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Bio
Emily Donelson
Widower Andrew Jackson asked his niece, Emily Donelson, to serve as White House hostess. Born in Tennessee on June 1, 1807, Emily Donelson was the daughter of John and Mary Donelson.1 She married her cousin, Andrew J. Donelson, on September 16, 1824.2 The couple accompanied Andrew and Rachel Jackson to Washington, D.C. shortly after their marriage. They went on to have four children
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Bio
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 near Lancaster, South Carolina, to a family of Scotch-Irish immigrants. His father, Andrew, passed away just a few weeks before his son's birth. All three Jackson boys—Hugh, Robert, and Andrew—were raised by their mother Elizabeth. The family settled in the Waxhaws near the North and South Carolina border, where they joined a larg
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Bio
Martha Johnson Patterson
Martha Johnson was the eldest child of Andrew and Eliza Johnson, born in Tennessee on October 25, 1828. While her father served in Congress, she attended school in Georgetown and occasionally visited the Polk White House.1 On December 13, 1855, she married David Trotter Patterson; together, they had two children, Andrew Johnson and Mary Belle in the years that followed.2 During the Civil War,
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Bio
Martha Washington
Born on June 2, 1731, Martha Dandridge was raised by a prominent family in New Kent County, Virginia. She was taught to read and write at a young age, which developed into a lifelong passion for all kinds of literature such as novels, magazines, and scripture. As a member of the planter class, Martha also learned the customs and etiquette required to
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Bio
James K. Polk
On November 2, 1795, James K. Polk was born in Pineville, North Carolina to Samuel and Jane Polk. The promise of greater economic opportunities and prosperity drew Samuel Polk and his family westward, and they soon settled just south of Nashville, Tennessee. He became a respected community leader, county judge, businessman, and prominent slave owner. Upon his death in 1827, Samuel Polk left
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Bio
James Madison
The oldest of twelve children, James Madison was born on March 16, 1751 to James and Nelly Madison. James Sr. was a slave owner and planter. In the early 1760s, he constructed a new home in Orange County, Virginia, and the family moved into the plantation estate, Montpelier. Although James Madison was often ill as a child, he was also naturally inquisitive
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Bio
John Adams
On April 21, 1789, John Adams became the first Vice President of the United States. Over the next twelve years, John and Abigail followed the federal government as it was relocated from New York City to Philadelphia, and finally to Washington, D.C. The constant sojourning in service to their nation was the defining characteristic of the Adamses’ lives.Born on October 30, 1735 in
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Bio
Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York, to parents John and Janet Bouvier. She and her younger sister, Caroline, grew up in Manhattan. During her childhood, Jacqueline learned French, practiced ballet, and took horseback riding lessons.1 She enrolled at Vassar University in 1947 and studied abroad in Paris, France, before transferring to George Washington University, where she
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Bio
John Tyler
Born to an affluent family on March 29, 1790, John Tyler spent most of his life in Charles City County, Virginia. He was raised on the Tyler family plantation, Greenway, and lived there until he attended the College of William & Mary, graduating in 1807. He then prepared for a career in law, studying with his father John Tyler, Sr., and Edmund Randolph,
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Bio
Lyndon B. Johnson
A "Great Society" for the American people was the vision of Lyndon Johnson. As president, he obtained passage of one of the most significant legislative programs in the nation's history, but found his presidency overwhelmed by opposition to his war in Vietnam.Johnson was born on August 27, 1908, in central Texas, not far from Johnson City, which his family had helped
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Bio
Angelica Van Buren
Sarah Angelica Singleton, better known as Angelica, was born in Wedgefield, South Carolina, on February 13, 1816, to mother Rebecca Travis Coles and father Richard Singleton.1 She grew up on their South Carolina plantation. As a young woman, she received a robust education, studying at Madame Grelaud’s Seminary in Philadelphia.2 While staying in Washington, D.C., her relative by marriage, Dolley Ma
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Bio
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was born in the rural town of Kinderhook, New York, on December 5, 1782. His father, Abraham, owned a successful inn and small farm. The Van Buren tavern served as a hub of social activity for the town, and the constant coming and goings of travelers between New York City and the state capital of Albany brought young Martin