Evening star., 1928-10-26

Until Mrs. Millard Fillmore went to
the White House that mansion was en-
, tirely destitute of books. 1t was due to
her that President Fillmore sought and
obtained from Congress an approprla-
ton by which pleasant room on the
second floor was fitted out as library.
All her life she had been a great
reader and student. Accustomed to sur
round herself with volumes of reference,
maps and current periodicals, with
which she spent long hours, she would
have been as lost on a desert island as
in bookless White House. Once the
library was complete, it became her
favorite refuge.
She was perhaps the most remark
able of the wives of Presidents. She
carved her own fortune and, it is to be
suspected, large share OF Millard Fill
more'S.
Life offered her little ease until her
time was almoct spent. Unusual among
the women of her day, she not only
supported herself long before she was
married, but long after, too, in order
that her husband might be unhampered
in pursuing his career. She was older
than he, and probably wiser when they
first met.
Their union had aspects full one
LluIluI6O years dIlcdO VI CIlCA OAAlC'
She Is described as fair woman OF
commanding person, blending beauty
and strength. Her portrait shows a
face of great strength and firmnesS.
She had been Abigail Powers, young
est child of Lemuel Powers, a Baptist
minister of Saltwater, Saratoga County
N. Y, and was born in March, 1798
DR.. Powers died while she was only a
baby. His widow, her income small
moved to Cayuga County to a pioneer
ing community, and here, while mere
GIRL the future First Lady of the Land
became teacher. She carried on her
| instructions in the Summer in order to
pay her own tuition during the Winter
Her mother married again. There
after she shared the home of relative
| She now taught school regularly And
/ in her new existence romance came to
| her.
In the relatives house she met
Millard Fillmore. He was the son of a
Cayuga County farmer. He was two
ars younger than she. and had been
apnrenticed to a clothier. But he had
ambitions He wanted to be lawyer.
| He was educating himself, and during
the Winter months taught school,
1t is impossible to tell how great
part Abigail Powers played in his early
plans. When they met he was not yet
20. He was too poor to buy out of his
apprenticeship. He was not wholly cer-
tain of himself. Even after he had
started to study law he had doubts
which made him desire to return to his
trade. He could not glimpse the future.
But he saw in this woman, who had
so long been cast upon her own re-
sources, charm and culture which
warmed his imagination. AS for her,
she foresaw that he had rare qualifica-
ticns. When a friend helped him to
buy his time" and an opportunity
opened for him in Erie County she
urged him to go. They were engaged
but had no money with which to marry
He went away alone. Doubtless Abigail
Powers had misgivings. She concealed
them.
And indeed for three years they did
not lay eyes upon each other. He was
too poor to travel the $50 miles that
separated them.
In February, 1925, fortune had smiled
sufficiently. They were married in the
home of her brother, Judge Powers, In
Moravia. He was 26, she was %.
In small house which Fillmore built
with his own hands they began house.
keeping. But ambition filled her soul.
While she kept house she resumed her
work as teacher. She was determined
| to be no burden on her husband while
he made good at the law.
Reward came rapidly. Fillmore's
practice began to spread. In two years
he was a member Of the State Legisla-
ture. laying the foundations of his
political career.
A contemporary biographer says that
Mrs. Fillmore was the wings by which
her husband scared so high" Undoubt-
edly he owed much to her wisdom and
determination, and probably his sue
cessful administration as Chief Execu-
tive after the death of Rough and
Ready" Zachary Taylor was in great
measure due to her.
A sister died just as she entered the
White House. About this time, too, her