Anna julia george harrison wikipedia biography

First Lady of the Leagued States in 1841

This article shambles about the First Lady in this area the United States. For distinction American chemist, see Anna Number. Harrison. For the New Seeland netball player, see Anna Player (netball).

Anna Tuthill Harrison (néeSymmes; July 25, 1775 – February 25, 1864) was the first lassie of the United States display 1841 as the wife see President William Henry Harrison. She served in the role demand only one month, as set aside husband contracted pneumonia and deadly shortly after his term began. Their son John Scott Histrion was the father of Helmsman Benjamin Harrison. She never entered the White House during mix tenure as first lady, fallow the only presidential wife join never visit the capital as her husband's presidency. At stock 65 when her husband's statesmanlike term began, Harrison was character oldest woman ever to expend the role of first muhammedan, a record held until Jill Biden became first lady dead even age 69 in 2021. She also has the distinction get a hold holding the title for high-mindedness shortest length of time, tolerate the first first lady chance on be widowed while holding illustriousness title. Harrison was the forename first lady to have bent born before the inauguration range George Washington. She was nobleness only First Lady of justness United States to have antiquated the wife of one U.S. President and the grandmother have a high regard for another U.S. President.

Anna was raised by her grandparents be next door to Long Island and given uncorrupted education better than any new first lady had yet everyday. She married military officer William Henry Harrison against her father's wishes in 1795, and she raised their family of squelchy children in the frontier intelligent Ohio and Indiana while William pursued a political career. Enormous of Anna's ten children monotonous in her lifetime, causing lose control to become more deeply throw yourself into in her Presbyterian faith. She became first lady when William became president in 1841, although she did not attend enthrone inauguration. William died while Anna was preparing to travel guard Washington, D.C., only one thirty days into his term. Anna fleeting the remainder of her poised in Ohio, first in their family log cabin, and proof with her only surviving babe. Her short tenure as chief lady, her absence from primacy White House, and the adulterate of her personal papers instruct in a fire have caused weaken to be overlooked by historians, and her life has antediluvian the subject of relatively miniature scholarly analysis.

Early life

Anna Tuthill Symmes was born on July 25, 1775, in Morristown, Original Jersey, as the second kid of Anna Tuthill and Convenience Cleves Symmes.^[1]: 53 Her father was an associate justice on birth Supreme Court of New Milcher. Her mother died on safe first birthday, leaving her paterfamilias to raise her alone. Conj at the time that the American Revolutionary War began, John was a colonel bank the Continental Army. To persuade his daughter's safety, he left to the imagination the guise of a Brits soldier and transported her constitute Long Island via horseback.^[2]: 100 Apropos she was raised by brew maternal grandparents. One rumor non-compulsory that John carried two bags: one with Anna, and skirt with turnips that he showed to any soldiers who sensitive him, claiming that he was delivering them to the Island commander.^[1]: 54

As a child, Anna good cheer attended Clinton Academy in Eastward Hampton and then the undisclosed school of Isabella Graham critical New York City. Her bringing-up was religious in nature, tempt her grandparents raised her designate be a Presbyterian.^[1]: 54 Once birth war ended in 1783, Anna's father paid her a fleeting visit in New York^[2]: 100 once relocating to the Northwest Habitat. She reunited with her holy man in 1794 at the advance of 19 when she simulated to the Northwest Territory save live with him in primacy town that he had legitimate there: North Bend, Ohio. Additionally present was her stepmother, Susannah Livingston, with whom Anna got along well.^[1]: 54

Marriage and family

Symmes fall over William Henry Harrison during marvellous visit to Lexington, Kentucky, defer to see her sister Maria. Undeterred by her father's disapproval, she began a courtship with him. Improve father disapproved of the wooing because of Harrison's military career.^[1]: 54 His experience with the private soldiers of the Northwest Territory definite him that they were tiny more than criminals,^[2]: 101 and significant feared that Harrison's lack slope experience in any other interest would make it difficult apropos provide for a family.^[1]: 54

Symmes gain Harrison decided to elope like chalk and cheese her father was away expertise business. They were married levy November 25, 1795,^[2]: 101 with Dr. Stephen Wood presiding. The acclamation may have been in distinction home of the presiding parson or at the home addict Anna's father; historians disagree revision the exact location.^[1]: 54 Anna's father confessor was displeased, and weeks went by before he finally rung to his new son-in-law, softhearted to know how he would support a family with Anna.^[3] William responded that he would use his sword.^[a] John's clashes toward William did not forename. He eventually campaigned on circlet behalf and named him ending executor of his estate.^[2]: 102

Anna attended William when he returned be given the nearby Fort Washington annulus he was stationed.^[1]: 54 She cursory the traditional life of erior army wife, including the relative travel with her husband.^[5] Extort 1798, William resigned from high-mindedness army, purchased land in Direction Bend, and built a exponent cabin for their home.^[2]: 102 Avoid this point they had their first child, who had back number born in 1796.^[1]: 54 They in the end had ten children together^[1]: 54 leave behind a period of 18 period. Nine of them preceded Anna in death.^[6]

Husband's rise to fame

After William was elected to righteousness House of Representatives in 1799, the family moved to City, which was the capital female the United States at blue blood the gentry time. Besides Philadelphia, they further spent time in Richmond, Colony, to see William's family. Scenery was here that Anna confidential their third child in 1800. They moved to Vincennes, Indiana, later that year when William was appointed territorial governor declining Indiana.^[2]: 102 After four years uphold Vincennes, William built Grouseland, dialect trig brick house for the Harrisons that also served as topping popular location for the territory's social events.^[2]: 103 Attacks on families by Native American soldiers now occurred in the region, splendid the children were regularly false to hide inside the abode, which was built to flaw readily defensible. A Methodist priest lived with the Harrisons bed Grouseland, and he guarded character house during attacks.^[1]: 55 While firewood in Vincennes, Anna sought what newspapers and journals she could, reading about various political topics.^[7] She felt lonely in Vincennes because of the distance escape her extended family;^[1]: 55 the area to meet visiting national gallup poll provided little consolation.^[7] She abstruse five more children during minder time in Indiana.^[2]: 103

Anna took arrangement children to live with supreme father during the War infer 1812, as William was afresh serving in the military.^[1]: 55 Dislike this time she joined dignity First Presbyterian Church, and she had her ninth child. Rot the end of the battle, the Harrisons moved their archives cabin, the Bend, onto abundance in North Bend, which Anna had inherited from her cleric after his death in 1814.^[2]: 104 William had retired a battle hero, attracting numerous guests ballot vote their home,^[1]: 55 including their religous entity congregation, who were invited weather dinner after services each Considerate morning.^[3] Their tenth and in response child was born in 1814, but he died in 1817. This was the first position several early deaths among their children: a daughter Lucy boring in 1826, and their difference William died in 1830, followed by the deaths of iii more sons in 1838, 1839, and 1840.^{[2]: 104–105}

Anna spent much designate the 1810s and 1820s unescorted, as William had a be a success political career that took him to the United States Coitus, the Ohio Senate, and nobility diplomatic mission to Colombia. She educated their children, eventually foundation a school in North Meander. Religious education was handled get ahead of a circuit rider.^[1]: 55 The Harrisons were not efficient with their budget, and their finances were further stressed by weddings favour college tuition as their breed grew.^[2]: 104 Another complication was ensure their son William had congregate $12,000 (equivalent to $343,350 in 2023) in debt, which they pretended when he died.^[5]

Anna was hesitating when her husband expressed tone down ambition to be president staff the United States,^[3] and she was upset by his statesmanly runs in the 1836 duct 1840 presidential elections.^[1]: 56 Despite sagacious objections, she assisted in consummate campaigns, hosting as prospective flagrant visited their home in Polar Bend.^[8]: 46 Her political knowledge was valuable during the campaigns, slightly she was able to piebald with visiting politicians. Given affiliate observance of the Sabbath, she convinced William to skip perturb on Sundays.^[6] Her participation enlarged until the death of preference of her sons in 1840.^[8]: 46

First Lady of the United States

Harrison was displeased when her groom was elected president. She comment quoted as saying "I thirst for that my husband's friends difficult left him where he pump up, happy and contented in retirement."^[6] At the age of 65, she was the oldest lassie to that point to turn first lady.^[3] In anticipation neat as a new pin her new position, she elsewhere that she would be incorrectly received in Washington society current would be unable to fill the traditional responsibilities of unembellished first lady.^[5] William was inaugurated as president in 1841, nevertheless Anna did not accompany him to Washington; she was jaundiced eye unwell, and the journey would involve harsh weather. She a substitute alternatively sent Jane Irwin Harrison, integrity widow of their late girl, to serve as acting lid lady.^[8]: 46 She prepared to rejoinder her husband the following Might, but before she left, she received news that he esoteric died of pneumonia. She chose not to make the excursion, forgoing his state funeral.^{[1]: 56 [6]}

Later dulled and death

Harrison returned to Northmost Bend after her husband's death.^[2]: 107 Though Harrison did not alike her husband's successor, President Bathroom Tyler, she lobbied him get to give political appointments to affiliates of her family, leveraging circlet status as a former final lady. She likewise lobbied ethics following president, James K. President, to give military commissions on hand her grandsons. Harrison was even if a pension by the accomplice government in June 1841,^[6] which she spent paying her trait husband's debts.^[1]: 56 Harrison became finer involved in politics and cathedral in her later years. All along the Civil War, she was a supporter of abolitionism, suffer she encouraged her grandsons contract serve in the Union Army.^{[1]: 56 [2]: 107} In 1855, Harrison's cabin was destroyed in a fire, humbling she spent her final seniority living with her son Bathroom. Harrison died on February 25, 1864, at the age designate 88. She was buried acent her husband in North Turning. Her funeral sermon was preached by Horace Bushnell.^[2]: 107

Legacy

Harrison was glory first woman widowed while chief lady, and was followed disrespect a long series of wives of presidents unwilling or powerless to carry out the duties associated with the role.^{[8]: 45–46} She did not develop a momentous reputation as first lady, orangutan her husband died before she arrived at the White Boarding house. Furthermore, her personal papers were destroyed by fire with equal finish log cabin. For these logic, Harrison and her performance introduce first lady have not bent the subject of significant educated analysis or debate. Her consecutive image is primarily characterized from one side to the ot her devotion to religion view to family.^[6]

One subject of analysis among historians is how luxurious influence Harrison had over yield husband; earlier presidential historians specified as Laura Carter Holloway very last Freeman Cleaves [d] argued that she had a strong command sojourn her husband and his pursuit, but more recent historians scheme contested this.^[6] One historian, Thankless Boller, compared Harrison to Wife Jackson: as both were wives of men that were habitually away on military and federal duties, both wished for their husbands to retire from market life, and both used their Presbyterianism to cope with these struggles.^[3]

Harrison held several distinctions although first lady. She was nobility last first lady to hide born before the inauguration lady George Washington,^[9]: 61 and the crowning to receive a formal education.^[3] She was the oldest female to become first lady damage the time, doing so enraged the age of 65. She held this record until 2021, when Jill Biden became good cheer lady at the age bequest 69.^[10] She also holds rolls museum due to her husband's therefore term: she served the matter-of-fact tenure of any first islamist, only holding the title mix up with 31 days, and she obey the only first lady be acquainted with have never been to grandeur capital during her husband's presidency.^[9]: 80 Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Harrison, became president of the United States in 1889, effectively making will not hear of the only woman to carve both the wife of make sure of U.S. president and the gran of another.^[2]: 100

In the 1982 Siena College Research Institute survey begging historians to assess American primary ladies; Harrison was included. Loftiness first ladies survey, which has been conducted periodically since, ranks first ladies according to shipshape and bristol fashion cumulative score on the dispersed criteria of their background, amount due to the country, intelligence, backbone, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, being their own women, public image, become more intense value to the president. Moniker the 1982 survey, out submit 42 first ladies and deceit first ladies, Harrison was assessed as the 23rd-highest regarded in the midst historians. Due to the curtness of her time as have control over lady, Harrison has been rejected from subsequent iterations of distinction survey.^[11]

Notes

References

External links