That´s relevant to both Before 1900 and After 1900, but for some reason, of the 228 year of US president, only once after 1900 was an US president not married (Wilson), while it happened 8 times before 1900.
These 9 occasions included:
4 Presidents were widowers when inaugurated (Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren, Arthur)
2 Presidents were bachelors when inaugurated (Buchanan, Cleveland)
3 Presidents were widowed in White House (Tyler, Harrison, Wilson).
But while the post of Vice President has been vacant for 18 times in history, 7 times more than 3 years at a time, there has only ever been one attempt to rule USA without First Lady. It lasted 20 months, in 1837/1838. Van Buren was inaugurated as a widower with 4 sons, aged 20 to 30 and all bachelors.
The youngest OTL First Lady to be wife of President was Frances Folsom who, aged 21 years 10 months, married Cleveland, a 49 year old bachelor and her guardian.
The two younger first ladies were:
Emily Donelson, a married niece of Jackson´s late wife, who at age 21 years 9 months joined Jackson in White House to work as First Lady;
Angelica van Buren who aged 20 years 9 months married President´s 31 year old son to become the First Lady.
So... would a minor be a plausible candidate as First Lady?
Three First Ladies were daughters of widowed Presidents. However, Martha Jefferson was 28 when Jefferson was inaugurated, Mary Harrison was 34 when her mother died, and Margaret Wilson 28 when her mother died.
There actually WAS a single father at White House - as in, a widower President whose children were minors rather than adults. Arthur.
At his inauguration, his son Chester was 17 and his daughter Ellen was 10.
Arthur did not immediately bring either to White House - leaving Chester at Princeton and Ellen in New York with a governess. Even when he did bring them to Washington, he did show them off at parties but Ellen did not like them and Arthur shielded her from press.
Instead the First Lady was Arthur´s 40 years old married sister whose tasks included caring for Ellen. And that´s where the matters rested till Arthur´s exauguration, when Ellen was 14 or so.
So... given the social attitudes and practices, how old can First Lady of USA plausibly be?
Were there any serious Presidential candidates whose election would have resulted in a widower in White House? Especially a widower with teenage children? Raising the question of whether a teenager could fill in for First Lady or whether someone else needs to be found for the job.
Also: while scarcity of widowers in 20th century is not odd (lower adult mortality), there were 2 bachelor Presidents in 19th century - Buchanan and Cleveland. None since. Divorce has been more common in 20th century and both divorced Presidents were after 1980 - Reagan and Trump - but both were remarried divorcers at inauguration.
How common are bachelors, widowers, divorcees and single fathers in custody of minor children in lower level US political elite, like Senators, State governors and Cabinet members?
These 9 occasions included:
4 Presidents were widowers when inaugurated (Jefferson, Jackson, Van Buren, Arthur)
2 Presidents were bachelors when inaugurated (Buchanan, Cleveland)
3 Presidents were widowed in White House (Tyler, Harrison, Wilson).
But while the post of Vice President has been vacant for 18 times in history, 7 times more than 3 years at a time, there has only ever been one attempt to rule USA without First Lady. It lasted 20 months, in 1837/1838. Van Buren was inaugurated as a widower with 4 sons, aged 20 to 30 and all bachelors.
The youngest OTL First Lady to be wife of President was Frances Folsom who, aged 21 years 10 months, married Cleveland, a 49 year old bachelor and her guardian.
The two younger first ladies were:
Emily Donelson, a married niece of Jackson´s late wife, who at age 21 years 9 months joined Jackson in White House to work as First Lady;
Angelica van Buren who aged 20 years 9 months married President´s 31 year old son to become the First Lady.
So... would a minor be a plausible candidate as First Lady?
Three First Ladies were daughters of widowed Presidents. However, Martha Jefferson was 28 when Jefferson was inaugurated, Mary Harrison was 34 when her mother died, and Margaret Wilson 28 when her mother died.
There actually WAS a single father at White House - as in, a widower President whose children were minors rather than adults. Arthur.
At his inauguration, his son Chester was 17 and his daughter Ellen was 10.
Arthur did not immediately bring either to White House - leaving Chester at Princeton and Ellen in New York with a governess. Even when he did bring them to Washington, he did show them off at parties but Ellen did not like them and Arthur shielded her from press.
Instead the First Lady was Arthur´s 40 years old married sister whose tasks included caring for Ellen. And that´s where the matters rested till Arthur´s exauguration, when Ellen was 14 or so.
So... given the social attitudes and practices, how old can First Lady of USA plausibly be?
Were there any serious Presidential candidates whose election would have resulted in a widower in White House? Especially a widower with teenage children? Raising the question of whether a teenager could fill in for First Lady or whether someone else needs to be found for the job.
Also: while scarcity of widowers in 20th century is not odd (lower adult mortality), there were 2 bachelor Presidents in 19th century - Buchanan and Cleveland. None since. Divorce has been more common in 20th century and both divorced Presidents were after 1980 - Reagan and Trump - but both were remarried divorcers at inauguration.
How common are bachelors, widowers, divorcees and single fathers in custody of minor children in lower level US political elite, like Senators, State governors and Cabinet members?
