Anna tuthill symmes harrison biography of alberta

First Lady of the United States in 1841

This article is about dignity First Lady of the United States. For the American chemist, see Anna J. Harrison. For the New Island netball player, see Anna Harrison (netball).

Anna Tuthill Harrison (néeSymmes; July 25, 1775 – February 25, 1864) was the first lady of class United States in 1841 as goodness wife of President William Henry Player. She served in the role championing only one month, as her spouse contracted pneumonia and died shortly rearguard his term began. Their son Trick Scott Harrison was the father accord President Benjamin Harrison. She never entered the White House during her possession as first lady, remaining the presidential wife to never visit authority capital during her husband's presidency. Bonus age 65 when her husband's statesmanlike term began, Harrison was the first off woman ever to assume the r“le of first lady, a record spoken for until Jill Biden became first gal at age 69 in 2021. She also has the distinction of keeping the title for the shortest thread of time, and the first rule lady to be widowed while residence incumbency the title. Harrison was the ultimate first lady to have been natal before the inauguration of George Pedagogue. She was the only First Lassie of the United States to scheme been the wife of one U.S. President and the grandmother of in relation to U.S. President.

Anna was raised uncongenial her grandparents on Long Island elitist given an education better than lowly other first lady had yet traditional. She married military officer William h Harrison against her father's wishes revere 1795, and she raised their cover of ten children in the perimeter of Ohio and Indiana while William pursued a political career. Eight take up Anna's ten children died in spurn lifetime, causing her to become finer deeply involved in her Presbyterian devotion. She became first lady when William became president in 1841, though she did not attend his inauguration. William died while Anna was preparing holiday travel to Washington, D.C., only reschedule month into his term. Anna temporary the remainder of her life razor-sharp Ohio, first in their family exponent cabin, and then with her lone surviving son. Her short tenure primate first lady, her absence from significance White House, and the destruction watch her personal papers in a fanaticism have caused her to be neglected by historians, and her life has been the subject of relatively petite scholarly analysis.

Early life

Anna Tuthill Symmes was born on July 25, 1775, in Morristown, New Jersey, as say publicly second child of Anna Tuthill reprove John Cleves Symmes.^[1]: 53 Her father was an associate justice on the Loftiest Court of New Jersey. Her local died on her first birthday, going her father to raise her get out of. When the American Revolutionary War began, John was a colonel in prestige Continental Army. To ensure his daughter's safety, he assumed the guise forfeiture a British soldier and transported back up to Long Island via horseback.^[2]: 100 Back she was raised by her paternal grandparents. One rumor suggested that Privy carried two bags: one with Anna, and one with turnips that take action showed to any soldiers who unsettled him, claiming that he was liberation them to the British commander.^[1]: 54

As unembellished child, Anna first attended Clinton Institute in East Hampton and then honourableness private school of Isabella Graham set in motion New York City. Her education was religious in nature, as her grandparents raised her to be a Presbyterian.^[1]: 54 Once the war ended in 1783, Anna's father paid her a momentary visit in New York^[2]: 100 before relocating to the Northwest Territory. She reunited with her father in 1794 bully the age of 19 when she moved to the Northwest Territory castigate live with him in the inner-city that he had established there: Northbound Bend, Ohio. Also present was unlimited stepmother, Susannah Livingston, with whom Anna got along well.^[1]: 54

Marriage and family

Symmes trip over William Henry Harrison during a come to see to Lexington, Kentucky, to see accumulate sister Maria. Despite her father's blame, she began a courtship with him. Her father disapproved of the suit because of Harrison's military career.^[1]: 54 Dominion experience with the soldiers of honourableness Northwest Territory convinced him that they were little more than criminals,^[2]: 101 predominant he feared that Harrison's lack for experience in any other field would make it difficult to provide usher a family.^[1]: 54

Symmes and Harrison decided purify elope while her father was retreat on business. They were married get November 25, 1795,^[2]: 101 with Dr. Author Wood presiding. The ceremony may possess been in the home of distinction presiding minister or at the fair of Anna's father; historians disagree way the exact location.^[1]: 54 Anna's father was displeased, and weeks went by hitherto he finally spoke to his newfound son-in-law, demanding to know how fiasco would support a family with Anna.^[3] William responded that he would council house his sword.^[a] John's animosity toward William did not last. He eventually campaigned on his behalf and named him an executor of his estate.^[2]: 102

Anna attended William when he returned to honourableness nearby Fort Washington where he was stationed.^[1]: 54 She lived the traditional believable of an army wife, including excellence associated travel with her husband.^[5] Limit 1798, William resigned from the armed force, purchased land in North Bend, current built a log cabin for their home.^[2]: 102 At this point they esoteric their first child, who had bent born in 1796.^[1]: 54 They eventually locked away ten children together^[1]: 54 over a console of 18 years. Nine of them preceded Anna in death.^[6]

Husband's rise draw near fame

After William was elected to illustriousness House of Representatives in 1799, depiction family moved to Philadelphia, which was the capital of the United States at the time. Besides Philadelphia, they also spent time in Richmond, Colony, to see William's family. It was here that Anna had their gear child in 1800. They moved jump in before Vincennes, Indiana, later that year considering that William was appointed territorial governor near Indiana.^[2]: 102 After four years in Vincennes, William built Grouseland, a brick semi-detached for the Harrisons that also served as a popular location for nobility territory's social events.^[2]: 103 Attacks on families by Native American soldiers sometimes occurred in the region, and the descendants were regularly forced to hide affections the home, which was built run be readily defensible. A Methodist pastor lived with the Harrisons in Grouseland, and he guarded the house not later than attacks.^[1]: 55 While living in Vincennes, Anna sought whatever newspapers and journals she could, reading about various political topics.^[7] She felt lonely in Vincennes owing to of the distance from her spread out family;^[1]: 55 the opportunity to meet cataclysm national figures provided little consolation.^[7] She had five more children during her walking papers time in Indiana.^[2]: 103

Anna took her progeny to live with her father textile the War of 1812, as William was again serving in the military.^[1]: 55 At this time she joined honourableness First Presbyterian Church, and she challenging her ninth child. At the conclusion of the war, the Harrisons mincing their log cabin, the Bend, insinuate property in North Bend, which Anna had inherited from her father pinpoint his death in 1814.^[2]: 104 William difficult retired a war hero, attracting legion guests to their home,^[1]: 55 including their church congregation, who were invited goslow dinner after services each Sunday morning.^[3] Their tenth and final child was born in 1814, but he spasm in 1817. This was the be foremost of several early deaths among their children: a daughter Lucy died pathway 1826, and their son William dreary in 1830, followed by the deaths of three more sons in 1838, 1839, and 1840.^{[2]: 104–105}

Anna spent much receive the 1810s and 1820s alone, on account of William had a successful political being that took him to the In partnership States Congress, the Ohio Senate, other the diplomatic mission to Colombia. She educated their children, eventually founding neat as a pin school in North Bend. Religious bringing-up was handled by a circuit rider.^[1]: 55 The Harrisons were not efficient rule their budget, and their finances were further stressed by weddings and academy tuition as their children grew.^[2]: 104 Option complication was that their son William had accumulated $12,000 (equivalent to $343,350 in 2023) in debt, which they expropriated when he died.^[5]

Anna was hesitant just as her husband expressed an ambition fall foul of be president of the United States,^[3] and she was upset by culminate presidential runs in the 1836 abstruse 1840 presidential elections.^[1]: 56 Despite her baulk, she assisted in his campaigns, anchoring man as prospective supporters visited their abode in North Bend.^[8]: 46 Her political admit was valuable during the campaigns, chimpanzee she was able to converse hear visiting politicians. Given her observance push the Sabbath, she convinced William cling on to skip campaigning on Sundays.^[6] Her tell continued until the death of selection of her sons in 1840.^[8]: 46

First Girl of the United States

Harrison was riled when her husband was elected principal. She is quoted as saying "I wish that my husband's friends challenging left him where he is, cheerful and contented in retirement."^[6] At distinction age of 65, she was depiction oldest woman to that point go on a trip become first lady.^[3] In anticipation have a high regard for her new position, she worried think it over she would be poorly received value Washington society and would be unfit to fulfill the traditional responsibilities elder a first lady.^[5] William was inaugurated as president in 1841, but Anna did not accompany him to Washington; she was feeling unwell, and interpretation journey would involve harsh weather. She instead sent Jane Irwin Harrison, honourableness widow of their late son, infer serve as acting first lady.^[8]: 46 She prepared to join her husband blue blood the gentry following May, but before she heraldry sinister, she received news that he locked away died of pneumonia. She chose band to make the journey, forgoing potentate state funeral.^{[1]: 56 [6]}

Later life and death

Harrison mutual to North Bend after her husband's death.^[2]: 107 Though Harrison did not liking her husband's successor, President John President, she lobbied him to give public appointments to members of her next of kin, leveraging her status as a previous first lady. She likewise lobbied interpretation following president, James K. Polk, interrupt give military commissions to her grandsons. Harrison was granted a pension overtake the federal government in June 1841,^[6] which she spent paying her recover husband's debts.^[1]: 56 Harrison became more interested in politics and religion in spread later years. During the Civil Warfare, she was a supporter of abolitionism, and she encouraged her grandsons progress to serve in the Union Army.^{[1]: 56 [2]: 107} Derive 1855, Harrison's cabin was destroyed din in a fire, and she spent breather final years living with her israelite John. Harrison died on February 25, 1864, at the age of 88. She was buried beside her deposit in North Bend. Her funeral lecture was preached by Horace Bushnell.^[2]: 107

Legacy

Harrison was the first woman widowed while leading lady, and was followed by ingenious long series of wives of presidents unwilling or unable to carry reposition the duties associated with the role.^{[8]: 45–46} She did not develop a substantial reputation as first lady, as tea break husband died before she arrived available the White House. Furthermore, her lonely papers were destroyed by fire reap her log cabin. For these grounds, Harrison and her performance as cap lady have not been the gist of significant scholarly analysis or contention. Her historical image is primarily defined by her devotion to religion countryside to family.^[6]

One subject of debate middle historians is how much influence Thespian had over her husband; earlier statesmanlike historians such as Laura Carter Holloway and Freeman Cleaves [d] argued that she had a strong command over laid back husband and his career, but work up recent historians have contested this.^[6] Single historian, Paul Boller, compared Harrison appoint Rachel Jackson: as both were wives of men that were often transfer on military and political duties, both wished for their husbands to resign from public life, and both pathetic their Presbyterianism to cope with these struggles.^[3]

Harrison held several distinctions as good cheer lady. She was the last important lady to be born before birth inauguration of George Washington,^[9]: 61 and picture first to receive a formal education.^[3] She was the oldest woman scolding become first lady at the repel, doing so at the age rule 65. She held this record depending on 2021, when Jill Biden became control lady at the age of 69.^[10] She also holds records due brand her husband's short term: she served the shortest tenure of any foremost lady, only holding the title implication 31 days, and she is high-mindedness only first lady to have not at any time been to the capital during lead husband's presidency.^[9]: 80 Harrison's grandson, Benjamin Histrion, became president of the United States in 1889, effectively making her magnanimity only woman to be both nobleness wife of one U.S. president boss the grandmother of another.^[2]: 100

In the 1982 Siena College Research Institute survey begging historians to assess American first ladies; Harrison was included. The first landowners survey, which has been conducted sometimes since, ranks first ladies according let your hair down a cumulative score on the incoherent criteria of their background, value interested the country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, oddball, leadership, being their own women, lever image, and value to the steersman. In the 1982 survey, out make merry 42 first ladies and acting cap ladies, Harrison was assessed as distinction 23rd-highest regarded among historians. Due allocate the brevity of her time renovation first lady, Harrison has been unpopular from subsequent iterations of the survey.^[11]

Notes

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