Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-28
Written for the Memphis Appeal
WIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS.

hugh, having become the vile Of the Con-
federste leader. Washington died in 1893,
his widow surviving his death two years.
John Adams married in October, 1854,
Abigail d laughter OF the Rev. William Smith.
She was a woman OF sense and spirit, as is
shown in an anecdote related of her BY Col.
Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Her elder
sister, Mary, became The be,rothed bride oil
young clergyman, a match approved OF BY
her reverend father, VINO asked her TO choose
text for her wedding sermon; whereupon
she selected the words, "Mary hath chosen
the better part, which shall not be taken
from her" Her wild young sister, Abby,
had fancy for a certain Justice Adams,
whom her paternal relative dislikei and
refused to ask to dinner. She declared
that the text for her wedding SER
mon should be, "John came, neither
eating nor drinking, and We say he hath q
devil" She had her way, however, and be-
came the wife of one president and the
mother of another. She wrote excellent let
ters. Her grandson, Charles Francis Adams,
has published selection from those written
during the stormy times OF the Revolution.
She was the first lady of the White. House
the seat of government being removed TO
Washington during her husbands term. She
describes Washington as a desert and the
White House an abode OF the greatest dis
comfort-nc bells, and mol even wood TO be
had for heating the rooms. She used the ia
nous Eastroom as place to hang out her
weeks washing, and declares the whole estab-
lishment unfinished and barren of all con-
venences. She died in 1918, at the age Of
seventy.feur. Jefferson married, in 1772,
Martha Wayles, beautiful and wealthy
voting widow. Her husband, Mr.. SHELTON,
left her childless and POSSESSED OF hand
some fortune. Besides, her father was rich,
and it is needless to say that Mrs. Shelton
was admired and courted far and near. JEFF
ferson carried of the prize, and Il is faid that
two suitors who approached her house went
| away in despair without entering when they
heard her voice blending with the tones of
Jeferson's violin. She is said to have been
lovely, both in person and character, and
after her death, in 1882, he remained unmar-
ried as long as he lived-forty- years.
Madison married, in 1894, Dorothea Payne,
widow OF Mr.. Todd. She was a native OF
North Carolins, Quaker by birth and edu-
| cation, but remarkable for sprightliness, tact,
wit and charm in conversation. She soon threw
| eff the Quaker drab and became leader in
society-briliiant and beloved as well as adj
| mired. Theirs was a childless union. She
survived him thirteen years, dying in 1919
| at the advanced age OF eighty-one. Monroe
married, in 1887, Elizabeth Kortright, of
New York. John Quincy Adams married,
| in 1897, Louisa Catherine johnson, daughter
| of Joshua johnson, American consul In
London. The marriage took place in En-.
gland, where he was then on diplomatic ser
vice. She survived her husband four years,
| dying in 1852. The marrisge of Andrew
| Jackson is a romance. His wife was a
diporcee-Mrs. Richards. She was the daugh-
ter Of the lady with whom he boarded in
| Nashville, her maiden name being Rachel
| Donelsen. Her husband, Lewis Robards, of
kentucky, was jealous, captious, and unkiud
to his wife. They had already separated on
one occasion, and as his treatment had be-
come UNDESIRABLE she decided TO 90 out of his
control, and went on trip to Natches with
| the family of friend. jackson was of the
| party, and Robards entered suit for
divorce. Thinking that the legal pro-
ceedings were complete, she and Jack
son were married In 1871, only to
discover, two years later, that the divorce
had only then been granted, which made
| their previous wedlock illegal. They were
Immediately remarked, but these unfortu-
nate circumstances were ever afterward a
subject of the utmost delicacy with her hus-
band. He never allowed any hand TO touch
the wound. and few into paroxysms of the
widest rage at the slightest allusion to the
honor OF his wife. Many stories are told of
"Aunt Rschels" ignorance; every one knows
| the anecdote of her saying that she had
caught cold because the "gineral had kicked
all the kiver of" Her portrait in the
| library of the capitol in Nashville rep
resents a large, black-eyed woman of very
| luxurianL proportions. She died in 1929.
| and Jackson never recovered the blow; he
| constantly wore her miniature about his
neck, and used with religious reverence in
his nightly devotious the Bible and prayer
books that had once been hers. Van Buren's
| vile died seventeen years before he became
presidents. he married, about 1910, lady
| who died after twelve years of wedlock, leav-
ing four sons. Like Jackson and Jefferson,
| though he lived 10 good old age, he never
married again. HaIrison's wife was Anna
Symmes, daughter of John Cleve, Symmes,
| whose curious theory Of concentric spheres
| was once much talked of. Tyler was
the first of our presidents who mar
ried twice, and the first who married
during Office. His first wife, Leiitia Christi
ana, died 10 the White House iu 1912, aud in
| 1874 he married Julia Gardiner, Of New
York, who still survives. Polk married in
| 1924, when he WAS twenty eight years old,
Sarah Childress, of Murfreesboro. She still
survives, though bowed by the weight of
| years aud infrmities, and ia a resident OF
Nashville. There is custom for the Legis-
lature in a body to pay its respects to the
venerable lady, on which occasions she re-
ceives them with the urbsniIy and elegance
| of the old regime, now forever passed away
Taylor msrried in 1909, Margaret Smith, a
member of one OF the oldest and best fami-
lies in Maryland. Filmore's fret wife was
Abigail, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Pow
ers. She is said to have beef lovely wo-
man, but died from cold caught al The in
auguration of his successor His second
wife, whom he married in 1858, was Caro-
lima McMichael, widow OF Ezekiel McIn.
tosh. She died in 1881, in her seventy-sec-
ond year, leaving most of her property TO
charities, 10 the disgust and chagrin of her
relatives, who are coutesting the will.
Pierce married in 1884, Jane Means Apple
ton. She died in 1868, of consump.
tioD, leaving him utterly alone 10
the world, their three sons hav-
ing predecessed her. Buchanan was
unmarried. Like most old bachelors, his
single life was ascribed TO an early disap-
pointment, whether truly or not cannot be
affirmed. Lincoln was married in 1912 10
Mary Todd, of Springfield, Ill. She was
the daughter OF the Rey. Robert S. Todd, of
Lexington, Ky, who removed to Illinois
She was extremely unpopular at the North.
| Her husbands elevation seems 20 have
completely turned her head. She launched
into the widest e1iravagances, and after his
tragic death lost her balance completely.
She went abroad, but returned home with
mind unsettled and shattered health. She
died in 1882, after lingering illness, and
left world that cared nothing for her.
Johnson's wife, whom he married at eigh-
| teen, taught him to write and cipher. He
| already knew how 10 read. At that time
che evidently was his superior in culture,
but when he became president the state of
her health was alleged as a reason that she
should not follow him to Washington, but
! remain quietly at home in Tennessee. Most
| probably, as is often the case, while she was
fsuckling fools and chronicling small bear"
| he was growing intellectually out OF her
| reach, finally outstrippiug her so en-
| tirely as to think her better off at
home, in which opinion che seems to have
dutifully acQule5ceQ. MIS-. 6rants mAlueR
name was Julia Dent, which is, unluckily,
only too familiar TO our ears since we heard
enough and more than enough OF the Dents
who oficiated in The important roles Of
abrothers-in-law" during her husband's two
terms. She is said TO be blessed with an
oblieuily OF vision which amounts to posi-
tive squint, but refuses to have this defect
corrected Gas Is frequently done BY q slight
| surgical operation), on the plea that "Mr.
Grant fell in love with her with crossed
eve, and crossed il shall remain 10 the end
Of her days Sensible womsni and long may
Mr.. Grant continue to be in love with her,
squint and all. Hayes's wife, Lucy Ware
Webb, whom he married in 1850, is famous
for two reasons-frst, her temperance no.
tons. which SO astonished the nation; and
second, her superiority 10 her husband
Whether she is really superior to him oil
not cannot be exactly known. He was &c
heavy, SO stupid and so devoid of interest
that in sheer desperation everyone ex.
clzimed, "But his wife ia splendid and &
fine character thus indirectly compliment
ing the Sundsy-school statesman himself
in so discriminating a choice. Mrs. Gar
-