Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-18
FORMER WHITE HOUSE WEDDINGS
Twelve Marriage Ceremonies Have
Been said In Home of Presidents.

Twelve Marriage Ceremonies Have
Been said In Home of Presidents.
WASHINGTON, Feb. I.-Romance and
history have made the White House the
most interesting home in America. OF the
two. romance probably has contributed
more to endear the mansion to the people
men as we'll as women-than history. The
weddings which have taken place within
it's classic portals appeal with keenest in
terest to every true American.
In the century of its history the White
House has been the scene OF twelve we'd
dings That of Miss Roosevelt and Mr..
Longworth today was the largest by far
end in some respects the most notable
wedding that was ever celebrated in the
mansion. Miss Roosevelt was the fourth
daughter of a president of the United
States to be given In marriage in the Off
cial home of the chief executive The list
of 900 guests invited to witness the cere-
mony today is several times larger than
that invited to any previous White House
wedding, and yet the president and Mrs.
Roosevelt might have extended the list
many times without satisfying the desire
of all their friends. The list, therefore,
was made up with the idea of including
on it certain official classes. relatives of
the two families and the intimate personal
friends OF lne DIlut bIOOiIl. AS was "
have been expected, the number of guests
taxed the capacity of the White House TO
the utmost. Prior TO the remodeling of the
interior of the White House three years
ago It would not have been possible to en-
terrain so large a company in the house as
attended todays wedding. That fact prob
ably accounts for the comparatively small
| list of guests at previous weddings.
Thirty-two years ago Ellen w. Grant
who endeared herself to the American
people as Nellie" Grant, one of the best
beloved and most popular of women. be-
came a White House bride The number
Of guests at her wedding was 200, and
writers of the time said that was prac-
| tically all that could have been accommo-
dated comfortably.
Two In MadisOn's Time.
| The first White House wedding took
place during the administration of James
Madison. whose wife was probably the
most popular woman Of her time in Amer
lea. Mrs Madison's youngest sister, Lucy
Payne Washington, was married on the
evening of March IL. 1911, to a widower
who resided in Kentucky. The marriage
was witnessed by important officials and
members OF the diplomatic corps
| Just after the war Of 1872 the second
White House wedding occurred. This also
was In the administration of Madison, the
bride, Miss Anna Todd. being a cousin Of
Mrs. Madison The groom was John C.
Jackson. then member Of the house OF rep
resentatives from Virginia. On account Of
the war society affairs were at low tide in
Washington and the marriage was not so
notable as the first one.
Daughter and son of Presidents.
The wedding of Miss Maria Hester Mon
roe. the first daughter OF a president TO be
married in the White House a dis
tinet disappointment in social way. On
March 9, 1890, she was married in the blue
room TO Samuel Lawrence GOuveneur of
New York, who was acting as private sec