Difference between revisions of "First Lady of the United States" - New World Encyclopedia

Revision as of 01:59, 21 November 2006

Martha Washington, Original First Lady of the United States.

Laura Bush, current First Lady of the United States (2001-present).

First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is sometimes taken to apply only to the wife of a sitting president, however several women other than wives of presidents, have served as first lady. This situation has arisen due to the president being a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president is unable or unwilling to fulfill the duties of the first lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative or friend of the president.

As of 2006, no women have served as President. Presumably, a female President would serve as her own official hostess, and it is not known what title would be applied to a President's husband, who would presumably serve as the host of the White House. There have been many female state Governors over the years: their spouses are typically referred to as "the First Man" or "First Gentleman."

The current first lady is Laura Bush. Some famous former first ladies include Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, Jacqueline Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The wife of the Vice President of the United States is sometimes referred to as the Second Lady of the United States, however this title is much less common. The term "first lady" is also used to describe the wife of other government chief executives or a woman who has acted as a leading symbol for some activity, for example referring to Maria Shriver as the "First Lady of California", or Mary J Blige as the "First Lady of Soul".

Origins of the title

Although the words first lady had previously been used in combination before, their use as a title to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive was initially an American invention.

In the early days of the republic, there was no generally agreed upon title for the wife of the president. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady", "Queen", "Mrs. President", and "Mrs. Presidentress". Martha Washington was often referred to as "Lady Washington."

According to legend, Dolley Madison was referred to as "first lady" in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor. However, no written record of this eulogy exists today.

Sometime between 1849 and 1877, the title began being used in social circles in Washington D.C.. The oldest known written use of the title is from the November 3, 1863 diary entry of William Howard Russell, when he referred to gossip about ‘the first Lady in the Land’.

The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when newspaper journalist Mary Clemmer Ames referred to Lucy Webb Hayes as "the first lady of the land" while reporting on the inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular first lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the title outside Washington.

A popular 1911 comedic play by playwright Charles Nirdlinger titled "The First Lady in the Land" cemented use of the title by the general public, and it first entered the dictionary in 1934.

Use of the title to refer to the wife or hostess of a chief executive later spread from the United States to other nations, often without translation of "first lady" into the native language of those nations.

In government jargon "First Lady of the United States" is sometimes acronymized as "FLOTUS," similar to the President of the United States being referred to as "POTUS".

Role of the First Lady

From left to right Nancy Reagan, Ladybird Johnson, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosalyn Carter, Betty Ford, and Barbara Bush in 1994

The first lady is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. The first lady also frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work. Furthermore, many have taken an active role in campaigning for the president with whom they are associated. Hillary Rodham Clinton took the role one step further when she was, for a time, given a formal job in the Clinton administration to develop reforms to the health care system.

Two First Ladies have held office in their own right. Hillary Rodham Clinton has been a United States Senator since 2001: her service actually began a few days before her husband's second term as President ended. Eleanor Roosevelt was a member of the American delegation to the United Nations during the Truman Administration. She was also briefly a deputy director of the Office of Civil Defense while her husband was President.

First Ladies of the United States

The following women have been recognized by The National First Ladies' Library as "First Lady":

First Lady	Relation to President	From	To
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington	wife of George Washington	April 30, 1789	March 4, 1797
Abigail Adams	wife of John Adams	March 4, 1797	March 4, 1801
Martha Jefferson Randolph*	daughter of widower Thomas Jefferson	March 4, 1801	March 4, 1809
Dolley Madison	friend of widower Thomas Jefferson	March 4, 1801	March 4, 1809
Dolley Madison	wife of James Madison	March 4, 1809	March 4, 1817
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe	wife of James Monroe	March 4, 1817	March 4, 1825
Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams	wife of John Quincy Adams	March 4, 1825	March 4, 1829
Emily Donelson*	niece of widower Andrew Jackson	March 4, 1829	December 19, 1836
Sarah Yorke Jackson*	daughter-in-law of widower Andrew Jackson	November 26, 1834	March 4, 1837
Angelica Van Buren*	daughter-in-law of widower Martin Van Buren	March 4, 1837	March 4, 1841
Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison	absent wife of William Henry Harrison	March 4, 1841	April 4, 1841
Jane Irwin Harrison*	daughter-in-law of William Henry Harrison	March 4, 1841	April 4, 1841
Letitia Christian Tyler	first wife of John Tyler	April 4, 1841	September 10, 1842
Priscilla Cooper Tyler*	daughter-in-law of widower John Tyler	September 10, 1842	June 26, 1844
Julia Gardiner Tyler	second wife of John Tyler	June 26, 1844	March 4, 1845
Sarah Childress Polk	wife of James K. Polk	March 4, 1845	March 4, 1849
Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor	wife of Zachary Taylor	March 4, 1849	July 9, 1850
Abigail Powers Fillmore	wife of Millard Fillmore	July 9, 1850	March 4, 1853
Jane Means Appleton Pierce	wife of Franklin Pierce	March 4, 1853	March 4, 1857
Harriet Lane*	niece of bachelor James Buchanan	March 4, 1857	March 4, 1861
Mary Todd Lincoln	wife of Abraham Lincoln	March 4, 1861	April 15, 1865
Eliza McCardle Johnson	wife of Andrew Johnson	April 15, 1865	March 4, 1869
Julia Dent Grant	wife of Ulysses S. Grant	March 4, 1869	March 4, 1877
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes	wife of Rutherford B. Hayes	March 4, 1877	March 4, 1881
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield	wife of James A. Garfield	March 4, 1881	September 19, 1881
Mary McElroy*	sister of widower Chester A. Arthur	September 19, 1881	March 4, 1885
Rose Cleveland*	sister of bachelor Grover Cleveland	March 4, 1885	June 2, 1886
Frances Folsom Cleveland	wife of Grover Cleveland	June 2, 1886	March 4, 1889
Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison	wife of Benjamin Harrison	March 4, 1889	October 25, 1892
Mary Harrison McKee*	daughter of widower Benjamin Harrison	October 25, 1892	March 4, 1893
Frances Folsom Cleveland	wife of Grover Cleveland	March 4, 1893	March 4, 1897
Ida Saxton McKinley	wife of William McKinley	March 4, 1897	September 14, 1901
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt	wife of Theodore Roosevelt	September 14, 1901	March 4, 1909
Helen Herron Taft	wife of William Howard Taft	March 4, 1909	March 4, 1913
Ellen Louise Axson Wilson	first wife of Woodrow Wilson	March 4, 1913	August 6, 1914
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson	second wife of Woodrow Wilson	December 18, 1915	March 4, 1921
Florence Kling Harding	wife of Warren G. Harding	March 4, 1921	August 3, 1923
Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge	wife of Calvin Coolidge	August 3, 1923	March 4, 1929
Lou Henry Hoover	wife of Herbert Hoover	March 4, 1929	March 4, 1933
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt	wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt	March 4, 1933	April 12, 1945
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman	wife of Harry S. Truman	April 12, 1945	January 20, 1953
Mamie Doud Eisenhower	wife of Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 20, 1953	January 20, 1961
Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy	wife of John F. Kennedy	January 20, 1961	November 22, 1963
Claudia Taylor Johnson	wife of Lyndon B. Johnson	November 22, 1963	January 20, 1969
Patricia Ryan Nixon	wife of Richard Milhous Nixon	January 20, 1969	August 9, 1974
Betty Bloomer Ford	wife of Gerald R. Ford	August 9, 1974	January 20, 1977
Rosalynn Smith Carter	wife of Jimmy Carter	January 20, 1977	January 20, 1981
Nancy Davis Reagan	wife of Ronald Reagan	January 20, 1981	January 20, 1989
Barbara Pierce Bush	wife of George H. W. Bush	January 20, 1989	January 20, 1993
Hillary Rodham Clinton	wife of Bill Clinton	January 20, 1993	January 20, 2001
Laura Welch Bush	wife of George W. Bush	January 20, 2001	Present

Non-spouse "First Lady" or "White House hostess"

The following women are known to have acted as hostess on behalf of the first lady when she was otherwise unable or unwilling:

First Lady	Relation to President
Maria Jefferson Eppes	daughter of widower Thomas Jefferson
Eliza Monroe Hay	daughter of James Monroe
Letitia Tyler Semple	daughter of widower John Tyler
Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss	daughter of Zachary Taylor
Mary Abigail Fillmore	daughter of Millard Fillmore
Abby Kent Means	aunt of Jane Means Appleton Pierce
Harriet Lane	niece of James Buchanan
Martha Johnson Patterson	daughter of Andrew Johnson
Jennie Hobart	wife of William McKinley's vice president, Garret Hobart
Helen Taft Manning	daughter of William Howard Taft
Margaret Woodrow Wilson	daughter of widower Woodrow Wilson
Helen Woodrow Bones	cousin of widower Woodrow Wilson
Susan Ford	daughter of Gerald Ford
Chelsea Victoria Clinton	daughter of Bill Clinton

External links

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/058_flal.html
Office of the First Lady. Retrieved October 7, 2005.
First Lady's Gallery. The White House. Retrieved October 7, 2005.
The National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved October 7, 2005.
Paper on the role of the first lady and the influence she holds over the president

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

First Lady of the United States ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

History of "First Lady of the United States"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 '''''First Lady of the United States''''' is the unofficial title of the hostess of the [[White House]]. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the [[President of the United States]], the title is sometimes taken to apply only to the wife of a sitting president, however several women other than wives of presidents, have served as first lady. This situation has arisen due to the president being a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president is unable or unwilling to fulfill the duties of the first lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative or friend of the president.
-As of 2006, no women (married or single) have served as President.  Presumably, a female President would serve as her own official hostess, and it is not known what title would be applied to a President's husband, who would presumably serve as the host of the White House.  There have been many female state [[Governor]]s over the years: their spouses are typically referred to as "the First Man" or "First Gentleman."
+As of 2006, no women have served as President.  Presumably, a female President would serve as her own official hostess, and it is not known what title would be applied to a President's husband, who would presumably serve as the host of the White House.  There have been many female state Governors over the years: their spouses are typically referred to as "the First Man" or "First Gentleman."
-The current first lady is [[Laura Bush]]. Some famous former first ladies include [[Martha Washington]], [[Abigail Adams]], [[Dolley Madison]], [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Kennedy]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], [[Betty Ford]], [[Nancy Reagan]], [[Barbara Bush]], and [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]].
+The current first lady is Laura Bush. Some famous former first ladies include [[Martha Washington]], [[Abigail Adams]], [[Dolley Madison]], [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Kennedy]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
-The wife of the [[Vice President of the United States]] is sometimes referred to as the [[Second Lady of the United States]], however this title is much less common.  The term "first lady" is also used to describe the wife of other government chief executives or a woman who has acted as a leading symbol for some activity, for example referring to [[Maria Shriver]] as the "First Lady of California", or [[Mary J Blige]] as the "First Lady of [[soul music|Soul]]".
+The wife of the Vice President of the United States is sometimes referred to as the Second Lady of the United States, however this title is much less common.  The term "first lady" is also used to describe the wife of other government chief executives or a woman who has acted as a leading symbol for some activity, for example referring to Maria Shriver as the "First Lady of California", or Mary J Blige as the "First Lady of [[Soul music|Soul]]".
 ==Origins of the title==
-Although the words ''[[first lady]]'' had previously been used in combination before, their use as a title to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive was initially an American invention.
+Although the words ''first lady'' had previously been used in combination before, their use as a title to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive was initially an American invention.
 In the early days of the republic, there was no generally agreed upon title for the wife of the president. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady", "Queen", "Mrs. President", and "Mrs. Presidentress". Martha Washington was often referred to as "Lady Washington."
-According to legend, [[Dolley Madison]] was referred to as "first lady" in [[1849]] at her [[funeral]] in a [[eulogy]] delivered by President [[Zachary Taylor]]. However, no written record of this eulogy exists today.
+According to legend, [[Dolley Madison]] was referred to as "first lady" in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President [[Zachary Taylor]]. However, no written record of this eulogy exists today.
-Sometime between 1849 and 1877, the title began being used in social circles in [[Washington D.C.]]. The oldest known written use of the title is from the [[November 3]] [[1863]] diary entry of [[William Howard Russell]], when he referred to ''gossip about ‘the first Lady in the Land’''.
+Sometime between 1849 and 1877, the title began being used in social circles in [[Washington D.C.]]. The oldest known written use of the title is from the November 3, 1863 diary entry of William Howard Russell, when he referred to ''gossip about ‘the first Lady in the Land’''.
-The title first gained nationwide recognition in [[1877]], when newspaper journalist [[Mary Clemmer Ames]] referred to [[Lucy Webb Hayes]] as "the first lady of the land" while reporting on the inauguration of [[Rutherford B. Hayes]]. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular first lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the title outside Washington.
+The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when newspaper journalist Mary Clemmer Ames referred to Lucy Webb Hayes as "the first lady of the land" while reporting on the inauguration of [[Rutherford B. Hayes]]. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular first lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the title outside Washington.
-A popular [[1911]] comedic play by playwright [[Charles Nirdlinger]] titled ''"The First Lady in the Land"'' cemented use of the title by the general public, and it first entered the dictionary in [[1934]].
+A popular 1911 comedic play by playwright Charles Nirdlinger titled ''"The First Lady in the Land"'' cemented use of the title by the general public, and it first entered the dictionary in 1934.
-Use of the title to refer to the wife or hostess of a chief executive later spread from the United States to other nations, often without translation of "first lady" into the native language of those nations.
+Use of the title to refer to the wife or hostess of a chief executive later spread from the [[United States]] to other nations, often without translation of "first lady" into the native language of those nations.
 In government jargon "First Lady of the United States" is sometimes acronymized as "FLOTUS," similar to the President of the United States being referred to as "POTUS".
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 ==Role of the First Lady==
 [[Image:First-Ladies.jpg|175px|thumb|right|From left to right Nancy Reagan, Ladybird Johnson, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosalyn Carter, Betty Ford, and Barbara Bush in 1994]]
-The first lady is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. The first lady also frequently participates in [[humanitarian]] and charitable work. Furthermore, many have taken an active role in campaigning for the president with whom they are associated. Hillary Rodham Clinton took the role one step further when she was, for a time, given a formal job in the Clinton administration to develop reforms to the health care system.
+The first lady is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. The first lady also frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work. Furthermore, many have taken an active role in campaigning for the president with whom they are associated. Hillary Rodham Clinton took the role one step further when she was, for a time, given a formal job in the Clinton administration to develop reforms to the health care system.
-Two First Ladies have held office in their own right. [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] has been a [[United States Senator]] since 2001: her service actually began a few days before [[Bill Clinton|her husband]]'s second term as President ended.  [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] was a member of the American delegation to the [[United Nations]] during the [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]] Administration.  She was also briefly a deputy director of the [[Office of Civil Defense]] while [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|her husband]] was President.
+Two First Ladies have held office in their own right. Hillary Rodham Clinton has been a United States Senator since 2001: her service actually began a few days before [[Bill Clinton|her husband]]'s second term as President ended.  [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] was a member of the American delegation to the [[United Nations]] during the [[Harry S. Truman|Truman]] Administration.  She was also briefly a deputy director of the Office of Civil Defense while [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt|her husband]] was President.
 ==First Ladies of the United States==
@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 | March 4, 1797
 |-
-| [[Abigail Smith Adams]]
+| [[Abigail Adams]]
 | wife of [[John Adams]]
 | March 4, 1797
 | March 4, 1801
 |-
-| [[Martha Jefferson Randolph]]*
+| Martha Jefferson Randolph*
 | daughter of widower [[Thomas Jefferson]]
 | March 4, 1801
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 | March 4, 1817
 |-
-| [[Elizabeth Kortright Monroe]]
+| Elizabeth Kortright Monroe
 | wife of [[James Monroe]]
 | March 4, 1817
 | March 4, 1825
 |-
-| [[Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams]]
+| Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams
 | wife of [[John Quincy Adams]]
 | March 4, 1825
 | March 4, 1829
 |-
-| [[Emily Donelson]]*
+| Emily Donelson*
 | niece of widower [[Andrew Jackson]]
 | March 4, 1829
 | December 19, 1836
 |-
-| [[Sarah Yorke Jackson]]*
+| Sarah Yorke Jackson*
 | daughter-in-law of widower [[Andrew Jackson]]
 | November 26, 1834
 | March 4, 1837
 |-
-| [[Angelica Van Buren]]*
+| Angelica Van Buren*
 | daughter-in-law of widower [[Martin Van Buren]]
 | March 4, 1837
 | March 4, 1841
 |-
-| [[Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison]]
+| Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison
 | absent wife of [[William Henry Harrison]]
 | March 4, 1841
 | April 4, 1841
 |-
-| [[Jane Irwin Harrison]]*
+| Jane Irwin Harrison*
 | daughter-in-law of [[William Henry Harrison]]
 | March 4, 1841
 | April 4, 1841
 |-
-| [[Letitia Christian Tyler]]
+| Letitia Christian Tyler
 | first wife of [[John Tyler]]
 | April 4, 1841
 | September 10, 1842
 |-
-| [[Priscilla Cooper Tyler]]*
+| Priscilla Cooper Tyler*
 | daughter-in-law of widower [[John Tyler]]
 | September 10, 1842
 | June 26, 1844
 |-
-| [[Julia Gardiner Tyler]]
+| Julia Gardiner Tyler
 | second wife of [[John Tyler]]
 | June 26, 1844
 | March 4, 1845
 |-
-| [[Sarah Childress Polk]]
+| Sarah Childress Polk
 | wife of [[James K. Polk]]
 | March 4, 1845
 | March 4, 1849
 |-
-| [[Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor]]
+| Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor
 | wife of [[Zachary Taylor]]
 | March 4, 1849
 | July 9, 1850
 |-
-| [[Abigail Powers Fillmore]]
+| Abigail Powers Fillmore
 | wife of [[Millard Fillmore]]
 | July 9, 1850
 | March 4, 1853
 |-
-| [[Jane Means Appleton Pierce]]
+| Jane Means Appleton Pierce
 | wife of [[Franklin Pierce]]
 | March 4, 1853
 | March 4, 1857
 |-
-| [[Harriet Lane]]*
+| Harriet Lane*
 | niece of bachelor [[James Buchanan]]
 | March 4, 1857
@@ Line 149: / Line 149: @@
 | April 15, 1865
 |-
-| [[Eliza McCardle Johnson]]
+| Eliza McCardle Johnson
 | wife of [[Andrew Johnson]]
 | April 15, 1865
 | March 4, 1869
 |-
-| [[Julia Dent Grant]]
+| Julia Dent Grant
 | wife of [[Ulysses S. Grant]]
 | March 4, 1869
 | March 4, 1877
 |-
-| [[Lucy Ware Webb Hayes]]
+| Lucy Ware Webb Hayes
 | wife of [[Rutherford B. Hayes]]
 | March 4, 1877
 | March 4, 1881
 |-
-| [[Lucretia Rudolph Garfield]]
+| Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
 | wife of [[James A. Garfield]]
 | March 4, 1881
 | September 19, 1881
 |-
-| [[Mary McElroy]]*
+| Mary McElroy*
 | sister of widower [[Chester A. Arthur]]
 | September 19, 1881
 | March 4, 1885
 |-
-| [[Rose Cleveland]]*
+| Rose Cleveland*
 | sister of bachelor [[Grover Cleveland]]
 | March 4, 1885
 | June 2, 1886
 |-
-| [[Frances Folsom Cleveland]]
+| Frances Folsom Cleveland
 | wife of [[Grover Cleveland]]
 | June 2, 1886
 | March 4, 1889
 |-
-| [[Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison]]
+| Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison
 | wife of [[Benjamin Harrison]]
 | March 4, 1889
 | October 25, 1892
 |-
-| [[Mary Harrison McKee]]*
+| Mary Harrison McKee*
 | daughter of widower [[Benjamin Harrison]]
 | October 25, 1892
 | March 4, 1893
 |-
-| [[Frances Folsom Cleveland]]
+| Frances Folsom Cleveland
 | wife of [[Grover Cleveland]]
 | March 4, 1893
 | March 4, 1897
 |-
-| [[Ida Saxton McKinley]]
+| Ida Saxton McKinley
 | wife of [[William McKinley]]
 | March 4, 1897
 | September 14, 1901
 |-
-| [[Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt]]
+| Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt
 | wife of [[Theodore Roosevelt]]
 | September 14, 1901
 | March 4, 1909
 |-
-| [[Helen Herron Taft]]
+| Helen Herron Taft
 | wife of [[William Howard Taft]]
 | March 4, 1909
 | March 4, 1913
 |-
-| [[Ellen Louise Axson Wilson]]
+| Ellen Louise Axson Wilson
 | first wife of [[Woodrow Wilson]]
 | March 4, 1913
 | August 6, 1914
 |-
-| [[Edith Bolling Galt Wilson]]
+| Edith Bolling Galt Wilson
 | second wife of [[Woodrow Wilson]]
 | December 18, 1915
 | March 4, 1921
 |-
-| [[Florence Kling Harding]]
+| Florence Kling Harding
 | wife of [[Warren G. Harding]]
 | March 4, 1921
 | August 3, 1923
 |-
-| [[Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge]]
+| Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge
 | wife of [[Calvin Coolidge]]
 | August 3, 1923
 | March 4, 1929
 |-
-| [[Lou Henry Hoover]]
+| Lou Henry Hoover
 | wife of [[Herbert Hoover]]
 | March 4, 1929
@@ Line 244: / Line 244: @@
 | April 12, 1945
 |-
-| [[Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman]]
+| Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman
 | wife of [[Harry S. Truman]]
 | April 12, 1945
 | January 20, 1953
 |-
-| [[Mamie Eisenhower|Mamie Doud Eisenhower]]
+| Mamie Doud Eisenhower
 | wife of [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]
 | January 20, 1953
@@ Line 259: / Line 259: @@
 | November 22, 1963
 |-
-| [[Lady Bird Johnson|Claudia Taylor Johnson]]
+| Claudia Taylor Johnson
 | wife of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
 | November 22, 1963
 | January 20, 1969
 |-
-| [[Patricia Ryan Nixon]]
+| Patricia Ryan Nixon
 | wife of [[Richard Milhous Nixon]]
 | January 20, 1969
 | August 9, 1974
 |-
-| [[Betty Ford|Betty Bloomer Ford]]
+| Betty Bloomer Ford
 | wife of [[Gerald R. Ford]]
 | August 9, 1974
 | January 20, 1977
 |-
-| [[Rosalynn Smith Carter]]
+| Rosalynn Smith Carter
 | wife of [[Jimmy Carter]]
 | January 20, 1977
 | January 20, 1981
 |-
-| [[Nancy Davis Reagan]]
+| Nancy Davis Reagan
 | wife of [[Ronald Reagan]]
 | January 20, 1981
 | January 20, 1989
 |-
-| [[Barbara Bush (First Lady)|Barbara Pierce Bush]]
+| Barbara Pierce Bush
 | wife of [[George H. W. Bush]]
 | January 20, 1989
 | January 20, 1993
 |-
-| [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]
+| Hillary Rodham Clinton
 | wife of [[Bill Clinton]]
 | January 20, 1993
 | January 20, 2001
 |-
-| [[Laura Welch Bush]]
+| Laura Welch Bush
 | wife of [[George W. Bush]]
 | January 20, 2001
@@ Line 310: / Line 310: @@
 ! Relation to President
 |-
-| [[Maria Jefferson Eppes]]
+| Maria Jefferson Eppes
 | daughter of widower [[Thomas Jefferson]]
 |-
-| [[Eliza Monroe Hay]]
+| Eliza Monroe Hay
 | daughter of [[James Monroe]]
 |-
-| [[Letitia Tyler Semple]]
+| Letitia Tyler Semple
 | daughter of widower [[John Tyler]]
 |-
-| [[Mary Elizabeth Bliss|Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss]]
+| Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss
 | daughter of [[Zachary Taylor]]
 |-
-| [[Mary Abigail Fillmore]]
+| Mary Abigail Fillmore
 | daughter of [[Millard Fillmore]]
 |-
-| [[Abby Kent Means]]
+| Abby Kent Means
-| aunt of [[Jane Means Appleton Pierce]]
+| aunt of Jane Means Appleton Pierce
 |-
-| [[Harriet Lane]]
+| Harriet Lane
 | niece of [[James Buchanan]]
 |-
-| [[Martha Patterson|Martha Johnson Patterson]]
+| Martha Johnson Patterson
 | daughter of [[Andrew Johnson]]
 |-
-| [[Jennie Hobart]]
+| Jennie Hobart
-| wife of [[William McKinley]]'s vice president, [[Garret Hobart]]
+| wife of [[William McKinley]]'s vice president, Garret Hobart
 |-
-| [[Helen Taft Manning]]
+| Helen Taft Manning
 | daughter of [[William Howard Taft]]
 |-
-| [[Margaret Woodrow Wilson]]
+| Margaret Woodrow Wilson
 | daughter of widower [[Woodrow Wilson]]
 |-
-| [[Helen Woodrow Bones]]
+| Helen Woodrow Bones
 | cousin of widower [[Woodrow Wilson]]
 |-
-| [[Susan Ford]]
+| Susan Ford
 | daughter of [[Gerald Ford]]
 |-
-| [[Chelsea Clinton|Chelsea Victoria Clinton]]
+| Chelsea Victoria Clinton
 | daughter of [[Bill Clinton]]
 |-
 |}
-==See also==
-* [[First Lady]] - Use of the title outside the United States.
-* [[Second Lady of the United States]] - Wife of the Vice President of the United States.
-* [[First Ladies National Historic Site]] - In [[Canton, Ohio]].
 ==External links==