Tag Archives: First Lady History

General Ike’s Last Mission

But The General’s Health… …was not very good. He had suffered a few aches and pains and illnesses during his first six decades. But they were nothing out of the ordinary for a man his age, and with the great … Continue reading

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Julia Grant’s Bad Hat Story

Julia, The Plain Child Julia Dent (1826-1902) was the fourth of eight children (one died in infancy) born to Frederick W. Dent and Ellen Bray Wrenshall. Four boys and four girls. In that order. Colonel Dent (an honorary title) was … Continue reading

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Dolley Madison: Decorating the White House

Dolley Madison was 41 years old when she became First Lady in 1809… But… For eight years prior to 1809, she served frequently as de facto FLOTUS for President Thomas Jefferson, a widower. Even prior to the Jefferson Administration, Dolley … Continue reading

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The First Burial of Willie Lincoln

Willie Lincoln was 11 when he died in the White House. Willie. In December, 1850, ten months after his sickly four year old brother Edward Baker Lincoln died, William Wallace Lincoln was born. He was the third son born to … Continue reading

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Nellie Taft and the Philippine Band

Helen Herron Taft’s happiest years were in the Philippines. The Manila Years In 1900 Helen Herron Taft (1861-1943), married and mother of three, traveled to Manila, where she spent the next few years. Her husband of 15 years had been … Continue reading

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FDR 1941: The Christmas Houseguest

On December 6, 1941, the US was an isolationist country. That changed on December 7. The Storm Clouds War had been looming throughout Europe for nearly a decade. Japan had been making belligerent noises in Asia for more than a … Continue reading

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Abraham Lincoln and the Christmas Turkey

All the Lincolns were very fond of animals. The Lincoln Family Pets In the mid-1850s, the Lincoln Family of Springfield, IL had a dog named Fido. He was likely what people would call a mutt, or a mixed breed, but … Continue reading

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The Great White Jail

“The White House is the finest prison in the world.” Harry S Truman. The White House Paradox The White House, or the Executive Mansion, is undoubtedly the finest residence the country has to offer the President of the United States, … Continue reading

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Martha and Abigail: Habits of Friendship…

Martha Washington and Abigail Adams are arguably the most prominent women of the last quarter of the 18th century. An Unlikely Friendship The likelihood that Martha Washington (1731-1802) would even meet Abigail Adams (1744-1818) would have been considered remote in … Continue reading

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George Washington and the Purloined Packet

Delivering the Mail Written communication i.e. letters, documents, newspapers, etc., was not nearly as common in early colonial times as it would become in later generations. First of all, literacy. A large percentage of people could not read or write. … Continue reading

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