Presiding Ladies of the White House: containing biographical appreciations together with a short history of the Executive mansion and a treatise on its etiquette and customs — John Shaqi
Presiding Ladies of the White House: containing biographical appreciations together with a short history of the Executive mansion and a treatise on its etiquette and customsWoolfall, Lila G. A.
History
Presiding Ladies of the White House: containing biographical appreciations together with a short history of the Executive mansion and a treatise on its etiquette and customs
Woolfall, Lila G. A.
United States -- Biography; White House (Washington, D.C.); Women -- Biography
Lucy Ware Webb was born in Ohio, and married Mr. Hayes in 1852, the union
resulting most happily. During her husband’s military career she often
visited him in the field and endeared herself to the soldiers by her
gracious sympathy. Frank, cordial, hospitable and beautiful, she freely
expressed her pleasure at becoming mistress of the Executive Mansion,
winning many friends by her sunny smile and sincere greeting. She was
very popular, although she displeased a certain few among her guests by
banishing wine from the White House table, thereby gaining strong support
from the temperance advocates. A fine oil painting of her was added by
these adherents to the collection at the Mansion, Frances Willard making
the presentation. During her husband’s administration their silver
wedding was celebrated, the occasion arousing national interest. She did
not long survive her husband, who died at their home in Fremont, Ohio, in
1893.
[Illustration: _LUCY WARE WEBB HAYES_
_Copyright 1903, by Bureau of National Literature & Art._]
Lucretia Randolph Garfield
TWENTIETH PRESIDING LADY
1881
Lucretia Rudolph, born in Hiram, Ohio, married James Abram Garfield
in 1868, soon after he became President of Hiram College, where both
studied. The marriage was ideal, his wife’s intelligent sympathy and
co-operative ability aiding greatly in his advancement to his high
office. Through the terrible ordeal of his assassination, painful
illness and death, Mrs. Garfield was vastly sustained by her power of
self-control. Her short stay at the White House proved her tactful and
cordial in dispensing public and private hospitality, gaining for her the
nation’s love and sympathy in her sorrow. President Garfield’s was the
first mother of a President to reside at the Executive Mansion, although
others had seen their sons thus honored. A fund of over three hundred
and fifty thousand dollars was partially raised for the Garfield family
before the President’s death, and the knowledge of this was a great
comfort to him in his dying moments.
[Illustration: _LUCRETIA RUDOLPH GARFIELD_
_Copyright 1903, by Bureau of National Literature & Art._]
Mary Arthur McElroy
TWENTY-FIRST PRESIDING LADY
1881-1885
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