Abigail Fillmore

Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Abigail Fillmore (Template:Née; March 13, 1798 – March 30, 1853) was the first lady of the United States from 1850 to 1853 as the first wife of President Millard Fillmore. She began work as a schoolteacher at the age of 16, where she took on Millard Fillmore, who was two years her junior, as a student. Fillmore continued her teaching work after their marriage in 1826 until the birth of their son Millard Powers Fillmore in 1828. She lived in Buffalo, New York, while her husband advanced his political career in Albany, New York, and Washington, D.C. She would occasionally join him in these cities, becoming involved in local social life. She became the second lady of the United States in 1849 after her husband was elected vice president on the Whig Party presidential ticket, and she became the first lady of the United States in 1850 after her husband succeeded to the presidency.

Fillmore's most noted achievement as first lady was the establishment of the first White House Library. She had a lifelong appreciation for literature and refused to live in a home without books. The library became a popular reception room in the White House and functioned as the home of a literary salon. She was also involved in the political aspects of the presidency, and her husband often sought her opinion on state affairs. Fillmore took less interest in the role of White House hostess, and suffered from ailments that prevented her from carrying out some of her duties, including an injured ankle that limited her mobility. Many of her social responsibilities were delegated to her daughter Mary Abigail Fillmore. Fillmore died of pneumonia in 1853, less than a week after the end of her tenure as first lady. She has received little historical attention; she is considered one of the most obscure first ladies, and much of her correspondences are lost.

Early life and education

Abigail Powers was born in Stillwater, New York, on March 13, 1798, in Saratoga County.<ref name="NFLL" /> She was the youngest of seven children born to Reverend Lemuel Powers and Abigail Newland. Her father was the leader of the First Baptist Church until he died when she was two years old. After Lemuel's death, the family moved to Sempronius, New York.<ref name="Sibley">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp They moved in with Abigail's older brother Cyrus Powers because of their impoverished state. Her father had left behind a large library of his personal books, which Abigail read extensively.<ref name="NFLL" /> Her mother was a schoolteacher who used these books to teach her to read and to appreciate her education.<ref name="Watson">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp She came to love literature and also became proficient in other subjects such as math, government, history, philosophy, and geography.<ref name="NFLL">Template:Cite web</ref> She was also made familiar with abolitionism as a child, as the Baptist faith opposed slavery and her family was friends with local abolitionist George Washington Jonson.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp

Powers began a career as a schoolteacher at the age of 16, which would eventually make her the first first lady to have previously pursued a career.<ref name="Foster">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1814, Abigail became a part-time school teacher at the Sempronius Village school. In 1817, she became a full-time teacher, and in 1819, she took on another teaching job at the private New Hope Academy.<ref name="NFLL" /> She advanced her own education by alternating her teaching and her studies at the school.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She continued studying further subjects after leaving school, learning to speak French and play the piano.<ref name="Caroli">Template:Cite book</ref>

Marriage and family

While teaching at New Hope Academy, she took on Millard Fillmore as a student.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp They were engaged in 1819, but they did not marry for several years.<ref name="Roberts">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Millard was not wealthy enough to support a family, and Abigail's family discouraged her from marrying the son of a dirt farmer.<ref name="Schneider">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp They remained in contact as they pursued separate teaching careers over the following years.<ref name="Longo">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1824, she became a private tutor in Lisle to three of her cousins. She was then asked to open up a private school in Broome County; she opened the school, and in 1825, she went back to Sempronius to teach in her original position,<ref name="NFLL" /> where she would found a library.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp While they were apart, they once went as long as three years without seeing one another.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp

Abigail and Millard married in her brother's house in Moravia, New York, on February 5, 1826, after Millard had become an attorney,<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp and they moved to East Aurora, New York.<ref name="Schneider" />Template:Rp Though women teachers were often expected to resign after marriage, Abigail continued to teach until she had children.<ref name="Longo" /> The Fillmores had two children: their son Millard Powers Fillmore was born in 1828, and their daughter Mary Abigail "Abbie" Fillmore was born in 1832.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp In 1830, they moved to Buffalo, New York, which Millard helped establish. He was a member of the New York State Assembly at this time, and Abigail was responsible for tending to the house and children on her own while he was away for work.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She would often lament his absences, fearing he would meet a new woman while he was away.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp While in Buffalo, they joined the local Unitarian Church.<ref name="Schneider" />Template:Rp Millard also started a law practice in the city, and its success brought the Fillmores a comfortable life with financial security.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp She saw to the construction of Buffalo's first public library, and she grew her own personal collection until it reached 4,000 books.<ref name="Longo" /> She was also responsible for naming the town of Newstead, New York, in 1831, suggesting the name in reference to the home of Lord Byron.<ref name ="Parisian">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp

Washington, D.C., and Albany, New York

Millard was elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives in 1832, and Abigail stayed in Buffalo while he was in Washington, D.C. He stepped down in 1834, but he was elected again in 1836, and this time Abigail accompanied him to Washington, leaving the children with relatives in New York. Here she would fulfill the social obligations of a politician's wife, and she also sought out cultural and academic institutions in the city.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp They would continue with this routine each time Congress was in session for the following years. She would write to her children regularly while away, often encouraging self-improvement and scolding them for spelling errors in their replies.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp

Abigail was well regarded in Washington social life. In 1840 she was asked to dedicate a building; it was a rare honor for a woman at the time, though she declined.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp While in Washington, she sat in on a Senate debate by Henry Clay in 1837 and met Charles Dickens in 1842.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp They returned to Buffalo after Millard left Congress in 1842, and Abigail became a popular hostess in the city. When Millard was elected New York State Comptroller, the family moved to Albany, New York, and she became involved with the social life there.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp While she held fashionable society in contempt, she enjoyed observing people's behavior and attending parties.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp The Fillmores separated from their children again while in Albany, this time sending them away to Massachusetts.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp

On Independence Day of 1842, she sustained an injury in her ankle.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp While walking on an uneven sidewalk, she slipped and twisted her ankle severely enough that she was unable to walk for two weeks. When she began walking, it further inflamed her foot. She was bedridden until winter and confined to her room for several months thereafter. For the following two years, she would be forced to walk using crutches. The injury never fully healed, and she suffered from chronic pain for the rest of her life.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp

Fillmore became a prominent figure when her husband was nominated as the Whig candidate for vice president in the 1848 presidential election, and she became known to the public through a flattering description in The American Review. The Whig ticket was elected, and Abigail became the second lady of the United States on March 4, 1849.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp Her health made a return to Washington undesirable, and she remained in Buffalo.<ref name="Schneider" />Template:Rp Abigail found social life in Washington uninteresting,<ref name="Foster" /> and spent much of her time as second lady tending to her sister, who had had a stroke.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She briefly visited Washington to see her husband in 1850.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp Being the second lady meant being involved with high-profile social circles, and she expressed joy at interacting with prominent authors of the day, such as Ann S. Stephens, Lydia Sigourney, and Emma Willard.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp

First Lady of the United States

President Zachary Taylor died on July 9, 1850, causing Millard to become president and Abigail to become his first lady.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp Abigail was on vacation in New Jersey with her children when President Taylor died. Discovering that she was to be the first lady gave her self-doubt, believing that she would not serve sufficiently.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp Fillmore had become comfortable in domestic life, and was apprehensive about the expectations that had been placed suddenly upon her.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp She arrived at the White House the following October.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Her sister's death in February 1851 caused her considerable grief.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp

Within the White House, Fillmore was an active first lady who hosted many social events.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She was an active conversationalist, though did not enjoy the social aspects of the role. Fillmore considered most guests to be "cave dwellers" and found they had little interest in her intellectual pursuits.<ref name="Caroli" /> She would often go on coach rides with her husband around Washington and the surrounding countryside.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp Fillmore also took advantage of the cultural elements of Washington while serving as first lady, regularly attending art exhibitions and concerts, breaking precedent by traveling without her husband.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp In the summers, she would return to New York to visit friends and family.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp

The Fillmores had come from poverty, and as such they had little interest in elaborate decoration or refurnishing. Unlike many first ladies, Abigail did not extensively redecorate the White House upon entering. Instead, she designed the White House interior in the style of a middle-class home. She did, however, emphasize the use of mahogany and fine carpets.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp She also oversaw the expansion of the White House heating system and had a kitchen stove installed to replace the practice of cooking by fireplace.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp

Abigail and Millard corresponded regularly when they were apart. Their letters often concerned politics, and she would write back offering him advice and counsel on political matters.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp She closely followed bills in Congress and other political news, and she was able to discuss them in detail.<ref name="Caroli" /> He valued her opinion, and he reportedly never made any important decision without first consulting her. Abigail may have advised her husband not to sign the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, though he eventually did.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp She may have also encouraged him to end the practice of flogging as a punishment in the Navy.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp Abigail would regularly receive letters from citizens asking her to speak to the president on their behalf, particularly from charities asking for donations and people asking for political patronage. One such individual was her brother David, who received a position in the Fillmore administration.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp

Due to her poor health, Fillmore delegated many of her duties to her daughter Abbie, who was responsible for meeting with callers outside of the White House.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp Her ankle injury further complicated her role as White House hostess, and she would often be bedridden for a day after standing for hours to manage a long receiving line.<ref name="Caroli" /> By the end of the Fillmore presidency, Abbie carried out most of the social aspects of the role.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp One particular incident that prevented Fillmore from carrying out her duties was a second injury to her ankle in 1851 that left her incapacitated for weeks.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She was also relieved from further responsibilities due to the more reserved nature of social life at the White House caused by President Taylor's death and growing political polarization.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp

White House library

Template:Further When Abigail first moved into the White House, she was reportedly appalled at the fact that there was no library in it.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp Previous presidents had brought their own private book collections to the White House, retaining them after the end of their presidencies. The Fillmores decided that a library was a necessary fixture in the White House, as Abigail was accustomed to having books in the home and Millard depended on reference books in his work as president.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp With $2,000 (Template:Inflation) authorized by Congress, she selected books for a White House library in the Oval Room.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp Abigail took responsibility for the organization and decoration of the room.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp She modeled the room after the style of Andrew Jackson Downing, using cottage furniture with walnut frames.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp Whenever new packages of books arrived, she would personally open them and place the books.<ref name="Foster" />

The library became a social hub of the White House during the Fillmore administration. Abigail hosted writers such as William Thackeray, Charles Dickens, Washington Irving,<ref name="Roberts" />[[Washington Irving|Template:Rp]] and Helen Aldrich De Kroyft and performance artists such as Anna Bishop<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp and Jenny Lind, essentially creating a White House literary salon.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp This library became her primary focus as first lady, with it serving as a reception room, a family room, and a place of rest for her husband.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp It also doubled as a music room, with Abbie using the room to play piano, harp, and guitar. Abigail spent a large portion of her time as first lady in her library, and Millard often spent an hour in the library at night after leaving the executive chamber.<ref name="Parisian" />Template:Rp

Death

Gravesite of Abigail Powers, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York

Abigail was the first first lady to attend the inauguration of her successor. After leaving the White House, she and her husband had begun planning travel. Their plans were interrupted when she fell ill. What started as a cold became bronchitis and then pneumonia.<ref name="Roberts" />Template:Rp When a doctor was called, he used an ineffective cupping and blistering technique that may have worsened her health.<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp She died of her illness in the Willard Hotel on March 30, 1853, aged 55. She was laid in state in Washington<ref name=":1" />Template:Rp and then buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.<ref name="Schneider" />Template:Rp

Washington went into a period of mourning, and much of the federal government temporarily ceased operations in respect of her death.<ref name="Watson" />Template:Rp In his memoirs, Millard credited her for the support that she provided in progressing his education.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp On February 10, 1858, nearly five years later, her husband, then 58, married 44-year-old Caroline Carmichael McIntosh, a wealthy Buffalo widow. They remained married for sixteen years until Millard's death from a stroke on March 8, 1874, at the age of 74.<ref name=":0" />Template:Rp

Legacy

In the years preceding the American Civil War, the position of first lady received very little public attention. Fillmore has not received significant historical coverage relative to first ladies of other eras, and is often regarded as a less active first lady.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp She is best remembered for her organization of a library in the White House.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp Biographers of Millard Fillmore have generally given little attention to Abigail, in part due to the lack of surviving documents. Most of her private correspondences have been lost and are presumed to have been destroyed by her son.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp What does survive is primarily lists of books that she asked her husband to purchase while he traveled.<ref name="Foster" /> Historians disagree on the extent that her poor health and ankle injury prevented her from carrying out White House duties; some say that it was severe enough to limit her ability, while others say that it was merely an excuse to avoid the responsibilities of a first lady.<ref name="Schneider" />Template:Rp She is typically recognized as an intellectual and as a supportive influence in the president's life.<ref name="Sibley" />Template:Rp

External links

• Essay on Abigail Fillmore from the Miller Center of Public Affairs
• Abigail Fillmore at C-SPAN's First Ladies: Influence & Image

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