The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-07-14
''CIoSe Up" View Of
Mrs. Harding, Next
Lady Of White House

Marion. O. July l4.--Mrs. Warren &,
! Harding. wife OF the Republican pres
>dcnt!al nominee, was born and reared
! tor Harding IN the house on Mt. Vernon
! avenue. where the HarolnEs now live.
While few residents Of Marion say
they ever thought OF Warren harding:
when a boy. AS president Of the United
States. many OF them. and particularly
! the women, say they pictured Mrs
! Harding as the first lady of the land.
| Many OF Mrs. Harding's girlhood
chums arc sttll living in Marion. They
! all speak OF her as Florence" She
! meyer had u nickname. they say. but
! Most everyone spoke of her when =
! SRI as "tomhoy." '"HaEum- Scarum,
: stubborn" Jolly" or daredevil"
One thing is certain, however-Mar'
ion women are roofing for Mrs. Hard.
/ ing They are roofing for her. they
: say. because she has a mind of heI
! own. generally manages to get what she
wants. is thoroughly democratic. likes
! 10 give and go 10 parties. is interested
| how 10 talk 20 everyone. GncludinG
! meu) and once she knows you. 81" al
, ways knows you.'
Mrs. Harding in Marion has repu.
| tation OF being a real woman Many
residents congratulate Warren Harding
! more on his wife than his political ca
! reer and some Of them who arc roofing
| a little harder than others for her say
| she is the real power behind she
| throne"
Mrs. Harding was born August 70
! 1850. and is i've years Senator Herd
| ings senior She attended the public
| schools and high school in Marion and
! aftcrward studied music at the Cincin'
! girl she is known In Marion as having
| preferred 10 play with boys than girls
! Many recall her dressed in fun skirt
and parialettes Of the time and picture
| her with one pantalette up and the 9TH
er down"
I FLORENCE Killing Mrs. harding
name before her marriage was one Of
| tho greatest horsewomen | have ever
seen" said Mrs. Margaret iounkins, a
| Mariopitc. who has known Mrs. Hard
ing since her childhood. she rode anc
| drove more like man than girl"
| Mrs. iounkins says Florence cou!c
curry horse. hitch ur Rnd drive just
as well as any man. Marion was more
| accustomed to seeing Florence kltng
| daShng madly UP the street on Billy
her saddle horse. than walking demure'
" along like the other girls OF her set
J she added.
Dombaugh. girlhood friends Of Mrs
| Harding. both attested TO the fact thai
she had a Will OF her own" and told
Of the days when they piled into Flor
| ence'S phaet0n ana ToNG win peEleC'
confidence behind Florcnce's speed!
! Billy"
/ Residents Of Marion still talks OF the
! displeaSure Of her father. Amos King
! over her hrs, marriage 10 Henry De
Wolfe and her husbands death. Mrs
| Harding's two grandchildren are George
J Warren and Jean Dc Wolfe OF Marion
Warren and Florence Harding wer'
! married in their present home on MI
| Vernon avenue. For more than J. year:
until illness prevented. Mrs. Harding
was circulation manager Of The star
! her husbands newspaper In addition
she was the registration bureau OF com
| plants. advertising manager and ans"
! to the newsboys
| When Mrs Harding returns 10 Mar
| ION and meets any Of the boys whc
! carried papers for Senator Harding
when she was circulation manager she
. pats them on the back. il Is said, anc
remarks: Here is one OF my boys-h'
! will be famous some day.
! Mrs Harding has been a member o'
! The Twigs. ard club OF Marion foi
many years.