Menas, Emperor of Ethiopia
Hans Neustedler
Francois Guise, French General/Duke
John Bull
Hosokawa Harumoto
Heinrich Glarean
Ikeda Nagmasa
William Paget, 1st Baron Paget
Artolome de Escobedo
Etienne de la Boetie
Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland
Sebastian Castiello
Alan Arkin, 89
Diana Ross, 79
Steven Tyler, 75
Vicki Lawrence, 74
Martin Short, 73
Jennifer Grey, 63
Michael Imperioli, 57
Kenny Chesney, 55
Leslie Mann, 51
Amy Smart, 47
Keria Knightley, 38
Carly Chaikin, 33
Ernest Thomas, 74
Ronnie McDowell, 73
Monte Yoho, 71
Dean Dillon, 68
Charly McClain, 67
Leeza Gibbons, 66
Ella English, 64
Billy Warlock, 62
Eric Allan Kramer, 61
James Iha, 55
T. R. Knight, 50
Juvenile, 48
Bianca Kajlich, 46
Margaret Brennan, 43
J-Kwon, 37
Sandra Day O'Connor, 93
Robert Frost (March 26, 1879-January 29, 1963)
Tennesse Williams (March 26, 1911-February 25, 1983)
Leonard Nimoy (March 26, 1931-February 27, 2015)
James Caan (March 26, 1940-July 6, 2022)
Michelangelo
Hosokawa Ujitsuna
Cardinal Redolfo Pieda Carpi
John Calvin
Gellus Faver (Jelle Smit)
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Andreas Vesalius
Christophorus Fabrituius (Christoffel Smit)
Pietro P. Vergerio
Pierre de Manchicouet
Johannes Aeronius Frisius
Sir Elton John, 76
Marcia Cross, 61
Sarah Jessica Parker, 58
Leee Pace, 44
Danica Patrick, 41
Katharine McPhee, 39
Gene Shalid, 97
Anita Bryant, 83
Paul Michael Glaser, 80
Bonnie Bedela, 75
Mary Gross, 70
James Daniel, 65
Steve Norman, 63
Brenda Strong, 63
Ben Mankiewicz, 56
Laz Alonso, 52
Melanie Blatt, 48
Domenick Lombardozzi, 47
Alex Moffat, 41
Chris Redd, 38
Big Sean, 35
Matthew Beard, 34
Aly Michalka, 34
Kiowa Gordon, 33
James Lovell, 95
Gloria Steinem, 81
Henry II, King of England (March 5, 1133-July 6, 1189)
Jack Ruby (April 25, 1911-January 3, 1967)
Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942-August 16, 2018)
Robrecht de Berglies, Prince-Bishop of liege
Alexander Ales (Alesius)
Nicolaus van Amsdorf
Adrianus Turnebus
Ashikaga Yoshiteru, 13th Japanese shogun
Lodovico Ferrari
Jean Ribault
Thomas Chaloner
Jean, Vicomte d'Aguisy Groler de Servieres
Pius IV (Giovanni Angelo Medici)
Conrad Gessner
Benedetto Varchi
Robert Carradine, 69
Star Jones, 61
Jim Parsons, 50
Alyson Hannigan, 49
Jessica Chastain, 46
Keisha Castle Hughes, 33
Lee Oskar, 75
Nick Lowe, 74
Dougie Thomason, 72
Donna Pescow, 69
Kelly LeBrock, 63
Rodney "Kook Kollie" Terry, 62
Patterson Hood, 59
Peter Jacobson, 58
Lauren Bowles, 53
Lara Flynn Boyle, 53
Sharon Corr, 53
Maseoaka P.A. Pasemaster Mase, 53
Megyn Price, 52
Chad Butler, 49
Amanda Brugel, 46
Olivia Brunette, 46
Amir Arison, 45
Lake Bell, 44
Benj Gershman, 43
Jesse Phillips, 43
Philip Winchester, 42
Val Chmerkovskiy, 37
Peyton Manning, 47
Harry Houdini (March 24, 1874-October 31, 1926)
Andrew Mellon (March 24, 1835-August 26, 1937)
"Fatty" Arbuckle (March 24, 1887-June 29, 1933)
Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930-November 7, 1980)
R. Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944-April 15, 2018)
Louie Anderson (March 24, 1953-January 21, 2022)
Louis de Balois "Dacrianus"
George Cassander
David Rizzio
Antonio de Cabezon
Siegmund Freiherr von Herberstein
Diane de Poitiers
Louise Labe
Laca Ghini
Leonhard Fuchs
Nostradamus
Bartolome de las Casas, Spanish Friar/Social Historian
Agnes Waterhous
Guillaume Rondelet
Bartholome de Casas, Spanish Historian/Bishop of Chiape
Girolama della Robbia
Taddeo Zuccari
Salaman the Magnificent, longest-reigning Ottoman Sultan
John Agricola (Schneider)
Marcus A. Vidal (Marcus Hieronymus)
Annibale Caro
Chaka Khan, 70
Caterina Kerner, 64
Randell Park, 49
Michelle Monaghan, 47
Keri Russell, 47
Amanda Plummer, 66
Hope Davis, 59
Richard Grieco, 58
Marin Hinkle, 57
Damon Albarn, 54
John Humphreys, 53
Reggie Watts, 51
Brandon J. Dirden, 45
Perez Hilton, 45
Nicholle Tom, 45
Brett Young, 42
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Akira Kurosawa (March 23, 1910-September 6, 1998)
Werner von Brown (March 23, 1912-June 16, 1977)
Jacob Vaet Flemish
Jia Jing, 12th Emperor-Ming Dynasty/China
Nicholas Stuart, Lord Darnley
Philip, the Generous, Count of Hessen
Wilhelm von Grumbach
Michael Stifel
Marin Dezic
Leonhard Paminger
Juan Bautista de Toledo
Guido de Bres
Pereguin de la Grange
Shane O'Neill
Pietro Carnesecchi
Anne de Montgomery, French Duke
William Shatner, 92
Andrew Lloyd Webber, 75
Rob Costas, 71
Matthew Modine, 64
Keegan-Michael Key, 52
Reese Witherspoon, 47
Constance Wu, 41
M. Emmett Walsh, 88
Jeremy Clyde, 82
George Benson, 80
Wolf Blitzer, 75
Fanny Ardant, 74
James House, 68
Lena Olin, 68
Stephanie Mills, 66
Will Yun Lee, 52
Guillermo Diaz, 48
Anne Dudek, 48
Cole Hauser, 48
Kellie Williams, 47
John Otto, 46
Tiffany Dupont, 42
Mims, 42
Lincoln Parish, 33
Pat Robertson, 93
James Patterson, 76
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Andres de Urdaneta
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Philips van Montgomery, Count of Horne
Willem Key
Johann Oporinus
Prince Don Carlos of Spain
Antoon van Stralen
Elisabeth of Valois
Jacques Arcadelt
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Roger Ascham
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Timothy Dalton, 77
Gary Oldman, 65
Matthew Broderick, 61
Rosie O'Donnell, 61
Sonequa Martin-Green, 38
Scott Eastwood, 37
Kathleen Widdoes, 84
Keith Potger, 82
Marie-Christine Barrault, 79
Ross Stone, 78
Rodger Hodgson, 73
Conrad Lozano, 72
Russell Thompkins, Jr., 72
Brad Hall, 65
Sabrina Lebeauf, 65
Kassie DePaiva, 62
Cynthia Geary, 58
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Maxim, 56
Andrew Copeland, 55
Laura Allen, 49
Jasmin Savoy Brown, 29
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| "An eldritch screech woke me up, but it was just an owl in my backyard." |
| "The fog rolling in over the bay provided an eldritch atmosphere to our evening walk." |
| "New England is full of centuries-old homes that can have an eldritch feeling to them, especially if they haven't been updated." |
| Eldritch |  |
[rez-ə-NUR]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, 19th century
1.
A person in a play or book embodying an author's viewpoint.
"The character Horace was clearly the raisonneur of the play, speaking the young playwright’s opinions directly to the audience at times."
"Using a raisonneur as a narrator gave the novel an autobiographical feel."
About Raisonneur
“Raisonneur” is taken from French, meaning “one who reasons.” This is based on the old French “raison,” from the Latin root “rātiō” (both meaning “reason”).
Did you Know?
The French loanword “raisonneur” translates literally as “reasoner,” but it’s more tightly connected with the world of drama than philosophy, thanks to French playwright Molière (known to many English readers as “the French Shakespeare”). Molière’s plays were concerned with moral issues, and he introduced the character of the “raisonneur” as a way to make his conflicts more nuanced. Molière’s raisonneurs were successful in complicating his plays: Their roles remain a subject of scholarly debate today.
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| "There will be plenty of vegetarian options at the reception, videlicet, enough for everyone who RSVP'd as vegetarian." |
| "I need you to bring all of the camping gear, viz., I don't have anything." |
| "Try to use 'videlicet' only once or twice in your papers — it gets distracting if overused." |
| Videlicet |  |
[SAT-ər-nahyn]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Old French, 15th century
1.
(Of a person or their manner) Slow and gloomy.
"While most characters in “Winnie-the-Pooh” are cheerful, Eeyore is saturnine."
"Poor weather at the beginning of my vacation put me in a saturnine mood."
About Saturnine
“Saturnine” is based on the Old French “Saturnin,” from the Latin “Saturninus,” meaning “of Saturn.”
Did you Know?
Saturn was the Roman god of time, wealth, and periodic renewal, among other things. From his name we get the December festival Saturnalia — a season of feasting, fun, and gift-giving. How is it, then, that a “saturnine” personality is gloomy and melancholic? In the Middle Ages, Saturn was believed to be the farthest planet from the sun, and therefore cold and desolate. Rather than the god Saturn, remembered with joyous celebrations of plenty, the planet Saturn was associated with gloom and darkness — the characteristic features of a saturnine personality.
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| "It's a peripatetic way of life, but I can't imagine staying anywhere longer than a year." |
| "My mother accused me of being a peripatetic, because I want to live in at least five countries before I turn 40." |
| "He claimed his research was based on Socrates, but he seems more Peripatetic to me." |
| Peripatetic |  |
[prə-FIK-yə-wəs]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 17th century
1.
Useful or profitable.
"The gas station attendant’s proficuous directions helped us avoid the tolls."
"An emergency bag packed in your car trunk can be a proficuous source of aid in a crisis."
About Proficuous
“Proficuous” is based on the Latin “proficuus,” meaning “beneficial.”
Did you Know?
Social media has been a surprising repository for proficuous information in the form of users sharing “life hacks.” These tidbits of advice used to be shared from person to person and in practical magazines such as “Good Housekeeping” and “Popular Mechanics.” It was commonplace to cut out a clipping of a good recipe or a useful home gardening tip and share it with a neighbor, but now social media has turned the practice viral. Almost everyone who spends time on Facebook or TikTok has learned a proficuous life hack or two.
Jane Means Pierce (née Appleton; March 12, 1806 – December 2, 1863) was the wife of Franklin Pierce and the first lady of the United States from 1853 to 1857. She married Franklin Pierce, then a Congressman, in 1834 despite her family's misgivings. She refused to live in Washington, D.C., and in 1842, she convinced her husband to retire from politics. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination without her knowledge in 1852 and was elected president later that year. Their only surviving son, Benjamin, was killed in a train accident prior to Franklin's inauguration, sending Jane into a deep depression that would afflict her for the rest of her life. Pierce was reclusive in her role as first lady, spending the first two years of her husband's presidency in a period of mourning for her son. Her duties at this time were often fulfilled by Abby Kent-Means. After the conclusion of Franklin's presidency they traveled abroad for two years before settling in Massachusetts. Pierce died of tuberculosis in 1863.
Pierce disliked political life and was unhappy in the role of first lady. She took interest in the issue of abolitionism, and she attempted to influence her husband's decisions on the subject during her time as first lady. Raised as a Puritan, Pierce was strictly religious, and she believed that the tragedies she suffered through her life were divine retribution for the sins of her and her husband. Jane is described as an opposite of her husband, who was outgoing, political, and a heavy drinker in contrast to her reclusive nature, aversion to politics, and teetotalism.
Early life
Jane Appleton was born in Hampton, New Hampshire on March 12, 1806 to Congregationalist minister Jesse Appleton and his wife Elizabeth Means Appleton. The Appleton family grew to a total of six children: three elder daughters, of which Jane was the third, and three younger sons. Their father became president of Bowdoin College in 1807, and the family settled in Brunswick, Maine (then part of Massachusetts). Her father's religious practices included a strict fasting diet that caused his health to decline, leading to his death in 1819. After his death, the family lived with Elizabeth's mother in Amherst, New Hampshire. In her childhood, Appleton acquired a devotion to Puritan, evangelical Calvinism.
Appleton came from a well-off and well-connected New England family. Jane's education was of a high quality, consisting of both public schooling and homeschooling. She attended the prestigious Miss Catherine Fiske's Young Ladies Seminary in Keene, New Hampshire, where she received an education that was a higher quality than typically accessible to women. She was naturally talented in music and enthusiastic about literature, but she declined to pursue these further in favor of Bible study. As she approached young adulthood, Appleton was shy, devoutly religious, and pro-temperance. Even in her youth, her health was poor; she would regularly contract severe winter colds.
Marriage and family
Appleton met Franklin Pierce after he moved to Amherst to study law at Bowdoin. One anecdote suggests that they met during a thunderstorm when he implored her not to sit under a tree for risk of lightning strikes. Another suggests that they were introduced by Alpheus Packard, Jane's brother-in-law and one of Franklin's professors. She may also have met him while he was visiting her mother's home. Appleton's family opposed the relationship for a number of reasons, including their difference in class, his poor manners, his drinking, his tolerance of slavery, his Episcopalian beliefs, and his political aspirations. They courted for seven years, including a period of time in which Franklin moved to Hillsborough, New Hampshire to practice law and serve in the New Hampshire General Court. Franklin and Jane married in a small ceremony on November 19, 1834, by which time Franklin was a member of the House of Representatives. They were seen as opposites, Jane's reclusiveness and depression contrasting with Franklin's gregariousness and public aspirations.
The Pierces went together to Washington, D.C. after their marriage, but Jane found the city unpleasant. In 1835, she attended the White House New Year's Day reception with her husband where she met President Andrew Jackson. She decided to leave the city later that year, returning to her mother's home in Amherst while her husband remained in Washington. The Pierces later purchased a home in Hillsborough where Jane chose to live while Franklin was away. They moved to Concord, New Hampshire in 1838 while Franklin was a senator, and Jane encouraged him to resign and retire from politics in 1842. Jane abhorred politics, and her distaste for the subject created a tension that would continue throughout her husband's political ascent. Though politics was often a point of debate or argument between the two, they were otherwise warm with one another and wrote to each other regularly when apart.
Franklin and Jane had three sons, all of whom died in childhood. Franklin Jr. was born in 1836 and died three days after his birth. Frank Robert was born in 1839 and died in 1843 at the age of four from epidemic typhus. Benjamin was born in 1841 and died in 1853 at the age of 11 in a train accident. Following the end of her husband's term in the Senate, Pierce was able to live a domestic life with her family together at home. Franklin provided for the family with his law practice, though he briefly went away to serve as a brigadier general in the Mexican–American War. This period of Jane's life is often regarded as when she was happiest, as her husband was out of politics and she still had two surviving sons. Their house was sold during the war, and the family made various living arrangements over the following months. President James K. Polk offered Franklin an appointment as United States Attorney General, but he turned it down due to Jane's objection. After the death of their second son, Pierce focused on raising their only surviving son, Benjamin, in a strict religious manner while her husband operated his law practice. She wholly dedicated herself to Benjamin and avoided any obligations beyond her family and her religion. Pierce did not carry out housework due to her health, so it was carried out by a married couple that Franklin had hired to care for Jane and Benjamin while he was away.
First Lady of the United States
In 1852, Pierce's husband received the Democratic Party nomination for president. She is said to have fainted upon hearing the news. He had deceived her regarding his presidential aspirations, denying the extent to which he was actively seeking the office. He sought to persuade her that if he became president, their son Benjamin would be more likely to become successful. Despite this, she regularly prayed that her husband would lose the presidential election. Her prayers went unanswered, as he was elected president by a large margin on November 7, 1852.
While Franklin was president-elect, a train with the Pierces on board derailed, and Benjamin was killed in front of his parents. Pierce went into a deeper depression after witnessing her final son's death, believing that God took their sons as a punishment for her husband's political aspirations. She did not attend his presidential inauguration, instead staying in Baltimore for two weeks. Pierce was also affected by the deaths of her predecessor Abigail Fillmore and Vice President William R. King over the following weeks.
For the first few months of her husband's term, Pierce did not take visitors and only sparingly attended public receptions, and she only entertained for family and friends. Upon arriving at the White House, she wore black and had the White House decorated for mourning. She did not host social events or supervise the White House in the traditional role of first lady, leaving these responsibilities to her aunt and close friend Abby Kent-Means. She avoided the company of others, regularly engaging in private Bible study. Pierce also developed a friendship with Varina Davis, wife of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. She took an interest in the Davis's infant son, though he became ill and died in 1854. She gradually acclimated to life as First Lady, attending the New Year's reception two years into her husband's term and the Friday evening receptions thereafter. Pierce attempted to communicate with her late son while she was first lady, sometimes writing letters to him as an exercise in grief. She also attempted to contact him through a séance with the assistance of the Fox sisters, major figures in the Spiritualism movement.
As first lady, Pierce insisted on adherence to religious practice in the White House, instructing the staff to attend church and holding religious services in the White House library. Pierce's cousin Amos A. Lawrence described the effect that this had on her husband, saying that he was deeply pious in her presence while heavily drinking when she was away. She would also lobby her husband on occasion while he was president; in 1856, she convinced him to reverse the arrest of abolitionist Charles L. Robinson. During times of poor health, Franklin would invite many of her nieces and nephews to the White House to care for her. Taking an interest in abolitionism, she began attending Congressional debates after her period of mourning to follow the issue. At the end of her husband's term, she again declined to attend the presidential inauguration, this time of her husband's successor James Buchanan.
Later life and death
The Pierces lived in Washington for a month after the end of Franklin's presidential term and then toured New England during the summer. They traveled abroad for two years, returning home to purchase 60 acres (24 ha) of land in Concord before leaving to the West Indies. Pierce avoided Concord as it reminded her of her late son, and she often stayed with relatives in Massachusetts for the remainder of her life. During the American Civil War, she supported the Union and the cause of abolitionism, in contrast with her husband who supported the preservation of slavery in order to preserve the nation and the Constitution. Pierce's bouts of tuberculosis worsened in the years after leaving the White House, and she died on December 2, 1863. She was buried at Old North Cemetery in Concord; her husband was interred beside her following his death on October 8, 1869, aged 64. In her will, she gave donations to the American Bible Society, the American Society for Foreign Missions, and the American Colonization Society.
Public perception and legacy
The general public's first impression of Pierce was in a biography of her husband written by family friend Nathaniel Hawthorne at the beginning of Franklin's campaign. It emphasized her poor health as her husband's reason for declining a role in the Polk administration, creating a reputation as a sickly woman that has persisted to the present day. During her time as first lady, Pierce was considered an invalid and seen as a depressing presence in a depressing White House, though she did receive sympathy from the people for her grief. During her tenure as first lady, Pierce was known as "the shadow of the White House". She did receive backlash from the public after canceling Saturday evening Marine Band concerts in view of the Sabbath. Hawthorne once wrote that she "wasn't really of this world."
Pierce is ranked poorly among historians, with polling showing that she is considered one of the least effectual first ladies. She is also one of the most obscure of the first ladies, having served in the role prior its having national prominence and during a presidency that has itself become obscure. Much like other antebellum first ladies, she has often been identified as avoiding the spotlight and being of little importance to her husband's administration. She is considered to have had little influence on the position of first lady and did not set precedent for her successors. Pierce's influence on her husband manifested through her dislike of politics, including her role in his decision to retire from the Senate in 1842. Some scholars have suggested that in the course of her relationship with her husband, she may have felt a religious compulsion to save his soul and courted him because of his vices rather than despite them. While contemporary perception of Pierce was generally one of sympathy, a trend among 20th century historians was to describe her as a hypochondriac that failed to support her husband during tragedy and to consider her as a damaging factor in her husband's poorly received presidency.
Political beliefs
Pierce was a Puritan, and this formed the basis of her worldview. Her religious beliefs impressed on her the conviction that suffering was punishment from God. She strongly opposed the political and social culture of Washington, lamenting the regular parties and alcohol consumption. She was raised as a Whig, which caused conflict with her family when she married her husband, who served in office as a Democrat. She supported the temperance movement and opposed the consumption of alcohol. Pierce was also a supporter of the abolitionist movement in opposition to her husband's tolerance of slavery in the name of states' rights, and she wished for a Union victory during the American Civil War. Pierce admired Andrew Jackson while he was president. She disliked Representative Davy Crockett, believing him to be "conceited, stupid, [and] silly".
Miles Coverdale
Mark van Vaernewijck
Louis, Prince of Conde
Juan the Avila
Dirk Willems
Francois de Coligny d'Andelot
Bernardo Tasso
Pieter Bruegel
Vladimir of Staritsa, Russian Prince
St. Philip II
Spike Lee, 66
Holly Hunter, 65
Kathy Ireland, 60
David Thewlis, 60
Michael Rappaport, 53
Paul Garces, 49
Bianca Lawson, 44
Christy Carlson Romano, 39
Ruby Rose, 37
Hal Linden, 92
Ranger Doug, 77
Marcia Ball, 74
Carl Palmer, 73
Jimmie Vaughan, 72
Jim Seales, 69
Amy Aquino, 66
Vanessa Bell Calloway, 66
Theresa Russell, 66
Slim Jim Phantom, 62
Adrian Oxaal, 58
Jessica Lundy, 57
Liza Snyder, 55
Alexander Chaplin, 52
Cedric Yarbrough, 50
Michael Genadry, 45
Mike Day, 43
Nick Blood, 41
Nick Wheeler, 41
Michael Wheeler, 41
Barrett Doss, 34
Pat Riley, 78
Bobby Orr, 75
Ovid (March 20, 43 B.C.-17/18 A.D.)
Ozzie Nelson (March 20, 1906-June 3, 1975)
Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922-June 29, 2020)
Fred Rogers (March 20, 1928-February 27, 2003)
William Hurt (March 20, 1950-March 13, 2022)
Chester Bennington (March 20, 1976-July 20, 2017)
Bartholomeus Latomus (Steinmetz)
Phillbert de I'Orme
Jacob van den Eynden, Grand Pensionary of Holland
Antonio Paleario
Ivan Viskovati, Chancellor of Russia
Johannes Brenz
Frans Floris
Baron van Montigny, Dutch Earl of Horne
Manoel de Nobrega
Joao de Barros
Jacopo Sansovino
Johan Friis
Glenn Close, 76
Bruce Willis, 68
Rachel Blanchard, 47
Renee Taylor, 90
Ursula Andress, 87
Clarence "Frogman" Henry, 86
Ruth Pointer, 77
Mary Scheer, 60
Connor Trinneer, 54
Gert Betlens, 53
Bun B, 50
Zach Lind, 47
Virginia Williams, 45
Abby Brammell, 44
Freddie Smith, 35
Craig Lamar Traylor, 34
Philip Bolden, 28
David Livingstone, (March 19, 1813-May 1, 1873)
Sir Richard Burton (March 19, 1821-October 20, 1880)
Wyatt Earp (March 19, 1848-January 13, 1929)
William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860-July 26, 1925)
Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg
Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon
Nicholas Throckmorton
Benvienuto Cellini
Odet de Coligny
John sigismund Zapolya, King of Hungary
John Hamilton
John Story
Francesco Corteccia
Shimazu Takahisa
Georg Fabricus
Matthew Stuart, Earl of Lennox
John Jewel
Claude Togniel
Dorothea of Saxe-Larienburg, Queen of Denmark/Norway
Muezzinzade Ali Pasha
Jan Blahoslav
Vanessa L. Williams, 60
Queen Latifah, 53
Dane Cook, 51
Adam Levine, 44
Lily Collins, 34
Julia Goldani Telles, 28
John Kander, 96
Brad Dourif, 73
Bill Frisell, 72
Karen Grotberg, 64
Geoffrey Owens, 62
Thomas Ian Griffith, 61
Mike Rowe, 61
Scott Saunders, 59
David Cubitt, 58
Jerry Cantrell, 57
Michael Bergin, 54
Philip Sweet, 49
Evan Lowenstein, 49
Jaron Lowenstein, 49
Sutton Foster, 48
Daren Taylor, 43
Adam Pally, 41
Cornelius Smith, Jr., 41
Duane Henry, 38
Ciara Bravo, 76
Blake Garrett Rosenthal, 19
Bonnie Blair, 59
Grover Cleveland, 22nd/24th U.S. President (March 18, 1837-June 24, 1908)
Edgar Cayce (March 18, 1877-January 3, 1945)
Ernest Gallo (March 18, 1909-March 6, 2007)
Peter Graves (March 18, 1926-March 14, 2010)
John Updike (March 18, 1932-January 27, 2009)
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Abigail Fillmore (née Powers; March 13, 1798 – March 30, 1853), wife of President Millard Fillmore, was the first lady of the United States 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 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 the 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 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 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 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 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 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 debate by Henry Clay 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 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. 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 (equivalent to $65,144 in 2021) authorized by Congress, she selected books for a White House library in the Oval Room. 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 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, 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, 1853, 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, 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.
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