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Edith Wilson, First Lady

Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (October 15, 1872 - December 28, 1961) was the second wife of Woodrow Wilson, and First Lady of the US, 1915-21. She married Norman Galt, a prosperous jeweler; in 1896. In 1903 she bore a son who only lived for a few days, and the difficult birth left her unable to have more. In 1908 her husband died unexpectedly. In 1915, the she was introduced to President Wilson by Helen Bones, the president's cousin and White House hostess since the death of Ellen, his first wife. They married nine months later. As First Lady during WWI, she observed gas-less Sundays, meatless Mondays, and wheat-less Wednesdays. She let sheep graze on the White House lawn rather than waste manpower in mowing it and auctioned off their wool for the benefit of the American Red Cross. The President suffered a severe stroke in October 1919. Edith began to screen all matters of state and decided which were important enough to bring to the bedridden president. In doing so, she functionally ran the Executive branch of the government for the remainder of the president's second term. She retired with the former president to their home, nursing him until his death three years later. She died of congestive heart failure at age 89 in 1961.
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Title:
Edith Wilson, First Lady
Caption:
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (October 15, 1872 - December 28, 1961) was the second wife of Woodrow Wilson, and First Lady of the US, 1915-21. She married Norman Galt, a prosperous jeweler; in 1896. In 1903 she bore a son who only lived for a few days, and the difficult birth left her unable to have more. In 1908 her husband died unexpectedly. In 1915, the she was introduced to President Wilson by Helen Bones, the president's cousin and White House hostess since the death of Ellen, his first wife. They married nine months later. As First Lady during WWI, she observed gas-less Sundays, meatless Mondays, and wheat-less Wednesdays. She let sheep graze on the White House lawn rather than waste manpower in mowing it and auctioned off their wool for the benefit of the American Red Cross. The President suffered a severe stroke in October 1919. Edith began to screen all matters of state and decided which were important enough to bring to the bedridden president. In doing so, she functionally ran the Executive branch of the government for the remainder of the president's second term. She retired with the former president to their home, nursing him until his death three years later. She died of congestive heart failure at age 89 in 1961.
Credit:
Album / LOC/Science Source
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Image size:
3506 x 4200 px | 42.1 MB
Print size:
29.7 x 35.6 cm | 11.7 x 14.0 in (300 dpi)
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