First Ladies: Frances Cleveland


Martha Washington Abigail Adams Martha Jefferson Dolley Madison Elizabeth Monroe Louisa Adams Rachel Jackson Hannah Van Buren Anna Harrison Letitia Tyler Julia Tyler Sarah Polk Margaret Taylor Abigail Fillmore Jane Pierce Harriet Lane Johnson Mary Lincoln Eliza Johnson Julia Grant Lucy Hayes Lucretia Garfield Ellen Arthur Frances Cleveland Caroline Harrison Ida McKinley Edith Roosevelt Helen Taft Ellen Wilson Edith Wilson Florence Harding Grace Coolidge Lou Hoover Eleanor Roosevelt Bess Truman Mamie Eisenhower Jacqueline Kennedy Lady Bird Johnson Pat Nixon Betty Ford Rosalynn Carter Nancy Reagan Barbara Bush Hillary Rodham Clinton Laura Bush Michelle Obama	Frances Folsom Cleveland Frances Folsom was born in Buffalo, New York on July 21, 1864. She was introduced to Grover Cleveland soon after her birth. Grover was her father's law partner. He gave the Folsom's a baby carriage as a present for Frances. When her father died, Grover helped the family with the business of his estate. Grover asked Frances' mother permission to write to her when she was attending college at Well's College. After she graduated from college he proposed to her. They were married in the White House on June 2, 1886. It was the first wedding of a President to take place in the White House. She was the youngest First Lady ever. She was 21 when she married President Cleveland. Library of Congress She was extremely popular as First Lady. Cleveland lost the election of 1888, but was re-elected in 1892. His campaign posters and other materials featured a picture of Frances. Some people claim that she won the election for him. They had five children. Ruth Esther was the first child to be born to a President in the White House. In 1904, their daughter Ruthie died of diphtheria. She was 12. This was extremely upsetting to the Clevelands. On June 24, 1908, Cleveland died of a heart attack. Five years later Frances re-married. She married Thomas J. Preston Jr. a professor at Princeton. Frances died in her sleep when she was 83. She died on October 29, 1947. She is buried next to President Cleveland in Princeton.	Topics First Ladies Home U.S. Presidents Home

	Sources of Information: Books: Barden, Cindy,Meet the First Ladies, Lorenz Corp. Gormley, Beatrice,First Ladies: Women Who Called The White House Home (First Ladies) , Scholastic Paperbacks, 1997 Smith, Carter, Editor,Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies DK Publishing, New York, 2002 Web Sites: The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/ Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/odmdhtml/

Frances Folsom Cleveland