Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-07-27

WIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS.
Personal Appearance OF the Women VINO
Have Ruled the White HOuee.

WiNES W I''G
persoral Appearance OF the Women Who
Have Ruled the White House.
OF mistresses of the White House
one of the most popular was Mrs.
lanes X. Folk. Like Mrs. Cleveland
she was brunette, and of fine pres
ence. 1t was often remarked that not
A crowned head in Europe could queen
it more royalty than the wife OF the
republican President. Poets penned
verses in her honor, and on the last
Sunday of her stay in Washington
clergyman addressed her from the pull
pit. She was treated with great dis
tinction, and after leaving the White
House was visited every New Years
by the Legislature in body.
Mrs. George Washington also had
dark hazel eyes and brown hair. she
was not beauty, but she had good
form. rather below middle weight. and
her manners were frank and engaging.
She dressed plainly, and at ball given
in her honor she wore simple russell
gown and white handkerchief about
her neck. One of her dresses, which
she herself manufactured, was OF cot
ton, striped with silk, which she OBJ
tanned from rawlings Of brown silk
stockings and old crimson chair COW
ers.
Mrs. Monroe was considered beau
ty. She was tall and gracefully formed,
polished end attractive in society. MIS-.
John Adams was never beautiful, but
she was of imposing appearance and
very intellectual.
Mrs. John Quincy Adams was famed
for her charming manners, and Mrs.
Andrew Jackson for her amiable tenn
per and kind heart. Mrs. Martin Van
Buren,. who died before her husband
became President was pretty woman
with modest, unassuming manners and
gentle disposition.
The first Mrs. Tyler was one of the
bellies of Eastern Virginia. and was
most attractive in her striking lowell
ness of person and character. The sec
ond Mrs. Tyler was the first woman to
marry a President. Before her mar
riage she was, for the one season she
spent there, the belle of Washington.
A sparkling brunette was Mrs. Will
lam Henry Harrison. She was very
handsome, with a face full of ANNA
ton. and her health, which was robust.
added a glow to her features, which
increased her charms. Upon her
countenance," it is recorded, mature
has been profusely liberal"
Mrs. Thomas Jefferson was remarka-
bic for her beauty. Her complexion
was brilliant; her large expressive
eyes of 'the richest tinge of auburn"
A little above medium weight she was
slightly and delicately formed. She
danced, sang, played the spinnet and
harpschord and rode with great skill.
Mrs. James Madison was a pretty.
buxom woman, with smile and
pleasant word for every one. She had
regular features and sparkling eyes.
Mrs. Zachary Taylor was a quiet
woman, but had great strength of char
acter and the true spirit of American
heroines, enduring patiently privation
incident to life on the frontier, where
her husband, as Major Taylor, was
stationed. She had no ambition be-
yond making her home happy.
=
Willard Fillmore, with a skin Of daz-
zlinc wilderness and auburn hair. She
was quite tail, with fine figure and OF
commanding presence. She is ranked
with the wives of the two Adamses as
q learned woman, and it was through
her that her husband asked for and OBJ.
tanned an appropriation of Congress to
buy books for the White House. Up
to that time there had been a Bible
there. and little more.
Another woman of rare beauty was
Mrs. Franklin Pierce. She also had
many accomplishments. She was very
refined and quiet, stunning society.
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln as girl was
very attractive, and she had many
suitors. When she became the mis-
tress of the White House she was
''fair and forty
Mrs. Andrew Jackson possessed the
beauty of face and form which rem
dered her mother one of the most beau
tiful of women. Mrs. Grant was a
blonde, of delicate figure. rather below
middle stature. Mrs. Hayes was of
very attractive appearance. Mrs. Gar
field was noted for her tact, and her
husband once said that he never had to
explain away any words of his wife.
Mrs. Arthur, who died before her
husband became President, was known
as "the beautiful Miss Herndon with
| the marvellous voice" before her mar
| riage.
Mrs. Harrison was fair as girl and
possessed the blonde style Of beauty,
which also belongs to Mrs. Mckinley.
Turkey Raising For Women.