Matilda Bradford "Tillie" Ehringhaus (''

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 ...

'' Haughton; October 23, 1890 – June 16, 1980) was an American civic leader who, as the wife of

John C. B. Ehringhaus John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus (February 5, 1882July 31, 1949) was an American politician who served as the 58th governor of North Carolina, serving from 1933 to 1937. Biography He was born on February 5, 1882, in Elizabeth City, North Car ...

, served as First Lady of North Carolina from 1933 to 1937. Since her time in the

North Carolina Executive Mansion The North Carolina Executive Mansion (also referred to as the North Carolina Governor's Mansion) is the official residence of the governor of North Carolina and their family. Building began in the year 1883 and it was designed by architects Samu ...

was marked by the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, she made budget cuts and adaptations around the mansion to save money for the state, including having the wattage of the chandeliers lowered so that the electric bill would not exceed monthly expenses. As first lady, she hosted musical salons and was noted for her beauty and charm. After her husband's death, Ehringhaus co-edited the North Carolina Almanac and State Industrial Guide and, in 1952, served as an alternate delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

Early life and family

Ehringhaus was born Matilda Bradford Haughton on October 23, 1890 in

Williamston, North Carolina Williamston is a town in Martin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,511 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Martin County and is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. The closest major city is Greenvill ...

to Rev. Thomas Benbury Haughton, an

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

priest, and Susan Elizabeth Lamb Haughton. She was a member of an

aristocratic Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word's ...

North Carolinian family, as her father's family were

planters Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentil ...

in the Albemarle Region. Her granduncle, Thomas Haughton, was a close friend and colleague of Governor James Iredell Jr. and U.S. Congressman

Ebenezer Pettigrew Ebenezer Pettigrew (March 10, 1783 – July 8, 1848) was a Congressional Representative from North Carolina. He was born near Plymouth, North Carolina, March 10, 1783. He studied under tutors at home and later attended the University of North Car ...

. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, Ehringhaus' father served as the chaplain of the 50th North Carolina Infantry Regiment in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

until they surrendered at

Bennett Place Bennett Place is a former farm and homestead in Durham, North Carolina, which was the site of the last surrender of a major Confederate army in the American Civil War, when Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman. The first meetin ...

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county *Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in No ...

while under the leadership of

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia seceded ...

of the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...

. After the war, he served as the parish priest and rector of the Episcopal church of the Advent in Williamston. Her mother, Susan, was the daughter of Wilson Gray Lamb, Jr., a local political leader, merchant, and Confederate veteran. Through her maternal grandfather, Ehringhaus was a descendant of Colonel Gideon Lamb, a military officer who served in the

6th North Carolina Regiment The 6th North Carolina Regiment was one of ten regiments of the North Carolina Line of the Continental Army that fought in the American Revolution. History The 6th North Carolina Regiment existed as a Continental Army unit from North Carolina f ...

of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

. Her granduncle, Lieutenant Colonel John Calhoun Lamb, was mortally wounded during the Bermuda Hundred campaign in the Civil War. When Ehringhaus was four years old her father died and the family moved to

Washington, North Carolina Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. It is commonly known as "Original Wa ...

. She attended St. Mary's Junior College, a girls' school in

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

, and graduated with a business certificate in 1908. Prior to her marriage, Ehringhaus worked as a secretary.

Public life

In 1932 Ehringhaus' husband was elected as the 58th

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

, and assumed office the following January, at which time she assumed the role of First Lady of North Carolina. Her husband's administration was during the

and, due to this, the inauguration ceremony and festivities were very simple. The

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

approved a budget of only six hundred dollars for the event. She had been apprehensive about her husband running for governor and, according to a report in the ''

News & Record The ''News & Record'' is an American, English language newspaper with the largest circulation serving Guilford County, North Carolina, and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and produces local sections for Greensbo ...

'', she was "alarmed" by her husband's decision. Ehringhaus was noted for her beauty and charm, and a 1933 article published by ''

Our State ''Our State'' (full title: ''Our State: Down Home in North Carolina'') is a monthly magazine based in Greensboro, North Carolina, featuring travel and history articles and photographs about North Carolina people, places and events. First publishe ...

'' stated, "If they ever have a beauty contest among governor's wives, our Tilly will take the loving cup, or the medal, or whatever it is that they give as first prizes in contests of this nature." While living in the

in Raleigh, Ehringhaus hosted musical salons, where her husband played the piano while guests sang. In order to accommodate budget cuts during the Depression, she had the wattage of the chandeliers in the mansion lowered, so that the electric bill. She brought her own family's

silver service Silver service (in British English) is a method of foodservice at the table, with waiter transferring food from a serving dish to the guest's plate, always from the left. It is performed by a waiter by using service forks and spoons from the dine ...

into the house in order to serve guests during official dinners. Her husband's administration lasted one term. In 1957, she told a reporter for the ''

News & Observer ''The News & Observer'' is an American regional daily newspaper that serves the greater Triangle area based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The paper is the largest in circulation in the state (second is the '' Charlotte Observer''). The paper has be ...

'' that being First Lady of North Carolina was "an experience I'm glad I had, but I wouldn't want to be a governor's wife two terms." In 1952 she was an alternate delegate to the

. Ehringhaus co-edited the North Carolina Almanac and State Industrial Guide.

Personal life

On January 4, 1912 she married John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus, an attorney, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Washington. After the wedding, the couple moved to

Elizabeth City Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 18,629. Elizabeth City is the county seat and largest city of Pasquotank County. It is the cultural, economic and educ ...

, where her husband practiced law. They had three children: John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus, Jr., Matilda Ehringhaus, and Haughton Ehringhaus. While her husband served in the

the family lived at the

Sir Walter Hotel The Sir Walter Hotel is the oldest surviving hotel building in Raleigh, North Carolina. Constructed between 1923 and 1924 on Fayetteville Street and named after Sir Walter Raleigh, the hotel was nicknamed North Carolina's "third house of governme ...

in downtown Raleigh. In 1923 she visited Land's End Plantation in

Perquimans County Perquimans County ()
, from the North Carolina Collection's website at the

Edenton Edenton is a town in, and the county seat of, Chowan County, North Carolina, United States, on Albemarle Sound. The population was 4,397 at the 2020 census. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has b ...

, where some of her relatives lived. She remodeled her house there, and two of her grandchildren lived with her while attended school in Edenton. She remained on the farm for twenty years before returning to Raleigh.

Death and legacy

She died on June 16, 1980 at a nursing home in Raleigh. She was buried next to her husband in his family's plot in Episcopal Cemetery in Elizabeth City. In December 2012, Ehringhaus' inaugural gown was included in an exhibit on Governors and First Ladies of North Carolina at the

North Carolina Museum of History The North Carolina Museum of History is a history museum located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is an affiliate through the Smithsonian Affiliations program. The museum is a part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehringhaus, Tillie 1890 births 1980 deaths 20th-century American Episcopalians Episcopalians from North Carolina First Ladies and Gentlemen of North Carolina North Carolina Democrats People from Washington, North Carolina People from Williamston, North Carolina St. Mary's School (North Carolina) alumni