List of first ladies of the United States
First Lady of the United States of America | |
---|---|
Style | Madam First Lady |
Residence | White House |
Inaugural holder | Martha Washington |
Website | First Ladies |
The
There have been total of 54 first ladies including 43 official and 11 acting, within 46 first ladyships. This discrepancy exists because some presidents had multiple first ladies. Following Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, his wife, Jill Biden, became the 43rd official first lady.
There are four living former First Ladies: Hillary Clinton, married to Bill Clinton; Laura Bush, married to George W. Bush; Michelle Obama, married to Barack Obama; and Melania Trump, married to Donald Trump. The most recent First Lady to die was Rosalynn Carter, married to Jimmy Carter. The first First Lady was Martha Washington, married to George Washington. Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official first ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures. The wives of four presidents died before their husbands were sworn into office but are still considered first ladies by the White House and National First Ladies' Library: Martha Wayles Skelton, married to Thomas Jefferson;[4][5] Rachel Jackson, married to Andrew Jackson;[6][7] Hannah Van Buren, married to Martin Van Buren;[8][9] and Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur, married to Chester A. Arthur.[10][11] One woman who was not married to a president is still considered an official first lady: Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor James Buchanan. The other non-spousal relatives who served as White House hostesses are not recognized by the First Ladies' Library.
In 2007, the
Current living first ladies
Living first ladies as of April 2024[update] (from oldest to youngest):
List
This list includes all persons who served as first ladies, regardless of whether they were married to the incumbent president or not, as well as persons who are considered first ladies by the official White House website and the White House Historical Association.
POTUS No. |
Portrait | Name | Tenure | Age at tenure start | President (Husband, unless noted) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Martha Washington June 2, 1731 – May 22, 1802 (aged 70) [15][16] |
April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797 |
57 years, 321 days | George Washington m. January 6, 1759 | |
2 | Abigail Adams November 22, 1744 – October 28, 1818 (aged 73) [17][18] |
March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 |
52 years, 102 days | John Adams m. October 25, 1764 | |
3 | Martha Jefferson September 27, 1772 – October 10, 1836 (aged 64) [4][5] |
March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809 |
28 years, 158 days | Thomas Jefferson Father [A] | |
4 | Dolley Madison May 20, 1768 – July 12, 1849 (aged 81) [19][20] |
March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817 |
40 years, 288 days | James Madison m. September 14, 1794 | |
5 | Elizabeth Monroe June 30, 1768 – September 23, 1830 (aged 62) [21][22] |
March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 |
48 years, 247 days | James Monroe m. February 16, 1786 | |
6 | Louisa Adams Birth country: Great Britain (present day United Kingdom) February 12, 1775 – May 15, 1852 (aged 77) [23][24] |
March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829 |
50 years, 20 days | John Quincy Adams m. July 26, 1797 | |
7 | Emily Donelson
June 1, 1807 – December 19, 1836 |
March 4, 1829 – November 26, 1834 |
21 years, 276 days | Andrew Jackson Uncle-in-law | |
Sarah Jackson
July 16, 1803 – August 23, 1887 |
November 26, 1834 – March 4, 1837 |
31 years, 133 days | Andrew Jackson Father-in-law | ||
8 | Vacant | March 4, 1837 – November 27, 1838 |
Vacant | Martin Van Buren Widower | |
Sarah Van Buren February 13, 1818 – December 29, 1877 (aged 59) [8][9] |
November 27, 1838 – March 4, 1841 |
20 years, 287 days | Martin Van Buren Father-in-law | ||
9 | Anna Harrison July 25, 1775 – February 25, 1864 (aged 88) [27][28] |
March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 |
65 years, 222 days | William Henry Harrison m. November 22, 1795 | |
Jane Harrison July 23, 1804 – May 11, 1847 (aged 42) [28] |
March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 |
36 years, 224 days | William Henry Harrison Father-in-law | ||
10 | Letitia Tyler November 12, 1790 – September 10, 1842 (aged 51) [29][30] |
April 4, 1841 – September 10, 1842 † |
50 years, 143 days | John Tyler m. March 29, 1813 | |
Priscilla Tyler June 14, 1816 – December 29, 1889 (aged 73) [31] |
September 10, 1842 – June 26, 1844 |
26 years, 88 days | John Tyler Father-in-law [B] | ||
Julia Tyler May 4, 1820 – July 10, 1889 (aged 69) [32][33] |
June 26, 1844 – March 4, 1845 |
24 years, 53 days | John Tyler m. June 26, 1844 Married while president | ||
11 | Sarah Polk September 4, 1803 – August 14, 1891 (aged 87) [34][35] |
March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 |
41 years, 181 days | James K. Polk m. January 1, 1824 | |
12 | Margaret "Peggy" Taylor September 21, 1788 – August 14, 1852 (aged 63) [36][37] |
March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 |
60 years, 164 days | Zachary Taylor m. June 21, 1810 | |
13 | Abigail Fillmore March 13, 1798 – March 30, 1853 (aged 55) [38][39] |
July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853 |
52 years, 118 days | Millard Fillmore m. February 5, 1826 | |
14 | Jane Pierce March 12, 1806 – December 2, 1863 (aged 57) [40][41] |
March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 |
46 years, 357 days | Franklin Pierce m. November 19, 1834 | |
15 | Harriet Lane May 9, 1830 – July 3, 1903 (aged 73) [42][43] |
March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 |
26 years, 299 days | James Buchanan Uncle | |
16 | Mary Lincoln December 13, 1818 – July 16, 1882 (aged 63) [44][45] |
March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865 |
42 years, 81 days | Abraham Lincoln m. November 4, 1842 | |
17 | Eliza Johnson October 4, 1810 – January 15, 1876 (aged 65) [46][47] |
April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 |
54 years, 193 days | Andrew Johnson m. May 17, 1827 | |
18 | Julia Grant January 26, 1826 – December 14, 1902 (aged 76) [48][49] |
March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877 |
43 years, 37 days | Ulysses S. Grant m. August 22, 1848 | |
19 | Lucy Hayes August 28, 1831 – June 25, 1889 (aged 57) [50][51] |
March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 |
45 years, 188 days | Rutherford B. Hayes m. December 30, 1852 | |
20 | Lucretia Garfield April 19, 1832 – March 14, 1918 (aged 85) [52][53] |
March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 |
48 years, 319 days | James A. Garfield m. November 11, 1858 | |
21 | Mary McElroy July 5, 1841 – January 8, 1917 (aged 75) [54] |
September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885 |
40 years, 76 days | Chester A. Arthur Brother | |
22 | Rose Cleveland June 13, 1846 – November 22, 1918 (aged 72) [55] |
March 4, 1885 – June 2, 1886 |
38 years, 264 days | Grover Cleveland Brother | |
Frances Cleveland July 21, 1864 – October 29, 1947 (aged 83) [56][57] |
June 2, 1886 – March 4, 1889 |
21 years, 316 days | Grover Cleveland m. June 2, 1886 Married while president | ||
23 | Caroline Harrison October 1, 1832 – October 25, 1892 (aged 60) [58][59] |
March 4, 1889 – October 25, 1892 † |
56 years, 154 days | Benjamin Harrison m. October 20, 1853 | |
Mary Harrison McKee April 3, 1858 – October 28, 1930 (aged 72) [59] |
October 25, 1892 – March 4, 1893 |
34 years, 205 days | Benjamin Harrison Father | ||
24 | Frances Cleveland July 21, 1864 – October 29, 1947 (aged 83) [56][57] |
March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 |
28 years, 226 days | Grover Cleveland m. June 2, 1886 Remarried 1913 | |
25 | Ida McKinley June 8, 1847 – May 26, 1907 (aged 59) [60][61] |
March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 |
49 years, 269 days | William McKinley m. January 25, 1871 | |
26 | Edith Roosevelt August 6, 1861 – September 30, 1948 (aged 87) [62][63] |
September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909 |
40 years, 39 days | Theodore Roosevelt m. December 2, 1886 | |
27 | Helen "Nellie" Taft June 2, 1861 – May 22, 1943 (aged 81) [64][65] |
March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913 |
47 years, 275 days | William H. Taft m. June 19, 1886 | |
28 | Ellen Wilson May 15, 1860 – August 6, 1914 (aged 54) [66][67] |
March 4, 1913 – August 6, 1914 † |
52 years, 293 days | Woodrow Wilson m. June 24, 1885 | |
Margaret Wilson April 16, 1886 – February 12, 1944 (aged 57) [67][68] |
August 6, 1914 – December 18, 1915 |
28 years, 112 days | Woodrow Wilson Father | ||
Edith Wilson October 15, 1872 – December 28, 1961 (aged 89) [69][70] |
December 18, 1915 – March 4, 1921 |
43 years, 64 days | Woodrow Wilson m. December 18, 1915 Married while president | ||
29 | Florence Harding August 15, 1860 – November 21, 1924 (aged 64) [71][72] |
March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 |
60 years, 201 days | Warren G. Harding m. July 8, 1891 | |
30 | Grace Coolidge January 3, 1879 – July 8, 1957 (aged 78) [73][74] |
August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929 |
44 years, 211 days | Calvin Coolidge m. October 4, 1905 | |
31 | Lou Hoover March 29, 1874 – January 7, 1944 (aged 69) [75][76] |
March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 |
54 years, 340 days | Herbert Hoover m. February 10, 1899 | |
32 | Eleanor Roosevelt October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962 (aged 78) [77][78] |
March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 |
48 years, 144 days | Franklin D. Roosevelt m. March 17, 1905 | |
33 | Elizabeth "Bess" Truman February 13, 1885 – October 18, 1982 (aged 97) [79][80] |
April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953 |
60 years, 58 days | Harry S. Truman m. June 28, 1919 | |
34 | Mamie Eisenhower November 14, 1896 – November 1, 1979 (aged 82) [81][82] |
January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 |
56 years, 67 days | Dwight D. Eisenhower m. July 1, 1916 | |
35 | Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994 (aged 64) [83][84] |
January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 |
31 years, 176 days | John F. Kennedy m. September 12, 1953 Remarried 1968 | |
36 | Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007 (aged 94) [85][86] |
November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969 |
50 years, 335 days | Lyndon B. Johnson m. November 17, 1934 | |
37 | Thelma "Pat" Nixon March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993 (aged 81) [87][88] |
January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 |
56 years, 310 days | Richard Nixon m. June 21, 1940 | |
38 | Elizabeth "Betty" Ford April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011 (aged 93) [89][90] |
August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 |
56 years, 123 days | Gerald Ford m. October 15, 1948 | |
39 | Rosalynn Carter August 18, 1927 – November 19, 2023 (aged 96) [91][92] |
January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 |
49 years, 155 days | Jimmy Carter m. July 7, 1946 | |
40 | Nancy Reagan July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016 (aged 94) [93][94] |
January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 |
59 years, 203 days | Ronald Reagan m. March 4, 1952 | |
41 | Barbara Bush June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018 (aged 92) [95][96] |
January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 |
63 years, 226 days | George H. W. Bush m. January 6, 1945 | |
42 | Hillary Clinton Born October 26, 1947 [97][98] |
January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 |
45 years, 86 days | Bill Clinton m. October 11, 1975 | |
43 | Laura Bush Born November 4, 1946 [99][100] |
January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 |
54 years, 77 days | George W. Bush m. November 5, 1977 | |
44 | Michelle Obama Born January 17, 1964 [101][102] |
January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 |
45 years, 3 days | Barack Obama m. October 3, 1992 | |
45 | Melania Trump Birth country: Yugoslavia (present day Slovenia) Born April 26, 1970 [103][104] |
January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021 |
46 years, 269 days | Donald Trump m. January 22, 2005 | |
46 | Jill Biden Born June 3, 1951 [105] |
January 20, 2021 – present |
69 years, 231 days | Joe Biden m. June 17, 1977 |
Other spouses of presidents of the United States
Certain spouses of presidents of the United States are not considered first ladies of the United States.
Four presidents were widowed prior to their presidencies:
- Thomas Jefferson was married to Martha Wayles from 1772 until her death in 1782.
- Andrew Jackson was married to Rachel Donelson from 1794 until her death in 1828.
- Martin Van Buren was married to Hannah Hoes from 1807 until her death in 1819.
- Chester A. Arthur was married to Ellen Lewis Herndon from 1859 until her death in 1880.
Two presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their presidencies:
- Theodore Roosevelt was married to Alice Hathaway Lee from 1880 until her death in 1884. He was subsequently married to Edith Carow from 1886 to his death in 1919.
- Joe Biden was married to Neilia Hunter from 1966 until her death in 1972. He has subsequently been married to Jill Jacobs since 1977.
Two presidents were divorced and remarried prior to their presidencies:
- Ronald Reagan was married to Jane Wyman from 1940 until 1949. He was subsequently married to Nancy Davis from 1952 to his death in 2004.
- Donald Trump was married to Ivana Zelníčková from 1977 until 1992 and to Marla Maples from 1993 until 1999. He has subsequently been married to Melania Knauss since 2005.
Two presidents remarried after their presidencies:
- Millard Fillmore was married to Caroline Carmichael McIntosh from 1858 until his death in 1874.
- Benjamin Harrison was married to Mary Scott Lord Dimmick, the niece of his first wife, from 1896 until his death in 1901.
See also
- Bibliography of United States presidential spouses and first ladies
- Second ladies and gentlemen of the United States
- First family of the United States
- List of children of presidents of the United States
- List of current United States first spouses
- List of memoirs by first ladies of the United States
- List of presidents of the United States
- List of First Lady of the United States firsts
- Spouse of the prime minister of Canada
- First Lady of Mexico
- Category:Acting first ladies of the United States
Notes
- ^ Jefferson's spouse, Martha Jefferson, died before he became president. Their daughter, Martha, is considered first lady by the White House Historical Association.
- ^ Robert and Priscilla Tyler left the White House for Philadelphia in March 1844, knowing that Julia Gardiner Tyler was set to marry the president and become the new White House hostess.[citation needed] President Tyler's daughter, Letitia Tyler-Semple, saw to White House social affairs until the wedding.[citation needed] This meant during President Tyler's one term as president, four ladies served as first lady, though two were in that role unofficially.[citation needed] Semple served in this role from March to June 1844.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Caroli, Betty Boyd (2003). First Ladies from Martha Washington to Laura Bush. Oxford University Press. p. 200.
- ISBN 978-0-670-80486-3.
- ^ "Dr. Jill Biden". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
- ^ National Archives.
- ^ National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
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- ^ National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
- National Archives.
- National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
- ^ "The First Spouse Gold Coins". United States Mint. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
- The First Spouse Gold Coins. Cornell University. Retrieved on January 10, 2009.
- ^ Collins, Lauren (May 9, 2016). "The Model American: Melania Trump is the exception to her husband's nativist politics". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
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- ^ "Emily Donelson". WHHA. Retrieved 2017-06-01.
- ^ "First Ladies Never Married to Presidents: Sarah Jackson". www.firstladies.org. Retrieved 2017-06-01.
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- ^ National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
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- ^ "Letitia Tyler Biography :: National First Ladies' Library". Firstladies.org. December 28, 1907. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
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- ^ "Mary Arthur McElroy, White House hostess for President Chester Arthur". loc.gov. Library of Congress. 1885. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.
- ^ National Archives.
- ^ National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
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- ^ "First Lady - Ellen Wilson". C-SPAN.
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External links
- The First Ladies – White House
- Biographies of the First Ladies of the United States of America – National First Ladies' Library
- First Ladies National Historic Site