Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-11
HE|REsSEs OF WHITE HOUSE
Example of George Washington
Not Often Followed.
Few Presidents Have Been Rich Men
and Their Wives Have seldom
Brought Them Fortunes-wiI-
son More Fortunate.

The 100000 fortune of Mrs. Norman
edith Bollng) Gait, who Is to be the
next First Lady OF the Land" although
small as fortunes are accounted at the |
present day, would have seemed large
to the former mistresses of the White |
House, for very few Of them were heir
esses.
Most of them, however, were in better
pecuniary circumstances than their
husbands at the time of marriage, for,
while wo-thirds of the presidents were
born in poverty, the majority of their
wives were the daughters OF men in
relatively comfortable circumstances and
of unquestoned standing in their COM
lnunites.
The presidents have been fortunate In
their matrimonial choices, finding gentle
women of sterling character, pleasing
personality and some social advantages.
George Washington, in marrying a
great heiress, set a precedent which few
OF his successors have followed. The
pretty. bright-eyed, little Virginia widow,
Mrs. Gusts. whose lands, slaves dollars
and mansions were inherited from both
her husband and her father, was the
greatest "catch' OF her day. and young
Washington was greatly envied when he
persuaded her to say "yes."
This marriage enabled him to hold his
own among the plutocrats of the time
and to be free from any financial wor-
ries.
HER SENIOR BY 80 YEARS.
The president who next to George
Washington, married most advantageous
ly from financial point of view, was
William Mckinley.
When he married the favorite daugh-
ter Of the rich banker, James A. Sax
ton, he had barely entered upon the
practice of law. and was possessed of
no capital except intelligence, energy,
and character.
Yet such was the respect he had at
tained in the community that Miss
Saxton's neighbors thought she was do
Ing we'll and no one referred to young
Mckinley as a fortune hunter. To him
gift more valuable than money was her
fathers statement. You are the only
man I have ever known to whom I
would give my daughter
Mrs. McKlnley's long invalidism multi
fled to a great extent the influence that
her private resources might have ex-
ercised in the White House during the
four and one-half years she lived there.
Pretty Julia Gardiner, the New York
girl who become the second wife of
President John Tyler. more than 30 years
her senior, eight months before the close
of his term. was an heiress. and this
fact had no little Influence on the So
ciai innovations with which she startled
our ancestors.
The 24-year-old First Lady" had been
educated abroad. and she attempted to
graft the pomp OF royalty upon the sim
pie White House customs wearing a
| headdress which initiated a crown, and
surrounding herself with group OF
maids of honor
DOLLY MADIsON's 16-YEAR REIGN.
! Mrs. Washington. whose wealth could
have added most to the splendors of the
| White House never occupied the man
sion, as it was finished only four months
before the expiration of John Adams's
term. and Mrs. Adams was it's first
| chatelnine.
| 1t was then referred to as the Pal
ace" and each president was expected
to provide for its maintenance and pay
for its Inequalities out of his salary
| of $4,000 a year. At this rate few presi-
dents left the White House as well off
financially as they entered it.
| So meagre We're the appropria tons for
the care and maintenance" of the White
House during the first half of the 18th
century that several presidents departed
from II deeply in debt and nearly all died
poor.
The history OF the first &c years Of the
White House is practically a biography
OF Mrs. Dolly Madison, the handsome
young widow whom the bachelor James
Madison married long after his friends
had regarded him as confirmed in his
| single blessedness.
The first eight years she was the Off
cial hostess for the elderly widower.
President Thomas jefferson, her hus-
band being n member of his cabinet.
Jefferson was rich and his patriotic
prodigality assisted her in uniting the
| warning social factions of the Capital
in the Wilderness" as Washington was
then called.
Mrs. Madison's experience as hostess
for Jefferson was her social education
and the White House was her training
school. and during Madison's own ad-
ministration his wealth likewise helped
greatly in oiling the wheels of the char
lot Of state.
Queen Dolly's' beauty. charm and
wit were the only wealth she brought
her husband. as she was In circum-
stances actually straitened when MGdi-
son married her.
SEVERAL WIFE-MADE MEN.
Several of the presidents in the days
OF their youth and poverty welded girls
no better off than themselves. who not
only shared with courage their hus-
bands small beginnings. but assisted
them to rise.
Among these self made men who were
also to a large extent wife-made men
were John Adams. Andrew Jackson.
Zachary Taylor and Willard Fillmore.
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln might so be
placed In this list.
However. most OF the presidents had
attained to a position of modest com
fort before marrying women who were
real helpmates In effects to further the
aims Of their husbands lives. and shar-
ed their satisfaction In seeing circum-
stances improve as the years passed.
Such was the late Mrs Wilson, who
was, like her husband. the child of n
minister. Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Roosevelt
are women OF this type, and so We're the
wives of Harrison, Garfield. Hayes,
Grant, Pierce and Polk.
Miss Florence Folsom. although of a
family classed as comfortably we'll off,
was not an heiress when she became the