Category Archives: A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog

A blog about US Presidents, First Ladies and assorted other nifty folks!

The Six FLOTUS Widows of 1947

In January, 1947,  five (and maybe a “half”) widowed First Ladies were still living.  Frances Folsom Cleveland (1864-1947) Frances Cleveland was a First Lady of many distinctions.  She was First Lady two separate times, during the non-consecutive terms of Grover … Continue reading

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Understanding Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge was the quintessential New Englander: quiet, determined, and living a well ordered life. Meet Calvin Coolidge: The Man Behind the Myth In 1960, more than 25 years after Coolidge’s death, a small volume of essays about him was … Continue reading

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The Abysmal Health of Woodrow Wilson

If his health history had been known in 1912, Woodrow Wilson might never have been nominated. The White House Physician: Cary T. Grayson Shortly after President Woodrow Wilson took the oath of office in 1913, there was a luncheon for … Continue reading

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The Funeral of Dolley Madison: End of an Era

On July 19, 1849, the largest funeral procession ever held in Washington DC till that time, commemorated the life and death of its most popular resident. The Venerable Mrs. Madison Dolley Payne Madison was 81 when she died on July … Continue reading

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Presidents and Christmas Trees

A “traditional” Christmas tree, one that is brought indoors and decorated, is a German custom. The Early Trees While a Christmas tree of sorts has been around since pagan times, beginning in the early nineteenth century, it became a popular … Continue reading

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Theodore Roosevelt: Asthmatic

Theodore Roosevelt could arguably be the poster boy for asthmatic children. Asthma In General: Today Asthma is a medical condition that affects the lungs and airways, making breathing difficult. It can vary between a mild, occasional and annoying problem, or, … Continue reading

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President Grant and the Grant-Pops

Most historians concur that Ulysses S. Grant’s parents were a little eccentric. Grant and His Parents Jesse Root Grant (1794-1873), the father, was born in Pennsylvania and transplanted to Ohio, where he married and raised a family. He was self-educated … Continue reading

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The Bad Deal

One of life’s important lessons is playing “the hand you are dealt” the best way you can. FDR: Several Aces By the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was in his thirties, the hand he was dealt – a patrician-born New … Continue reading

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Saving Mount Vernon for the Ages

Sometimes when men can’t do it, women can. Mount Vernon When George Washington died in 1799, he willed his great estate to Martha, his widow, for the remainder of her life, which was not that long. She died in early … Continue reading

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Benjamin Harrison: Cold Man in the White House

Most politicians excel at the glad-hand. Benjamin Harrison was the exception. BH: POTUS Grandson William Henry Harrison died after only one month as President of the US. His grandson Benjamin Harrison (1832-1901) was only nine years old. His memories were … Continue reading

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