National Affairs: Presidential Relicts

The death of President Harding increases to four the number of widows, now living, of former Presidents. Besides Florence Kling Harding they are:

Mrs. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, the second wife of President Roosevelt (married in 1886, two years after the death of his first wife). During her husband’s terms in the White House she was very retiring and has been even more so since that time. Nevertheless, at the time of President Harding’s entrance to office she was proposed (by the Portia Club) as a member of the Harding Cabinet. In 1919 Andrew Carnegie left her an annuity of $5,000, and in the same year by act of Congress she was given letter franking privileges. Since her husband’s death (January 6, 1919) she has been abroad three times. Just one month after her husband died she sailed for France to visit the grave of her son Quentin. Nine months later she went to Brazil with her son Kermit. In January, 1922, she went to Europe intending to go to South Africa, but returned to this country three months later without carrying out her plan. Her home is at Oyster Bay, L. I.

Mrs. Frances Folsom Cleveland Preston married President Cleveland when she was only 22. She was a graduate of Wells College. Five years after the death of her husband (June 24, 1908) she was married a second time, to Professor Thomas J. Preston, Jr. Her first marriage took place in the White House; her second marriage, in the Executive Mansion of Princeton University, the Reverend John Grier Hibben officiating. She was active in the anti-suffragist cause, and, during the War, in a number of patriotic societies. Andrew Carnegie left her, also, an annuity of $5,000.

Mrs. Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Harrison, second wife of Benjamin Harrison, was never mistress of the White House. Her maiden name was Lord and she was a widow at the time of her second marriage. The first Mrs. Benjamin Harrison died during her husband’s term of office. The second Mrs. Harrison (Mrs. Dimmick) was a niece of the first Mrs. Harrison, and 35 years the junior of the ex-President. A week before their marriage in 1896, General Harrison (a Presbyterian) was converted to the Episcopal faith. His son and daughter by his first marriage openly disapproved of the second and did not attend it. The second Mrs. Harrison bore her husband one daughter. Since his death (March 13, 1901) she has lived very quietly. Last week she telegraphed Mrs. Harding : “Deepest sympathy to you from one who has had a similar anxiety and sorrow. This is a grief to the whole country.”