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Abigail Fillmore (
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Powers; March 13, 1798 – March 30, 1853), wife of President Millard Fillmore, was the
First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...
from 1850 to 1853. She began work as a schoolteacher at the age of 16, where she took on Millard Fillmore, who was two years her junior, as a student. She continued her teaching work after their marriage in 1826 until the birth of her son
Millard Powers Fillmore Millard Powers Fillmore (April 25, 1828 – November 15, 1889) was a lawyer and one of two children, and only son, of U.S. President Millard Fillmore and his first wife, Abigail Powers. Early life Millard Powers Fillmore, known familiarly a ...
in 1828. She lived in Buffalo, New York while her husband advanced his political career in Albany, New York and Washington, D.C. She would occasionally join him in these cities, becoming involved in local social life. She became the Second Lady of the United States in 1849 after her husband was elected Vice President on the Whig Party presidential ticket, and she became First Lady of the United States in 1850 after her husband succeeded to the presidency. Fillmore's most noted achievement as first lady was the establishment of the first
White House Library The White House Library is on the Ground Floor of the White House, the official home of the president of the United States. The room is approximately and is in the northeast of the ground floor. The Library is used for teas and meetings hoste ...
. She had a lifelong appreciation for literature and refused to live in a home without books. The library became a popular reception room in the White House and functioned as the home of a literary
salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...
. She was also involved in the political aspects of the presidency, and her husband often sought her opinion on state affairs. She took less interest in the role of White House hostess, and she suffered from ailments that prevented her from carrying out some of her duties, including an injured ankle that limited her mobility. Many of her social responsibilities were delegated to her daughter
Mary Abigail Fillmore Mary Abigail "Abbie" Fillmore (March 27, 1832, Buffalo, New York – July 26, 1854, East Aurora, New York) was the daughter of President Millard Fillmore and Abigail Powers. During her father's presidency from 1850 to 1853 she often served ...
. Fillmore died of pneumonia in 1853, mere weeks after the end of her tenure as first lady. She has received little historical attention; she is considered one of the most obscure first ladies, and much of her correspondences are lost.


Early life and education

Abigail Powers was born in Stillwater, New York, on March 13, 1798, in
Saratoga County Saratoga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York, and is the fastest-growing county in Upstate New York. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was enumerated at 235,509, representing a 7.2% increase from the 2010 popu ...
. She was the youngest of seven children born to Reverend Lemuel Powers and Abigail Newland. Her father was the leader of the First Baptist Church until he died when she was two years old. After Lemuel's death, the family moved to Sempronius, New York. They moved in with Cyprus Powers because of their impoverished state. Her father had left behind a large library of his personal books, which Abigail read extensively. Her mother was a schoolteacher who used these books to teach her to read and to appreciate her education. She came to love literature and also became proficient in other subjects such as math, government, history, philosophy, and geography. She was also made familiar with
abolitionism Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...
as a child, as the Baptist faith opposed slavery and her family was friends with local abolitionist George Washington Jonson. Powers began a career as a schoolteacher at the age of 16, which would eventually make her the first first lady to have previously pursued a career. In 1814, Abigail became a part-time school teacher at the Sempronius Village school. In 1817, she became a full-time teacher, and in 1819, she took on another teaching job at the private New Hope Academy. She advanced her own education by alternating her teaching and her studies at the school. As an adult, she taught herself to speak
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and to play the piano.


Marriage and family

While teaching at New Hope Academy, she took on Millard Fillmore as a student. They were engaged in 1819, but they did not marry for several years. Millard was not wealthy enough to support a family, and Abigail's family discouraged her from marrying the son of a dirt farmer. They remained in contact as they pursued separate teaching careers over the following years. In 1824, she became a private tutor in Lisle to three of her cousins. She was then asked to open up a private school in Broome County; she opened the school, and in 1825, she went back to Sempronius to teach in her original position, where she would found a library. While they were apart, they once went as long as three years without seeing one another. Abigail and Millard married in her brother's house in Moravia, New York on February 5, 1826, after Millard had become an attorney, and they moved to East Aurora, New York. Though women teachers were often expected to resign after marriage, Abigail continued to teach until she had children. The Fillmores had two children: their son
Millard Powers Fillmore Millard Powers Fillmore (April 25, 1828 – November 15, 1889) was a lawyer and one of two children, and only son, of U.S. President Millard Fillmore and his first wife, Abigail Powers. Early life Millard Powers Fillmore, known familiarly a ...
was born in 1828, and their daughter Mary Abigail "Abbie" Fillmore was born in 1832. In 1830, they moved to Buffalo, New York, which Millard helped establish. He was a member of the
New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...
at this time, and Abigail was responsible for tending to the house and children on her own while he was away for work. She would often lament his absences, fearing he would meet a new woman while he was away. While in Buffalo, they joined the local Unitarian Church. Millard also started a law practice in the city, and its success brought the Fillmores a comfortable life with financial security. She saw to the construction of Buffalo's first public library, and she grew her own personal collection until it reached 4,000 books. She was also responsible for naming the town of
Newstead, New York Newstead is the northeasternmost town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 8,594 at the 2010 census. The name is reportedly derived from Newstead Abbey in England. Newstead is northeast of Buffalo, and its principal com ...
in 1831, suggesting the name in reference to the home of Lord Byron.


Washington, D.C. and Albany, New York

Millard was elected as a member of the United States House of Representatives in 1832, and Abigail stayed in Buffalo while he was in Washington, D.C. He stepped down in 1834, but he was elected again in 1836, and this time Abigail accompanied him to Washington, leaving the children with relatives in New York. Here she would fulfill the social obligations of a politician's wife, and she also sought out cultural and academic institutions in the city. They would continue with this routine each time Congress was in session for the following years. She would write to her children regularly while away, often encouraging self-improvement and scolding them for spelling errors in their replies. Abigail was well regarded in Washington social life. In 1840 she was asked to dedicate a building; it was a rare honor for a woman at the time, though she declined. While in Washington, she sat in on a
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
debate by
Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
in 1837 and met Charles Dickens in 1842. They returned to Buffalo after Millard left Congress in 1842, and Abigail became a popular hostess in the city. When Millard was elected New York State Comptroller, the family moved to Albany, New York, and she became involved with the social life there. While she held fashionable society in contempt, she enjoyed observing their behavior and participating in social parties. The Fillmores separated from their children again while in Albany, this time sending them away to Massachusetts. On
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...
of 1842, she sustained an injury in her ankle. While walking on an uneven sidewalk, she slipped and twisted her ankle severely enough that she was unable to walk for two weeks. When she began walking, it further inflamed her foot. She was bedridden until winter and confined to her room for several months thereafter. For the following two years, she would be forced to walk using crutches. The injury never fully healed, and she suffered from chronic pain for the rest of her life. Fillmore became a prominent figure when her husband was nominated as the Whig candidate for Vice President in the 1848 presidential election, and she became known to the public through a flattering description in '' The American Review''. The Whig ticket was elected, and Abigail became the Second Lady of the United States in March 1849. Her health made a return to Washington undesirable, and she remained in Buffalo. Abigail found social life in Washington uninteresting, and she spent much of her time as second lady tending to her sister, who had suffered from a stroke. She briefly visited Washington to see her husband in 1850. Being the second lady meant being involved with high-profile social circles, and she expressed joy at interacting with prominent authors of the day, such as Ann S. Stephens, Lydia Sigourney, and Emma Willard.


First Lady of the United States

President Zachary Taylor died in July 1850, causing Millard to become President of the United States and Abigail to become his
First Lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
. Abigail was on vacation in New Jersey with her children when President Taylor died. When she discovered that she was to be the first lady, she suffered from self-doubt, believing that she would not serve sufficiently. She had become comfortable in domestic life, and she was apprehensive about the expectations that had been placed suddenly upon her. She arrived at the White House the following October. Her sister's death in February 1851 caused her considerable grief. Within the White House, Fillmore was an active first lady that hosted many social events. Though she was an active conversationalist, she did not enjoy the social aspects of the role; she found that most guests had little interest in her intellectual pursuits, and she considered them to be "cave dwellers". She would often go on coach rides with her husband around Washington and the surrounding countryside. She also took advantage of the cultural elements of Washington while she was first lady, regularly attending art exhibitions and concerts, breaking precedent by traveling without her husband. In the summers, she would return to New York to visit friends and family. The Fillmores had come from poverty, and as such they had little interest in elaborate decoration or refurnishing. Unlike many first ladies, Abigail did not extensively redecorate the White House upon entering. Instead, she designed the White House interior in the mind of a middle-class home. She did, however, emphasize the use of mahogany and fine carpets. She also oversaw the expansion of the White House heating system and had a kitchen stove installed to replace the practice of cooking by fireplace. Abigail and Millard corresponded regularly when they were apart. Their letters often concerned politics, and she would write back offering him advice and counsel on political matters. She closely followed bills in Congress and other political news, and she was able to discuss them in detail. He valued her opinion, and he reportedly never made any important decision without first consulting her. Abigail may have advised her husband not to sign the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, though he eventually did. She may have also encouraged him to end the practice of flogging as a punishment in the Navy. Abigail would regularly receive letters from citizens asking her to speak to the president on their behalf, particularly from charities asking for donations and people asking for political patronage. One such individual was her brother David, who received a position in the Fillmore administration. Due to her poor health, Fillmore delegated many of her duties to her daughter Abbie, who was responsible for meeting with callers outside of the White House. Her ankle injury further complicated her role as White House hostess, and she would often be bedridden for a day after standing for hours to manage a long receiving line. By the end of the Fillmore presidency, Abbie carried out most of the social aspects of the role. One particular incident that prevented Fillmore from carrying out her duties was a second injury to her ankle in 1851 that left her incapacitated for weeks. She was also relieved from further responsibilities due to the more reserved nature of social life at the White House caused by President Taylor's death and growing political polarization.


White House library

When Abigail first moved into the White House, she was reportedly appalled at the fact that there was no library in it. Previous presidents had brought their own private book collections to the White House, retaining them after the end of their presidencies. The Fillmores decided that a library was a necessary fixture in the White House, as Abigail was accustomed to having books in the home and Millard depended on reference books in his work as president. With $2,000 () authorized by Congress, she selected books for a White House library in the
Oval Room The Oval Room in the Teylers Museum was the first part of the museum (though it was not called a museum yet) that was opened in 1784. It could be entered through the garden of the fundatiehuis, the former home of Pieter Teyler van der Hulst. The ...
. Abigail took responsibility for the organization and decoration of the room. She modeled the room after the style of Andrew Jackson Downing, using
cottage furniture Cottage furniture was popular in the United States, particularly on the East Coast of the United States, between 1830 and 1890. As the American Civil War began winding down and luxury items were once again sought after, cottage furniture began a ...
with walnut frames. Whenever new packages of books arrived, she would personally open them and place the books. The library became a social hub of the White House during the Fillmore administration. Abigail hosted writers such as William Thackeray, Charles Dickens, Washington Irving, and Helen Aldrich De Kroyft and performance artists such as Anna Bishop and
Jenny Lind Johanna Maria "Jenny" Lind (6 October 18202 November 1887) was a Swedish opera singer, often called the "Swedish Nightingale". One of the most highly regarded singers of the 19th century, she performed in soprano roles in opera in Sweden and a ...
, essentially creating a White House literary salon. This library became her primary focus as first lady, with it serving as a reception room, a family room, and a place of rest for her husband. It also doubled as a music room, with Abbie using the room to play piano, harp, and guitar. Abigail spent a large portion of her time as first lady in her library, and Millard often spent an hour in the library at night after leaving the executive chamber.


Death

Abigail was the first first lady to attend the inauguration of her successor. After leaving the White House, she and her husband had begun planning travel. These plans were interrupted when she caught a cold that progressed into bronchitis and then pneumonia. When a doctor was called, he used an ineffective cupping and blistering technique that may have worsened her health. She died of her illness in the Willard Hotel on March 30, 1851, aged 55. She was laid in state in Washington and then buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. Washington went into a period of mourning, and much of the federal government temporarily ceased operations in respect of her death. In his memoirs, Millard credited her for the support that she provided in progressing his education. On February 10, 1858, five years after her death, her husband married
Caroline Carmichael McIntosh Caroline Fillmore ( Carmichael, formerly McIntosh; October 21, 1813 – August 11, 1881) was the second wife of Millard Fillmore, the 13th president of the United States. They were married in 1858, five years after he left office. Life Car ...
, a wealthy Buffalo widow. They remained married until Millard's death from a stroke on March 8, 1874, at the age of 74.


Legacy

As an antebellum first lady, Fillmore held the position at a time when it received very little public attention. She has not received significant historical coverage relative to first ladies of other eras, and is often regarded as a less active first lady. She is best remembered for her organization of a library in the White House. Biographers of Millard Fillmore have generally given little attention to Abigail, in part due to the lack of surviving documents. Most of her private correspondences have been lost and are presumed to have been destroyed by her son. What does survive is primarily lists of books that she asked her husband to purchase while he traveled. Historians disagree on the extent that her poor health and ankle injury prevented her from carrying out White House duties; some say that it was severe enough to limit her ability, while others say that it was merely an excuse to avoid the responsibilities of a first lady. She is typically recognized as an intellectual and as a supportive influence in the president's life.


References


External links


Essay on Abigail Fillmore from the Miller Center of Public Affairs

Abigail Fillmore
at
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's '' First Ladies: Influence & Image'' , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Fillmore, Abigail 1798 births 1853 deaths 18th-century American people 19th-century American educators 18th-century American women 19th-century American women educators Burials at Forest Lawn Cemetery (Buffalo) Deaths from pneumonia in Washington, D.C. Abigail First Ladies of the United States People from Buffalo, New York People from Moravia, New York People from Stillwater, New York Second Ladies of the United States Spouses of New York (state) politicians American salon-holders