Second Lady Stories…
The “Second Lady” has become a superstar figure in the late 20th / early 21st centuries. Tipper Gore received a lot of publicity as head of the Parent Music Research Corporation, which sought to censor profane musical lyrics and pornographic album covers. Lynne Cheney took on public education as her personal crusade. Jill Biden has been involved in causes ranging from support the troops initiatives and breast cancer awareness to improving literacy and advocating community colleges. She is thought to be the first VP wife to hold a paying job (English teacher) during her husband’s time in office.
Sadly, the “Second Lady” post was vacant during the vice presidencies of: Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, George Clinton, Martin Van Buren, William R. King, Henry Wilson, William Wheeler, Chester Arthur, and Charles Curtis.
Richard Mentor Johnson was quite the controversial VEEP for his love life. He considered Julia Chinn his “commonlaw wife,” though they never officially married. She was one-eighth African American and was technically a slave left to him by his father. Though he could never marry her, Johnson loved her and gave Julia full reign of his estate in his absence.
Floride Calhoun was embroiled in a social scandalous known as “The Petticoat Affair.” Calhoun tried to organize a coalition against the wife of Secretary of War John Eaton. Mrs. Calhoun outed Mrs. Eaton for cheating on her former husband, which led to his subsequent suicide. Her poor relationship with Mrs. Eaton is said to have created a row between John C. Calhoun and President Andrew Jackson.
Ann Gerry was perhaps one of the most fertile second ladies. She gave birth 10 times, which unfortunately caused her many health problems.
Letitia Tyler did not kiss John until three weeks before their wedding, despite their five year courtship. She wound up giving him four sons and three daughters. She preferred the limelight to the public life, perhaps due to the paralytic stroke she suffered several years before her husband assumed office.
Sophia Dallas disliked Washington DC and stayed in Philadelphia during her husband’s term.
Abigail Fillmore played piano, harp and guitar, and was very passionate about maintaining a well-stocked library.
Eliza Johnson was the youngest second lady to be married at the tender age of 16. She taught her husband the veep to read and do arithmetic.
Edith Roosevelt was best friends with TR’s younger sister Corinne. On their wedding day, the fog was so thick she couldn’t see much of Teddy — only the bright orange gloves he wore! Their honeymoon was a 15-week tour of Europe.
Cornelia Cole Fairbanks was a prominent leader in the women’s suffrage movement.
Lois Irene Marshall was passionate about charity. She worked at the Diet Kitchen Welfare Center for impoverished families and adopted a chronically ill baby and cared for him until he died at age four.
Grace Coolidge was one of the most outgoing, friendly and public second ladies. She collected a myriad of pets from cats and canaries to raccoon and wombats.
Even though Texan women couldn’t yet vote, Mariette Rheiner ran for Uvalde County judge, but lost to John Nance Garner — whom she later married.
Ilo Wallace used a small inheritance from hr parents to establish the Hi-Bred Corn Company, which developed hybrid maize, transformed agriculture as we know it, and is now the world’s second largest seed company (Pioneer Hi-Bred International).
Jane Hadley Barkley was only 37 when she married 71-year-old Alben Barkley. He met her as a young widow and courted her ardently, attracting national attention as he got into his plane and flew to visit her quite often during their courtship. At her wedding, so many well-wishers filled the streets, they had trouble getting into their car.
Pat Nixon was named Outstanding Homemaker of the Year (1953), Mother of the Year (1955), and the Nation’s Ideal Housewife (1957).
Lady Bird Johnson started a beautification program where she planted millions of wildflowers along highways to inspire hope in America. She believed in social activism causes from civil rights to environmentalism.
“I’m a liberal and I’m proud of it,” once said Muriel Humphrey. She was passionate about women’s right to choose abortion and securing benefits for the mentally disabled.
Betty Ford was a crusader of women’s rights, pro-choice, breast cancer awareness, and the arts. When her husband was defeated for re-election by Jimmy Carter, she had to give his concession speech because he had lost his voice while campaigning.
Happy Rockefeller married Nelson a month after divorcing her first husband for “irreconcilable differences.” Nelson simultaneously divorced his first wife for the same reason, which many people say cost him a shot at the presidency because, as the New York Times put it, “Our country doesn’t like broken homes.”
Joan Mondale was all about the arts. While her husband served as VP, she held the post of “Honorary Chairperson of the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.” She wrote a book called Politics In Art and transformed their quarters into a showcase of American art.
Lynne Cheney was once floated for a possible conservative female pick for Republican VP nominee on George W. Bush’s ticket.
Marilyn Quayle’s secret service code name was “Sunshine.”
Barb Bush is known for her oft controversial statements. She once hinted at what she thought of VEEP nominee Geraldine Ferraro, saying that “it rhymes with rich.”
Al Gore caught heat over his extremely passionate public smooches with Tipper!
