Abigail Fillmore
Encyclopedia
Abigail Powers Fillmore wife of Millard Fillmore
, was First Lady of the United States
from 1850 to 1853.
Abigail was born in Stillwater, New York
, 1798, in Saratoga County, New York
. She was the daughter of the Reverend Lemuel Powers, a Baptist
minister, and Abigail Newland-Powers, Abigail grew up in Moravia, New York
, not far from the Fillmore farm. Her father died shortly after her birth. Her mother moved the family westward, thinking her scanty funds would go further in a less settled region, and ably educated her small son and daughter beyond the usual frontier level with the help of her husband's library.
In 1819, she took a teaching post at the new academy in New Hope, where her oldest pupil was 19-year-old Millard Fillmore. The world of knowledge and Fillmore's steady progress in it drew them together, and gradually the relationship of teacher and student evolved into romantic attachment.
After a long courtship, Millard, aged 26, and Abigail, aged 27, were married on February 5, 1826, by the Reverend Orasius H. Smith at the home of the bride's brother Judge Powers in Moravia, New York. Without a honeymoon, they settled at East Aurora, New York
. Mrs. Fillmore continued to teach school until the birth of her first son and maintained a lifelong interest in education. She shared her husband's love of books and helped build their personal library.
The Fillmores had a son and a daughter:
Attaining prosperity at last, Fillmore bought his family a six-room house in Buffalo, New York
. Enjoying comparative luxury, Abigail learned the ways of society as the wife of a Congressman. She cultivated a noted flower garden; but much of her time, as always, she spent reading. In 1847 when Fillmore was elected New York State Comptroller the family temporarily moved to Albany, New York
; their children were away in boarding school and college.
In 1849, Abigail Fillmore came to Washington, D.C.
as wife of the Vice President; 16 months later, after Zachary Taylor
's death at a height of sectional crisis, the Fillmores moved into the White House
.
Even after the period of official mourning, the social life of the Fillmore administration remained subdued. Pleading her delicate health, she entrusted many routine social duties to her daughter, "Abby." With a special appropriation from Congress, she spent contented hours selecting books for a White House library and arranging them in the oval room upstairs, where Abby had her piano, harp, and guitar.
At the outdoor inaugural ceremonies for Franklin Pierce
in 1853, she caught a cold and the next day came down with a fever. She developed pneumonia
and died just 26 days after leaving the White House, on March 30, 1853, at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.
, the shortest post-Presidential life of any former first lady. She was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York
. The memorial stone was placed by the Abigail Fillmore Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, of Buffalo.
On February 10, 1858, five years after her death, her husband married Mrs. Caroline Carmichael McIntosh
, a wealthy Buffalo
widow. They remained married until Millard's death on March 8, 1874.
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
, was First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the 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 most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
from 1850 to 1853.
Abigail was born in Stillwater, New York
Stillwater, New York
Stillwater is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,522 at the 2000 census. The town contains a village called Stillwater...
, 1798, in Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
. She was the daughter of the Reverend Lemuel Powers, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister, and Abigail Newland-Powers, Abigail grew up in Moravia, New York
Moravia, New York
Moravia, New York may refer to:*Moravia , New York*Moravia , New York...
, not far from the Fillmore farm. Her father died shortly after her birth. Her mother moved the family westward, thinking her scanty funds would go further in a less settled region, and ably educated her small son and daughter beyond the usual frontier level with the help of her husband's library.
In 1819, she took a teaching post at the new academy in New Hope, where her oldest pupil was 19-year-old Millard Fillmore. The world of knowledge and Fillmore's steady progress in it drew them together, and gradually the relationship of teacher and student evolved into romantic attachment.
After a long courtship, Millard, aged 26, and Abigail, aged 27, were married on February 5, 1826, by the Reverend Orasius H. Smith at the home of the bride's brother Judge Powers in Moravia, New York. Without a honeymoon, they settled at East Aurora, New York
East Aurora, New York
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...
. Mrs. Fillmore continued to teach school until the birth of her first son and maintained a lifelong interest in education. She shared her husband's love of books and helped build their personal library.
The Fillmores had a son and a daughter:
- Millard Powers FillmoreMillard Powers FillmoreMillard Powers Fillmore was one of two children and the only son of US President Millard Fillmore and Abigail Powers. Known familiarly as "Powers", he was born in Aurora, New York. He studied law in his father's office and attended Harvard. He served as his father's private secretary during the...
(1828–1889) - Mary Abigail FillmoreMary Abigail FillmoreMary Abigail Fillmore was the daughter of President Millard Fillmore and Abigail Powers, and was the White House Hostess from 1850 to 1853 due to her mother's illness....
(1832–1854)
Attaining prosperity at last, Fillmore bought his family a six-room house in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Enjoying comparative luxury, Abigail learned the ways of society as the wife of a Congressman. She cultivated a noted flower garden; but much of her time, as always, she spent reading. In 1847 when Fillmore was elected New York State Comptroller the family temporarily moved to Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
; their children were away in boarding school and college.
In 1849, Abigail Fillmore came to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as wife of the Vice President; 16 months later, after Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
's death at a height of sectional crisis, the Fillmores moved into the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
Even after the period of official mourning, the social life of the Fillmore administration remained subdued. Pleading her delicate health, she entrusted many routine social duties to her daughter, "Abby." With a special appropriation from Congress, she spent contented hours selecting books for a White House library and arranging them in the oval room upstairs, where Abby had her piano, harp, and guitar.
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
in 1853, she caught a cold and the next day came down with a fever. She developed pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died just 26 days after leaving the White House, on March 30, 1853, at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the shortest post-Presidential life of any former first lady. She was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The memorial stone was placed by the Abigail Fillmore Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, of Buffalo.
On February 10, 1858, five years after her death, her husband married Mrs. Caroline Carmichael McIntosh
Caroline Fillmore
Caroline Carmichael McIntosh Fillmore was the second wife of thirteenth U.S. President Millard Fillmore. They were married in 1858, five years after his term of office expired....
, a wealthy Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
widow. They remained married until Millard's death on March 8, 1874.