Born: 1921

Nancy Reagan was born in Queens, New York, her father a salesman who left when she was two. Nancy lived with relatives until her mother, an actress who performed with touring shows, wed a physician and moved her daughter to his Chicago home. Adopted at 14 by her stepfather, Nancy majored in drama at Smith College, then landed roles on Broadway and later in Hollywood. There she met actor Ronald Reagan, a divorced father of two. They wed in 1952 and eventually had two children. Over time, Nancy swapped acting for domesticity while Ronald branched out into politics, becoming California Governor in 1967. Fourteen years later, his conservative message of less government and more enterprise struck a national chord and Americans elected him President at 69.

Nancy’s initial image as First Lady was as a style setter, petite and immaculately dressed in designer clothes; decorating the White House; purchasing expensive china. But later she focused on substantive issues, especially drug abuse, telling young people to “just say no.” Nancy was always protective of Ronald, but she became even more so after the attempt on his life. He trusted her and she wielded no small influence, encouraging his friendship with the Soviet leader Gorbachev. After Ronald retired and was stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, Nancy became active in the search for a cure.

Fortieth President
Ronald W. Reagan

Born: 1896
Died: 1979

The decade of the 1950’s was the most domestic in U.S. history as soldiers returned from the war to build homes and families in record numbers. It was fitting, then, that war hero Dwight Eisenhower should bring to the White House a woman who perfectly embodied the qualities women aspired to in the post-war years. Mamie Doud was a homebody, content to remain in her husband’s shadow, supportive, gregarious, a lively hostess, a fine housekeeper. Born into a wealthy Iowa family, Mamie grew up in Denver, where she attended finishing school, and spent winters in San Antonio. There the popular debutante met Dwight, a young Army officer stationed nearby. They wed in 1916 and had two sons. The death of the eldest at four was a lifelong blow to both parents.

A loyal Army wife, Mamie followed her husband from base to base, from France to Panama to the Philippines. While Ike led the Allied troops in World War II, Mamie remained in Washington and became popular with reporters. A great asset to her husband during both his Presidential campaigns, Mamie kept a low profile as First Lady, avoiding controversy and focusing on entertaining, decorating (her favorite shade was pink), and fundraising for charities like the American Heart Association — particularly after Ike suffered a serious heart attack in 1955. Despite her worries for his health, Mamie supported Ike in his desire for a second term, then gladly retired with him to Gettysburg.

Thirty-Fourth President
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Born: 1884
Died: 1962

Eleanor Roosevelt had a sad childhood despite her New York City family’s wealth and prominence. Her mother was a beauty disappointed in Eleanor’s looks, and her father, Teddy Roosevelt’s brother, was a loving but unreliable alcoholic. Both died before Eleanor was 10, when she joined her strict grandmother. At English boarding school Eleanor gained confidence and purpose, returning home and volunteering at a New York settlement house. Her idealism impressed Franklin Roosevelt, her fifth cousin. They wed in 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt giving the bride away. With five children and a domineering mother-in-law, Eleanor drew strength from community work. As Franklin became immersed in politics, so did she, linking him to his party and the public after he contracted polio in 1921.

By the time Eleanor got to the White House, she was used to being Franklin’s “eyes and ears,” going where his legs couldn’t take him and reporting what she saw. But she went further as First Lady, becoming an indefatigable champion of the poor and the powerless. A demoralized America loved her for it and even her enemies admired her devotion to social justice. An early advocate for American blacks, Eleanor helped bring minorities and women into the Democratic party. She wrote a daily column, held press conferences, and tirelessly toured the nation. During World War II, she visited U.S. troops in Europe and Asia. After Franklin’s death in 1945, Eleanor remained a leader in human rights.

Thirty-Second President
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Born: 1872
Died: 1961

Edith Bolling grew up in a small Virginia town where her father settled after losing his plantation in the Civil War. Starting over as a rural lawyer and judge, he barely managed to support his 11 children. With money scarce, Edith received little formal education but she was a quick study and learned from those around her. At 18, she met Washington jeweler Norman Galt while on a visit to her sister. She married him at 24 and bore their only child who lived just days. A widow at 36, Edith’s inheritance allowed her to continue a sophisticated lifestyle complete with trips to Europe and haute couture. She was visiting the White House at age 43 when she met the recently-widowed President, 58-year-old Woodrow Wilson. Sparks flew and the couple wed in 1915.

As First Lady, Edith was her husband’s biggest booster and a plucky role model for a nation at war. She led conservation drives, raised funds, and volunteered for the Red Cross. Behind the scenes, she learned the Allies’ secret code and deciphered dispatches from the front. Edith accompanied Woodrow to the Paris Peace Conference, and after his crippling stroke in 1919, she rigidly controlled access to his sick room. Determined to protect his fragile health, she picked which matters to present to him when. After leaving the White House in 1921, Edith and Woodrow had three more years together. She survived him by 37 years.

Twenty-Eighth President
Woodrow Wilson

Born: 1861
Died: 1943

Helen “Nellie” Herron and Will Taft seemed destined to become man and wife. Both were raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, by political families with ties to the White House. As a teenager, Nellie visited the Hayes White House and thought of becoming First Lady one day. Ever ambitious, Nellie was a 22-year-old teacher when she organized a weekly literary discussion group and invited 25-year-old Will, a fledgling attorney, to join. Three years later, they wed. While Will rose in judicial office, Nellie raised three children and helped found Cincinnati’s symphony orchestra. But she aspired to a larger stage and was thrilled when Will became America’s first Governor in the Philippines in 1900. In the course of four years, Nellie explored the Far East and became an accomplished hostess, much appreciated by the Filipino people. On a visit to Japan, she fell in love with the many flowering cherry trees.

Back in America, Will came under consideration for a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. He favored the appointment, but his wife did not, preferring a run for the Presidency. When he won the White House, Nellie was happier than he. Unfortunately, a few months later, she suffered a stroke and took a year to recover. Besides resuming the social duties she loved, Nellie influenced several cabinet appointments. But her most lasting contribution was planting the beautiful Japanese cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin.

Twenty-Seventh President
William Howard Taft

Born: 1826
Died: 1902

Julia Grant often said that her eight years as First Lady were the happiest of her life. The fourth child and first daughter of a prosperous St. Louis slaveholder, Julia was warm and outgoing despite a birth defect that left her with a badly crossed eye. She met Ulysses, her brother’s handsome but insecure West Point classmate, when she was 18 and he 22. They wed four years later, after “Ulys” returned from the Mexican War, and eventually had four children. The Grants were an unusually close family, thanks in large part to Julia’s indomitable good humor. She believed always that Ulys was destined for greatness despite his string of business and professional failures.

Never meant for business or even politics, Ulys was at his best on the battlefield. During his service as the Union Army’s commanding general, Julia frequently joined him in camp, some say to prevent his drinking. whatever the reason, the results were good — his record propelled him to the White House.l As First Lady, Julia advised her husband on several Cabinet appointments though sadly her judgment was no better than his. In step with the “Gilded Age,” Julia entertained lavishly at the White House, particularly for her daughter’s wedding, and was disappointed when Ulys wouldn’t seek a third term. After a two-year trip around the world, the couple moved to New York where Ulys was swindled. But his bestselling memoir left Julia a comfortable widow.

Eighteenth President
Ulysses S. Grant

Born: 1798
Died: 1853

Abigail Powers was raised by her widowed mother in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Money was scarce, but Abigail got a good education at home, and later became a student and then, a teacher, at a nearby academy. It was there she met 19-year-old Millard Fillmore, an out-of-work clothmaker two years her junior who aspired to a legal career. Abigail encouraged Millard, sharing his love of learning. The two became engaged, but it was eight years before they could afford to wed in 1826. Abigail continued working until the first of her two children was born. She also taught herself to speak French, play the piano and the harp. When Millard went to Albany as an Assemblyman, and then to Washington as a Congressman and Vice-President, Abigail remained at home, but she regularly corresponded with him on everything from geography to government.

When Millard became President upon Zachary Taylor’s sudden death, Abigail joined him in Washington. She successfully lobbied Congress to fund the first White House library and selected books for the collection. Often in poor health, she delegated some of her social duties to her daughter Mary Abigail. A staunch abolitionist, Abigail was unable to persuade her husband to veto the Fugitive Slave Bill. She caught a chill watching Franklin Pierce’s inauguration and died of pneumonia 26 days later.

Thirteenth President
Millard Fillmore