Elizabeth Ann Blaesing
Elizabeth Ann Blaesing | |
---|---|
Roger C. Sullivan High School | |
Spouse |
Henry Edward Blaesing
(m. 1938; died 1995) |
Children | 3 |
Parents | |
Relatives | Scott Willits (uncle-in-law) |
Elizabeth Ann Britton Harding Blaesing (née Britton Harding; October 22, 1919 – November 17, 2005) was the daughter of Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States, and his mistress, Nan Britton. Harding and Britton, who both lived in Marion, Ohio, began their affair when he was a U.S. senator and it continued until his sudden death during his presidency in 1923.[1][2]
Biography
Elizabeth Ann, after her birth in
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ann, her husband, and her sons lived on Alderdale Street in
When contacted by Harding scholar Robert H. Ferrell, author of The Strange Deaths of President Harding and later by John Dean, author of Warren Harding, The American President Series, Blaesing refused interviews on the topic.[citation needed]
Blaesing died in Oregon on November 17, 2005. The family did not make a public announcement about the death; however, her son Thomas Blaesing did confirm the event during an interview, according to the May 31, 2006, edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. According to Blaesing's son, his mother was not interested in seeking DNA evidence confirming paternity. Some scholars argued that the Blaesings had a "moral and civic responsibility" to provide their DNA for comparative purposes.[4]
Links to Warren Harding
DNA confirmation
In 2015, The New York Times reported that genetic testing by AncestryDNA, a division of Ancestry.com, confirmed that Harding was Blaesing's biological father.[5] Specifically, Dr. Peter Harding, the grandnephew of President Harding, and James Blaesing, son of Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, submitted DNA samples, which confirmed a relationship of second cousins, thus proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Elizabeth was the daughter of Harding.[1]
References
- ^ a b Baker, Peter (August 12, 2015). "DNA Is Said to Solve a Mystery of Warren Harding's Love Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
- ^ "DNA proves President Harding fathered child out of wedlock". Fox News. AP. August 14, 2015. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ Steve, Robb (Aug 16, 2015). "President Harding's lovechild lived in Athens". The Athens Messenger. Retrieved Jan 20, 2016.
- ^ Appel, Jacob M. History's DNA. Chicago Tribune. August 21, 2008.
- ^ Phelps, Jordyn. "Ex-President Warren Harding's Love Child Confirmed Through DNA Testing". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
Sources
- Associated Press Wire Service. Secret Kept for Twenty Years: California Woman Says She is Daughter of Harding. Tri-City Herald, Pasco, Washington, p. 15, July 17, 1964.
- Dean, John; Schlesinger, Arthur M. Warren Harding (The American President Series), Times Books, 2004. ISBN 0-8050-6956-9
- ISBN 978-0-8262-1202-3.
- Mee, Charles Jr. The Ohio Gang: The World of Warren G. Harding: A Historical Entertainment M. Evans & Company, 1983. ISBN 0-87131-340-5
- Presidential mystery stays unsolved. Sloat, Bill. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, May 31, 2006.
- History's DNA. Appel, Jacob M. The Chicago Tribune. August 21, 2008.
Further reading
- Green, Aimee (2015-08-16). "Presidential love affair confirmed, Portland man thankful for DNA results". The Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
- Wead, Doug (2004-01-06). All the Presidents' Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America's First Families. Simon and Schuster. p. 355. ISBN 978-0-7434-4633-4.