The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-12-24
LOVES OF THE PRESIDENTS.
How They Oourtcd and Whom They
Married.


1t is curious fnct that the first three
presidents married widows The stories OF
their eourtships abound in romance. George
Washington was colonel ON his way tC
Williamsburg, the old capital of Virginia
when he was stopped by an old planter
friend and asked to stop over night. Ht
replied his business was urgent and stop
page of any kind was impossible. His FRIEND
then cited the virtues and beauties of {
beautiful widow of 26 years in such glowing
terms that Col. Washington decided to take
dinner and see the paragon. He was Sc
delighted that be stayed oil night, and OF
the way back became engaged TO her. Thi!
was Nine. Gusts, whose maiden name wa.
Martha cambridge.
Jefferson's wife had been widow foul
years when she married him, and she wa!
only 81 years old at that time. She was II
years Jefierson's wife, and in that period
had six children by him. She died in 17s2
1t is said that she was much courted, an6
two of Jetferson's rivals met on her door
step day or two before the latter's engage
ment They heard sounds of music within
and soon found that Jefferson was singing
a love song to the young widow while sht
played an accompaniment on the harp
They concluded not to press their suits, and
felt with their love untold
Dolly Madison's parents re Virginia
Quakers, who freed their slaves and went
TO Philadelphia to live. Here, at 10, Dolly
u demure Quakeress, married John Todd, O
Quaker lawyer, who died when she was %,
and left her pretty widow. In less than
year she married again, and this time Mr..
Madison, who was member of Congress.
She was 81 years old when her husband be.
came President.
Andrew Jackson's wife's first husbands
name was Robards, and she was only 1G
years old when she married him. Robards
was n jealous fellow, and of an exceedingly
ugly disposition. Rachel Richards separat.
ed from him, and got what both jackson
and she thought was a valid divorce before
she was married to jackson. She was about
% years old at this time, and the circum-
stances of their union created no general
remark over tho country. Nevertheless,
almost 40 years later, during the campaign
for the presidency, the matter was dug up
and it was charged that Jackson had mar
ried her before she was legally divorced
from Capt Robards. The story IS too long
to repeat hero. 1t is enough to say that
Mrs. jackson was cruelty slandered, anG
hat this was one of the causes of her death.
She was not anxious to come TO Washing
ton, and once said to friend: 81 assure
you l would rather be doorkeeper in the
house of my God than dwell in that place
i'll Washington" Andrew jackson dearly
loved his wife, and there is tradition at
the White House that he never went to bed
without taking loclot holding her picture
from his bosom and propping it up against
his Bible so that it would be the first object
upon which his eyes would rest in the
morning. Andrew jackson was the second
widower President. jefferson camo before
him, and after him came Martin Van Buron,
John Tyler, and Chester A. Arthur.
The first bachelor President the country
had was James Buchanan, who respected
the woman who Tilted him when he was
young man too much to even marry an,
other.
Martin Van Buren, was q groen lawyer
when he married his wife Hannah. She was
of good family, and was few months Older
than her husband The two had gone to
school together as children, and their on.
gagement was o long one. They were mar
/ a 4
would warrant it, Their married lifo like
that of the Jeffersons lasted only 10 years.
When John Tyler married his first wife
he was 23 years old and she was %. He
courted her for five years. "Still," says
his son, Gen. Tyler, he never ventured to
| even kiss her hand until three weeks before
the marriage on his last visit to her prior
to the wedding. John Tyler was at this
time young lawyer, and he had already
served term or two in the Legislature. He
was Governor Tylor's son, and his wife was
one of the flowers of the +. L. VS. She
was an Episcopalian and was beautiful
woman. President Tylor's second wife was
Catholic. She lived with President Tyler
II years and had sons and daughters
President Fillmore was a wool carder and
his wife was school teacher when they
fell in love. Both were poor, and Fillmore,
| after studying law and moving to Buffalo,
did not see his affianced wife for three years.
because he was too poor to pay the fare OF
the $50 miles which lay between them. Mrs.
| Fillmore was two years older than her hus-
band and she was % years old when their
marriage took place. She died in 1853.
President Fillmore survived her 81 years,
and married the woman who 1t is said be-
more was o preachers daughter, and Sc
were Abigail Adams and Mrs. Frank Pierce.
She was the same age as Mrs. Fillmore at
the time of her marriage, and her groom
was member of Congress when he married
her. Mrs. Pierce was somewhat like Mrs
Hayes in the rigid piety with which she OBJ
served Sunday of the White Houss. 1t was
her custom to ask the employees to go to
church. She did not like society and made
the executive mansion as far as possible q
Christian home for her family.
Mrs. Lincoln wore wedding ring given
her by the President, in which was engrav-
ed, "Love is eternal" She was o Ken
lucky girl, who had gone to live with q
sister at Springfield, Ill. Hero sho met
Lincoln, then young lawyer, and tho two
we're married, and began life as boarders,
paying for their accommodation 81 week.
Eliza McCardie was II years old when
she married young North Carolina tailor
who had settled in Grcenville, Tenn. His
name was Andrew join son, and he was just
OF age. She possessed moro learning thar
her husband, and the two worked together
though she did not, as reported, teach him
his letters. When, after many years. he
became President, she was too i'll to do the
donors of the White House, and her daugh.
ter took her place.
Mrs. Julia Dent, President Grants wife,
comes of ON old family, and her great
grandfather was tho encouragement Of
| MARYLAND Gen Grnnt met her Mt ST Touia