILD WAS KILLED IN A HORRIFIC TRAIN ACCIDENT, SHE TOOK IT AS A SIGN FROM GOD

STAUNCH ABOLITIONIST

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JAMES BUCHANAN // #15

ONLY PRESIDENT TO NEVER MARRY

SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SEE HIS NIECE, WHO PERFORMED FIRST LADY DUTIES

FIRST LADY TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN // #16

ABE AND HIS STAFF SOMETIMES CALLED HER “MRS. PRESIDENT”

… WHICH IS A HUGE DEPARTURE FROM WHAT HER STEPMOM CALLED HER:

“LIMB OF SATAN”

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FIRST LADY TO ANDREW JOHNSON // #17

SHE TAUGHT JOHNSON HOW TO READ, WRITE, ETC.

MARRIED AT 16, MAKING HER THE YOUNGEST TO MARRY A FUTURE PRESIDENT

MARRIED BY ABE LINCOLN’S UNCLE

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FIRST LADY TO ULYSSES S. GRANT // #18

ENGAGED FOR FOUR YEARS, SEEING EACH OTHER ONCE FOR THAT STRETCH

THEIR DADS WEREN’T ON BOARD WITH THEIR MARRIAGE

GRANT’S PARENTS DIDN’T APPROVE THAT HER FAMILY ENSLAVED PEOPLE

AFTER GRANT’S DEATH, SHE BECAME FRIENDS WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS’ WIFE

FIRST LADY TO RUTHERFORD B. HAYES // #19

WHEN SHE WAS TWO, HER ABOLITIONIST FATHER DIED TRAVELING TO FREE THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE HE’D INHERITED

FIRST FIRST LADY WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE

STARTED THE WHITE HOUSE EASTER EGG ROLL TRADITION

FIRST LADY TO JAMES GARFIELD // #20

THEIR EARLY MARRIAGE WAS KINDA LOVELESS

JAMES HAD A FEW AFFAIRS; HE EVENTUALLY CAME CLEAN BLAH BLAH BLAH

EVENTUALLY SHE AND GARFIELD ACTUALLY FELL IN LOVE

FOR REAL

WIFE OF CHESTER ARTHUR // #21

WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD, SHE BEFRIENDED FORMER FIRST LADY DOLLEY MADISON (SEVEN DECADES HER SENIOR)

CHET CALLED HER “MY LITTLE REBEL WIFE” (HE WAS AN ABOLITIONIST AND SHE WAS FROM A SLAVEHOLDING FAMILY)

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FIRST LADY TO GROVER CLEVELAND // #22 & 24

ASKED THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF TO KEEP THINGS IN GOOD SHAPE BECAUSE THEY’D BE BACK

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FIRST LADY TO BENJAMIN HARRISON // #23

TAUGHT MUSIC

ARRANGED TO INSTALL ELECTRICTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT WAS TOO AFRAID TO TOUCH THE LIGHT SWITCHES HERSELF

DIED TWO WEEKS BEFORE HER HUSBAND LOST HIS REELECTION

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SECOND WIFE OF BENJAMIN HARRISON // #23

SHE WAS HIS FIRST WIFE’S NIECE AND MOVED INTO THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER HER HUSBAND DIED

GROSSING OUT HARRISON’S GROWN KIDS, THEY FELL IN LOVE AFTER CAROLINE DIED AND GOT MARRIED

THE KIDS SKIPPED THE WEDDING

SHE OUTLIVED HIM BY ABOUT FIFTY YEARS

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FIRST LADY TO WILLIAM McKINLEY // #25

MISCHIEVOUS, LIVELY, CHARMING, AND BEAUTIFUL

McKINLEY WAS MORE DRAWN TO HER “SOMEWHAT UNLADYLIKE ZEST, IN DEVOURING HER CHICKEN ON WAFFLES”

DRIVEN AND OUTGOING

ENDURED A SERIES OF HEARTBREAKS THAT LEFT HER INJURED AND TRANSFORMED HER LIFE

FIRST WIFE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT // #26

DIED AFTER CHILDBIRTH

ROOSEVELT RARELY SPOKE OF HER AGAIN

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FIRST LADY TO THEODORE ROOSEVELT // #26

THEODORE DIDN’T BELIEVE IN SECOND MARRIAGES AND SURPRISED HIMSELF BY WANTING TO MARRY AGAIN

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FIRST LADY TO WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT // #27

SPENT TIME IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS A TEENAGER AND IT WAS LIFE-CHANGING

DETERMINED TO ONLY MARRY SOMEONE “DESTINED TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES”

TAFT WANTED HER TO BE HIS “SENIOR PARTNER”

SUFFERED A TERRIBLE STROKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS INTO HIS TERM; HAD TO TAKE A YEAR OFF FROM FIRST LADY DUTIES

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FIRST FIRST LADY TO WOODROW WILSON // #28

THEY FIRST MET WHEN HE WAS 6 YEARS OLD (ELLEN WAS JUST A BABY)

GIFTED ARTIST

SECOND FIRST LADY TO WOODROW WILSON // #28

NEWLY WIDOWED WILSON FELL HARD FOR EDITH (HERSELF A WIDOW) QUICKLY

RECEIVED THE FIRST DRIVER’S LICENSE ISSUED TO A WOMAN IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WAS BASICALLY PRESIDENT SECRETLY FOR A BIT AFTER WILSON’S SECRET HEALTH ISSUES
(“GOVERNMENT BY PETTICOAT”)

HELD SÉANCES AFTER WILSON DIED TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM

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FIRST LADY TO WARREN G. HARDING // #29

FROM ONE OF MARION, OHIO’S RICHEST FAMILIES

REBELLED AGAINST HER OVERBEARING DAD, AND GOT PREGNANT WITH THE TOWN DRUNK

ENDED UP DESTITUTE

TAUGHT HARDING’S SISTER PIANO

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FIRST LADY TO CALVIN COOLIDGE // #30

WHEN HER MOM SUGGESTED SHE DELAY HER WEDDING UNTIL SHE’D HAD A YEAR OF WORK EXPERIENCE OR KNEW HOW TO BAKE BREAD, COOLIDGE SNAPPED “WE WILL BUY BREAD!”

LOVED ANIMALS, MUSIC, AND CHILDREN

HAD A PET RACCOON NAMED REBECCA

FIRST LADY TO HERBERT HOOVER // #31

LOU WAS BAD ASS

WELL-READ, ADVENTUROUS, AND BRILLIANT

GRADUATED WITH THE SAME GEOLOGY DEGREE AS HER HUSBAND, BUT WITH HIGHER HONORS

SPOKE TO HOOVER IN CHINESE WHEN THEY WANTED TO TALK WITHOUT ANYONE LISTENING IN

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FIRST LADY TO FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT // #32

HER UNCLE, THEODORE ROOSEVELT, WALKED HER DOWN THE AISLE

DURING THE DEPRESSION, SHE WAS QUOTED IN AN ARTICLE TITLED “HOW TO SAVE IN BIG HOMES”… MUCH TO HER AND FDR’S EMBARRASSMENT.

(THE QUOTE AND HIS RESPONSE ARE PRICELESS. I’LL NEED TO SHARE THIS IN THE FUTURE.)

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FIRST LADY TO HARRY S TRUMAN // #33

LONGEST LIVING FIRST LADY; DIED AT 97

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FIRST LADY TO DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER // #34

FIRST LADY TO JOHN F. KENNEDY // #35

WOULD GIVE A “PBO’ WHEN SHE DIDN’T WANT TO DO SOMETHING — “POLITE BRUSH-OFF”

ASKED LBJ TO NAME THE SPACE CENTER AFTER JFK

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FIRST LADY TO LYNDON B. JOHNSON // #36

EARNED A DOUBLE-DEGREE - HISTORY AND JOURNALISM

FIRST LADY TO RICHARD NIXON // #37

USED TO BOBSLED WITH THE TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS WHERE SHE WORKED

NIXON PROPOSED THE DAY THEY MET

IT TOOK HIM A WHILE TO GET HER TO AGREE; IN THE MEANTIME, HE DROVE HER TO DATES WITH OTHER GUYS

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FIRST LADY TO GERALD FORD // #38

HELPED REDUCE THE STIGMA OF BOTH BREAST CANCER AND ADDICTION

CHRONICALLY TARDY, THE STAFF REFERRED TO HER AS “THE LATE BETTY FORD”

HER APPROVAL RATING WAS HIGHER THAN HIS; CAMPAIGN BUTTONS SAID “BETTY’S HUSBAND FOR PRESIDENT IN ‘76”

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FIRST LADY TO JIMMY CARTER // #39

THEY WERE NEIGHBORS WHEN SHE WAS A BABY

LONGEST PRESIDENTIAL MARRIAGE

BELIEVED MENTAL HEALTH WAS AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH

WORKED HER BUTT OFF TO GET A BILL PASSED INTO LAW ABOUT IT. THREE MONTHS LATER, REAGAN TOOK OVER AND STRIPPED AWAY THE FUNDING

FIRST WIFE OF RONALD REAGAN // #40

(HE WAS HER THIRD OF FOUR HUSBANDS; SHE WAS MARRIED FIVE TIMES)

SHE AND REAGAN MARRIED IN “WEE KIRK O’ THE HEATHER”, A MEMORIAL PARK

ACTRESS

THEY BEGAN TO DRIFT APART…. THEN IN THE SAME MONTH, HE NEARLY DIED OF VIRAL PNEUMONIA AND SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A PREMATURE DAUGHTER WHO ONLY LIVED 9 HOURS

THEY SPLIT SOON AFTER

FIRST LADY TO RONALD REAGAN // #40

AFTER RONNIE NEARLY DIED FROM AN ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION, NANCY BEGAN CONSULTING THE STARS AND PLANNING HIS SCHEDULE AROUND ASTROLOGY

FIRST LADY TO GEORGE H. W. BUSH // #41

MOTHER TO GEORGE W. BUSH // #43

FIRST LADY TO GEORGE W. BUSH // #43

ONLY FIRST LADY WITH TWINS

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FIRST LADY TO BARACK OBAMA // #44

THEY MET AT WORK: HE FELL FOR HER QUICKLY; SHE WAS SKEPTICAL

SHE TURNED HIM DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE SHE WAS HIS BOSS

AMONG MY FAVORITE FIRST LADIES

FIRST WIFE OF DONALD TRUMP // #45

MARRIED TO ONE OF TWO PRESIDENTS WITH FOREIGN-BORN WIVES (IN THIS CASE, TWO FOREIGN-BORN WIVES)

FIRST EX-WIFE OF A PRESIDENT TO PREDECEASE HER EX

SECOND WIFE OF DONALD TRUMP // #45

FIRST LADY TO DONALD TRUMP // #45

FIRST WIFE OF JOE BIDEN // #46

FIRST LADY TO JOE BIDEN // #46

DAUGHTER OF THOMAS JEFFERSON

NIECE OF ANDREW JACKSON // #7

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF ANDREW JACKSON // #7

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF MARTIN VAN BUREN // #8

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON // #9

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER // #10

DAUGHTER OF ZACHARY TAYLOR // #12

NIECE OF OUR ONLY BACHELOR PRESIDENT

JAMES BUCHANAN // #15

THE TERM “FIRST LADY” WAS FIRST USED WITH HARRIET

DAUGHTER OF ANDREW JOHNSON // #17

SISTER OF CHESTER ARTHUR // #21

FIRST LADY TO GROVER CLEVELAND // #22 & 24

GROVER’S SISTER

THEIR UNCLE LEWIS SAID SHE “INHERITED THE BRAINS OF THE FAMILY”

IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A WEALTHY WIDOW UNTIL ROSE DIED FROM THE SPANISH FLU

DAUGHTER TO BENJAMIN HARRISON // #23

DAUGHTER OF WOODROW WILSON // #28