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Ellen Axson WilsonFirst Lady of the United States from 1913 until her death in 1914
Date of Birth: 15.05.1860
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Ellen Axson Wilson: First Lady of the United States
- Early Life and Education
- Meeting Woodrow Wilson
- Marriage and Family
- The Wilsons welcomed three daughters: Margaret, Jessie, and Eleanor.
- Illness and Death
Ellen Axson Wilson: First Lady of the United States
Ellen Axson Wilson served as First Lady of the United States from 1913 until her untimely passing in 1914. She was the first wife of President Woodrow Wilson.
Early Life and Education
Born on May 15, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia, Ellen was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Edward Axson, a Presbyterian minister, and Margaret Jane (née Hoyt) Axson. As a young woman, she displayed a refined taste for art, music, and literature.
Meeting Woodrow Wilson
Ellen first encountered Thomas Woodrow Wilson at the tender age of three. In 1883, Wilson, then 28 years old, visited his cousin in Rome, Georgia, where he met Ellen, who was assisting her widowed father. After a courtship that spanned five months, they postponed their marriage due to Wilson's studies at Johns Hopkins University and Ellen's care for her ailing father.
Marriage and Family
On June 24, 1885, Ellen and Woodrow Wilson were married in a ceremony officiated by Wilson's father, Reverend Joseph Wilson, and Ellen's grandfather, Reverend Isaac Stockton Keith Axson. The couple spent their honeymoon in the scenic mountain resort town of Waynesville, North Carolina. Soon after, Wilson accepted a teaching position at Bryn Mawr College, where they resided on campus with Ellen's younger brother.
The Wilsons welcomed three daughters: Margaret, Jessie, and Eleanor.
Life in the White HouseAs First Lady, Ellen Wilson utilized a studio on the third floor of the White House for painting and sketching. She generously donated proceeds from the sale of her artworks to charitable causes. The White House also witnessed the weddings of two of her daughters during her tenure. Unlike previous First Ladies, Ellen preferred not to host lavish balls.
Illness and Death
Ellen Wilson's life was cut short by Bright's disease. She passed away on August 6, 1914, at the age of 54. Her remains were laid to rest at the Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia.
