The second gentleman or second lady of the United States (SGOTUS or SLOTUS respectively) is the informal title held by the spouse of the
vice president of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. Coined in contrast to "
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 ...
", albeit used less commonly, the title "
second lady" was apparently first used by
Jennie Tuttle Hobart
Esther Jane "Jennie" Hobart ( Tuttle; April 30, 1849 – January 8, 1941) was the wife of Vice President Garret Hobart and a philanthropist and community activist in New Jersey.
Biography
Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Hobart w ...
(wife of
Garret Hobart
Garret Augustus Hobart (June 3, 1844 – November 21, 1899) was the 24th vice president of the United States, Vice President of the United States, serving from 1897 until his death in 1899. He was the sixth American vice president to die in ...
, vice president 1897–1899) to refer to herself. Second gentleman of the United States is the title held by
Doug Emhoff
Douglas Craig Emhoff (born October 13, 1964) is an American lawyer who is the second gentleman of the United States. He is married to the 49th vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. As the first-ever husband of a vice president, Em ...
, the husband of Vice President
Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well ...
.
Twelve second ladies have gone on to become first ladies during their husbands' terms as president. The first to do this was
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; November 22, [ O.S. November 11] 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was a founder of the United States, an ...
, who was married to
John Adams
John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
, who was the first vice president from 1789 to 1797 and then the second president from 1797 to 1801. Thus Abigail was the first second lady and the second first lady. The most recent to do this is
Jill Biden
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her hus ...
, who is married to
Joe Biden, the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and then the 46th president since 2021.
The current second gentleman is
Douglas Emhoff
Douglas Craig Emhoff (born October 13, 1964) is an American lawyer who is the second gentleman of the United States. He is married to the 49th vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. As the first-ever husband of a vice president, Em ...
, as his wife Kamala Harris became the 49th vice president of the United States on January 20, 2021. Emhoff is the first second gentleman of the United States.
There are five living former second ladies:
Marilyn Quayle
Marilyn Tucker Quayle (born July 29, 1949) is an American lawyer and novelist. She is the wife of the 44th vice president of the United States, Dan Quayle, and served as the second lady of the United States from 1989 until 1993.
Early life and e ...
(wife of
Dan Quayle),
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Aitcheson; born August 19, 1948) is an American social issues advocate, activist, photographer and author who was the second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She was married to Al Gore, the 45th vi ...
(separated wife of
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
),
Lynne Cheney
Lynne Ann Cheney ( ; ; born August 14, 1941) is an American author, scholar, and former talk show host. She is married to the 46th vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney, and served as the second lady of the United States from 2001 to ...
(wife of
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
), First Lady
Jill Biden
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her hus ...
(wife of
Joe Biden), and
Karen Pence
Karen Sue Pence ( Batten, formerly Whitaker; born January 1, 1957) is an American schoolteacher, painter, and was the second lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She is married to the 48th vice president of the United States, Mike Penc ...
(wife of
Mike Pence
Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 50th ...
).
History
The second spouse's visibility in the public sphere has been a somewhat recent development. Although the role of the
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 ...
as
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
hostess dates from the beginning of the republic (and was typically filled by another member of the president's family if the president was unmarried or a widower), with a few exceptions, it was generally not until the late 20th century and early 21st century that vice-presidential wives took on public roles that attracted significant media attention.
In one notable exception,
Floride Calhoun
Floride Bonneau Calhoun (née Colhoun; February 15, 1792 – July 25, 1866) was the wife of U.S. politician John C. Calhoun. She is best known for her leading role in the Petticoat affair, which occurred during her husband's service as ...
, wife of Vice President
John C. Calhoun
John Caldwell Calhoun (; March 18, 1782March 31, 1850) was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina who held many important positions including being the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He ...
, was a central figure in the
Petticoat Affair
The Petticoat affair (also known as the Eaton affair) was a political scandal involving members of President Andrew Jackson's Cabinet and their wives, from 1829 to 1831. Led by Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun, these wome ...
, a social-political scandal which involved the social ostracism of Secretary of War
John H. Eaton
John Henry Eaton (June 18, 1790November 17, 1856) was an American politician and diplomat from Tennessee who served as U.S. Senator and as Secretary of War in the administration of Andrew Jackson. He was 28 years, 4 months, and 29 days old when ...
and his wife
Margaret O'Neill Eaton
Margaret O'Neill (or O'Neale) Timberlake Eaton (December 3, 1799 – November 8, 1879), was the wife of John Henry Eaton, a United States senator from Tennessee and United States Secretary of War, and a confidant of Andrew Jackson. Their marr ...
, further damaging already-strained relations between Vice President Calhoun and President
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
.
In 1978,
Muriel Humphrey
Muriel Fay Humphrey Brown (née Buck; February 20, 1912September 20, 1998) was an American politician who served as the second lady of the United States from 1965 to 1969, and as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota in 1978. She was married to the 38th ...
, wife of Vice President
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...
, became the only former second lady to hold public office; after her husband, who had returned to the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
after his term as vice president, died in office, she was appointed by
Minnesota governor
The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...
Rudy Perpich
Rudolph George Perpich Sr. (June 27, 1928 September 21, 1995) was an American politician and the longest-serving governor of Minnesota, serving a total of just over 10 years. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, he served as the 34t ...
to continue her husband's term.
There have been 17 periods of vacancy in the role, the longest of which continued for 16 years between the service of vice presidential spouses
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; November 22, [ O.S. November 11] 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was a founder of the United States, an ...
and
Ann Gerry
Ann Thompson Gerry (; August 12, 1763 – March 17, 1849) was the wife of Vice President Elbridge Gerry, thus the second lady of the United States from 1813 to 1814.
Life
Ann Thompson was the daughter of James Thompson (1727–1812) ...
when there were three widower vice presidents and a one-year vacancy in the vice presidency. The most recent second lady vacancy was for 132 days in 1974, between the service of
Betty Ford and
Happy Rockefeller
Margaretta Large "Happy" Rockefeller (''née'' Fitler, formerly Murphy; June 9, 1926 – May 19, 2015) was a philanthropist and the second wife of the 49th governor of New York and 41st vice president of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller ...
, when the vice presidency was also vacant.
12 second ladies went on to become first lady following their husbands becoming president, the first being Abigail Adams and most recent being Jill Biden.
Role in practice
The role of the second lady is unpaid and not formally defined.
The wife of the vice president of the United States was traditionally expected to serve as a hostess and appear at society functions.
Jennie Tuttle Hobart
Esther Jane "Jennie" Hobart ( Tuttle; April 30, 1849 – January 8, 1941) was the wife of Vice President Garret Hobart and a philanthropist and community activist in New Jersey.
Biography
Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Hobart w ...
, wife of Vice President
Garret Hobart
Garret Augustus Hobart (June 3, 1844 – November 21, 1899) was the 24th vice president of the United States, Vice President of the United States, serving from 1897 until his death in 1899. He was the sixth American vice president to die in ...
(1897–1899) is often cited as the first woman to style herself as "Second Lady".
Hobart took over the hostess duties on behalf of First Lady
Ida Saxton McKinley
Ida McKinley ( née Saxton; June 8, 1847 – May 26, 1907) was the first lady of the United States from 1897 until 1901, as the wife of President William McKinley.
Born to a successful Ohio family, Ida met her future husband and later marr ...
, who had chronic health issues including epilepsy.
Starting in 1917, the wife of the vice president took on the unofficial role of convener of the Red Cross Senate Wives, presiding over their lunches; the organization later became known as the Senate Spouses Club.
The question of the second lady's status became a topic of debate in 1929 when Dolly Curtis Gann, the sister of Vice President
Charles Curtis (1929–1933), assumed the role of hostess on his behalf, since he was widowed.
Gann had waged a public "battle of precedence" against
Alice Roosevelt Longworth
Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth (February 12, 1884 – February 20, 1980) was an American writer and socialite. She was the eldest child of U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt and his only child with his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. Lo ...
, the wife of the late
speaker of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
.
Over time, the spouse of the vice president started to become more visible as the
Office of the Vice President itself gained power and influence, and assumed additional responsibilities.
In 2010,
''Marie Claire'' magazine described the role of second ladies as being "relegated to roast-chicken charity dinners and sit-and-smile political functions. They cherry-pick a cause or two...and pretty much stay out of the way."
Presidential historian
Gil Troy
Gil Troy (born 1961) is an American presidential historian and a popular commentator on politics and other issues. He is a professor of history at McGill University. Troy is the author of nine books, and the editor of two. He writes a column for '' ...
noted that during the
Kennedy Administration
John F. Kennedy's tenure as the 35th president of the United States, began with his inauguration on January 20, 1961, and ended with his assassination on November 22, 1963. A Democrat from Massachusetts, he took office following the 1960 p ...
, one of Second Lady
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (''née'' Taylor; December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She previously served as Second Lady from 1961 to 1963 when ...
's roles was to replace First Lady
Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...
when she withdrew from public appearances, often at the last minute; Johnson replaced Kennedy on more than 50 occasions.
Pat Nixon
Thelma Catherine "Pat" Nixon (''née'' Ryan; March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993) was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974 as the wife of President Richard Nixon. She also served as Second Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 wh ...
, wife of Vice President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
, was the first second spouse to add a great deal of substance to the role of the vice president's wife. When Nixon assumed the position in 1953, the role's only official function was to preside over the once-annual Senate Ladies Luncheon.
Instead, Nixon launched her own initiatives, sensing great opportunities that her role provided. She established a schedule separate from that of her husband, which often consisted of solo activities. As second lady, Nixon traveled more than 125,000 miles around the world to six continents, including a two-month, 42,000-mile journey through Asia in 1953.
As she undertook missions of goodwill across the world, she insisted on visiting schools, orphanages, hospitals and village markets rather than attend tea or coffee functions. In this sense, Nixon essentially created the modern role of the second lady; historian
Kate Andersen Brower
Kate Andersen Brower is an American journalist and author who has written three books about the White House, two of which have been ''New York Times'' bestsellers, ''The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House'', ''First Women: The ...
wrote, "she helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her."
Historian Cormac O'Brien says that
Pat Nixon
Thelma Catherine "Pat" Nixon (''née'' Ryan; March 16, 1912 – June 22, 1993) was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974 as the wife of President Richard Nixon. She also served as Second Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 wh ...
"may have well been the most extraordinary second lady in American history" because of her role in accompanying Vice President
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
on a tour of the world as a goodwill ambassador.
She also traveled independently of the vice president and attended events, including campaign tours, on her own.
According to O'Brien, Second Lady Nixon proved popular "as a paragon of graciousness, composure, and elegance", and made a conscious effort to travel to locations where local women were banned, to spread a subtle message for equal rights.
During the
Reagan Administration
Ronald Reagan's tenure as the 40th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1981, and ended on January 20, 1989. Reagan, a Republican from California, took office following a landslide victory over D ...
, Second Lady
Barbara Bush
Barbara Pierce Bush (June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018) was First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, as the wife of President George H. W. Bush, and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She previously was ...
hosted more than one thousand events and traveled over 1.5 million miles at home and abroad over eight years, and championed literacy, a cause she continued to support when she later became First Lady.
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Aitcheson; born August 19, 1948) is an American social issues advocate, activist, photographer and author who was the second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She was married to Al Gore, the 45th vi ...
, former wife of Vice President
Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
, was active in several campaigns to remove material she found objectionable from popular American entertainment like
movies
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
,
television shows
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...
and
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
, starting when her husband was a
senator
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 ...
. She challenged performers over their use of profane lyrics and often debated with her critics, such as
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk rock, punk bands during its initial eight-year run.
Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, sa ...
singer
Jello Biafra
Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and politician. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys.
Initially ac ...
.
Lynne Cheney
Lynne Ann Cheney ( ; ; born August 14, 1941) is an American author, scholar, and former talk show host. She is married to the 46th vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney, and served as the second lady of the United States from 2001 to ...
, wife of Vice President
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
, championed
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
reform, citing specific failures of the American
public education
State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...
system during her tenure as second lady. She is a particularly outspoken supporter of American
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
education, having written five
bestselling books on this topic for children and their families.
Jill Biden
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her hus ...
, wife of President
Joe Biden, worked as an English professor at
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC; informally known as NOVA) is a public community college composed of six campuses and four centers in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. Northern Virginia Community College is the third-la ...
, and is thought to be the first second lady to hold a paying job while her husband was vice president.
She has been involved in various causes, including breast cancer awareness and literacy.
List of second ladies and gentlemen of the United States
Other spouses of U.S. vice presidents
Various other spouses of vice presidents of the United States are not considered as second ladies of the United States because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their husbands.
Nine U.S. vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:
*
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
was married to
Martha Wayles from 1772 until her death in 1782.
*
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...
was married to
Theodosia Bartow Prevost
Theodosia Bartow Prevost (November 1746 – May 18, 1794), also known as Theodosia Bartow Burr, was an American Patriot. Raised by a widowed mother, she married British Army officer Jacques Marcus Prevost at age 17. After the American Revolution ...
from 1782 until her death in 1794.
*
George Clinton was married to Sarah Tappen from 1770 until her death in 1800.
*
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party (Uni ...
was married to
Hannah Hoes from 1807 until her death in 1819.
*
Richard Mentor Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was an American lawyer, military officer and politician who served as the ninth vice president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841 under President Martin Van Buren ...
deemed the enslaved
Julia Chinn
Julia Chinn ( – July 1833) was an American plantation manager and enslaved woman of "mixed-race" (an "octoroon" of seven-eighths European and one-eighth African ancestry), who was the common-law wife of the ninth vice president of the United S ...
to be his common-law wife until her death in 1830.
*
Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson (born Jeremiah Jones Colbath; February 16, 1812 – November 22, 1875) was an American politician who was the 18th vice president of the United States from 1873 until his death in 1875 and a senator from Massachusetts from 1855 to ...
was married to Harriet Howe from 1840 until her death in 1870.
*
William A. Wheeler
William Almon Wheeler (June 30, 1819June 4, 1887) was an American politician and attorney. He served as a United States representative from New York from 1861 to 1863 and 1869 to 1877, and the 19th vice president of the United States from 1877 t ...
was married to Mary King from 1845 until her death in 1876.
*
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A ...
was married to
Ellen Lewis Herndon
Ellen Lewis Arthur ( ''née'' Herndon; August 30, 1837 – January 12, 1880), known as Nell Arthur, was the wife of the 21st president of the United States, Chester A. Arthur. She died of pneumonia in January 1880; her husband was elected vice-p ...
from 1859 until her death in 1880.
*
Charles Curtis was married to Annie Baird from 1884 until her death in 1924. Curtis's half-sister Dolly Gann acted as his official hostess for social events during his vice presidency.
Five U.S. vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:
*
Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 15th vice president of the United States from 1861 to 1865, during President Abraham Lincoln's first term. He was the first Republican ...
was married to Sarah Emery from 1833 until her death in 1855. He was subsequently married to
Ellen Emery from 1856 to his death in 1891.
*
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax Jr. (; March 23, 1823 – January 13, 1885) was an American journalist, businessman, and politician who served as the 17th vice president of the United States from 1869 to 1873, and prior to that as the 25th speaker of the House ...
was married to
Evelyn Clark from 1844 until her death in 1863. He was subsequently married to
Ellen Wade from 1868 to his death in 1885.
*
Levi P. Morton
Levi Parsons Morton (May 16, 1824 – May 16, 1920) was the 22nd vice president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He also served as United States ambassador to France, as a U.S. representative from New York, and as the 31st Governor of Ne ...
was married to Lucy Young Kimball from 1856 until her death in 1871. He was subsequently married to
Anna Livingston Reade Street from 1873 to her death in 1918.
*
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
was married to
Alice Hathaway Lee from 1880 until her death in 1884. He was subsequently married to
Edith Carow
Edith Kermit Roosevelt (née Carow; August 6, 1861 – September 30, 1948) was the second wife of President Theodore Roosevelt and the First Lady of the United States from 1901 to 1909. She also was the Second Lady of the United States in 1901. ...
from 1886 to his death in 1919.
*
Joe Biden was married to
Neilia Hunter from 1966 until her death in 1972. He has subsequently been married to
Jill Jacobs since 1977.
One U.S. vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:
*
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 41st vice president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A member of t ...
was married to
Mary Todhunter Clark from 1930 until 1962. He was subsequently married to
Happy Fitler Murphy from 1963 until his death in 1979.
One U.S. vice president was widowed before his vice presidency and remarried during his vice presidency:
*
Alben W. Barkley
Alben William Barkley (; November 24, 1877 – April 30, 1956) was an American lawyer and politician from Kentucky who served in both houses of Congress and as the 35th vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953 under Presiden ...
was married to Dorothy Brower from 1903 until her death in 1947. He was subsequently married to
Jane Rucker Hadley from 1949 to his death in 1956.
Three U.S. vice presidents remarried after their vice presidencies:
*
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...
was married to
Elizabeth Bowen Jumel from 1833 until their divorce in 1836.
*
John Tyler
John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president dire ...
was married to
Julia Gardiner
Julia Tyler ( ''née'' Gardiner; May 4, 1820 – July 10, 1889) was the second wife of John Tyler, who was the tenth president of the United States. As such, she served as the first lady of the United States from June 26, 1844, to March 4, 184 ...
from 1844 until his death in 1862.
*
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853; he was the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. A former member of the U.S. House of Represen ...
was married to
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 ...
from 1858 until his death in 1874.
See also
*
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 ...
*
List of first ladies of the United States
The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, but, on occasion, the title has been applied to women who were not presidents' wives, s ...
*
Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
*
List of vice presidents of the United States
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United States order of precedence
The United States order of precedence is an advisory document maintained by the Ceremonials Division of the Office of the Chief of Protocol of the United States which lists the ceremonial order, or relative preeminence, for domestic and foreign ...
References
External links
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{{Lists of US Presidents and Vice Presidents
United States, Second Lady or Gentleman
Second Lady or Gentleman of the United States