- NĂ©e:
- Caroline Lavinia Scott
- Born:
- October 1, 1832, Oxford, Ohio, U.S.
- Died:
- October 25, 1892, Washington, D.C. (aged 60)
- Title / Office:
- first lady (1889-1893)
- Notable Family Members:
- spouse Benjamin Harrison
Caroline Harrison
-
Who was Caroline Harrison?
Caroline Harrison (1832â1892) was the wife of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd U.S. president, and served as the American first lady from 1889 to 1892. She was the second daughter of John Scott, a college teacher and Presbyterian minister, and Mary Potts Neal Scott.
Harrison was the first president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She also helped raise funds to start a medical school at Johns Hopkins University. During her time as First Lady, she worked to expand the White House and designed new state china. Caroline Harrison died of tuberculosis in the White House during her husbandâs reelection campaign in 1892 and was buried in Indianapolis.
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When did Caroline Harrison serve as First Lady of the United States?
Caroline Harrison served as First Lady of the United States from 1889 to 1892 during the presidency of her husband, Benjamin Harrison. During her time as First Lady, she brought significant public attention to the role, which was increasingly covered by popular womenâs magazines.
To make living in the White House more comfortable, she collaborated with architect Fred D. Owen to develop plans for expanding the building; however, Congress rejected these plans. Caroline Harrison also designed new state china featuring goldenrod and sweet corn. During her husbandâs reelection campaign in 1892, she contracted tuberculosis and died in the White House.
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Who was Caroline Harrison's husband, and what was his job?
Caroline Harrison, an American first lady from 1889 to 1892, was married to Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States. He was a moderate Republican who served as president from 1889 to 1893. Before becoming president, Harrison had a career as a lawyer in Indianapolis, and he also served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War. He also served in the U.S. Senate. As president, he signed into law the Sherman Antitrust Act, the first legislation against business combinations restraining trade.
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What causes or activities was Caroline Harrison known for as First Lady?
As First Lady, Caroline Harrison (1832â1892) brought significant attention to the Harrison family through popular womenâs magazines.
To improve White House accommodations, she collaborated with architect Fred D. Owen to design a mansion expansion, which Congress declined. However, she did manage an extensive renovation, including installing electric lighting.
Harrison also designed new state china featuring goldenrod and sweet corn. Although not fully satisfied with the quality of china produced in the United States, she had the dishes made in France. As a history enthusiast, she served as the first president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Additionally, she helped raise funds to start a medical school at Johns Hopkins University, advocating for the admission of women.
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How did Caroline Harrison help improve life in the White House?
Caroline Harrison, wife of President Benjamin Harrison, made significant improvements to the White House during her time as First Lady (1889â92). To make the White House more comfortable, she collaborated with architect Fred D. Owen to develop plans for expanding the building, including adding wings for an art gallery and offices. Though Congress didn't approve the expansion, she oversaw a renovation and installed electric lighting.
She also designed new state china featuring goldenrod and sweet corn to showcase American creativity and workmanship. Although made in France due to her dissatisfaction with the quality of china produced in the United States, her efforts reflected her commitment to promoting American artistry. Additionally, she helped raise funds to start a medical school at Johns Hopkins University, advocating for the admission of women.
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What was Caroline Harrison's legacy and impact as an American First Lady?
Caroline Harrison (1832-1892) was the wife of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president, and served as the American first lady from 1889 to 1892. Harrison was a history enthusiast and the first president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She also helped raise funds to start a medical school at Johns Hopkins University and agreed that the new school should admit women.
To make White House living more comfortable, she worked with architect Fred D. Owen to draw up plans to expand the mansion, but Congress rejected the plan. Harrison oversaw an extensive renovation, including installing electric lighting. She also designed new state china featuring goldenrod and sweet corn.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Caroline Harrison (born October 1, 1832, Oxford, Ohio, U.S.âdied October 25, 1892, Washington, D.C.) was an American first lady (1889â92), the wife of Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president of the United States. A history enthusiast, she was the first president general of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Caroline Scott was the second daughter of five children born to John Scott, a college teacher and Presbyterian minister, and Mary Potts Neal Scott. Educated in the best schools of southern Ohio, she was an excellent student, showing special talent in painting and music. She met Benjamin Harrison while he was her fatherâs student at a nearby college, and they were married on October 20, 1853. As her husbandâs legal and political career progressed, she cared for their two children, born in 1854 and 1858, and participated in community activities in Indianapolis, where they made their home until his election to the Senate (1881â86) took them to Washington, D.C. Wherever she lived, she continued to paint for recreation, and she became known as a model housewife.
Her husbandâs election to the presidency in 1888 brought Caroline enormous public attention. By that time, popular womenâs magazines regularly published lengthy articles on each presidentâs family and home life, and they eagerly sought information about the many relatives the Harrisons brought with them to live in the White House, including their married children, their childrenâs families, Carolineâs father, and Carolineâs niece, Mary Dimmick. Caroline laughingly concluded that other people knew more about the Harrisons than they knew themselves.
In order to make White House living more comfortable, Caroline Harrison worked with architect Fred D. Owen to draw up plans to expand the mansion. The plan she favoured would have retained the main structure and added wings on both sides, one for an art gallery and the other for offices. However, Congress rejected the plan, and Caroline had to make do with the same limited space her predecessors had, though she did oversee an extensive renovation, including the installation of electric lighting.
Eager to make the White House a showcase for American creativity and workmanship, Caroline designed new state china featuring goldenrod and sweet corn. Because she was dissatisfied with the quality of china produced in the United States, however, she had the dishes made in France. In addition to her organizational efforts for the Daughters of the American Revolution, she helped to raise funds to start a medical school at Johns Hopkins University. Although she was not an active supporter of womenâs rights, she agreed with many of the benefactors that the new school should admit women.
During her husbandâs campaign for reelection in 1892, Caroline contracted tuberculosis, and she died in the White House, the second presidentâs wife (after Letitia Tyler) to die there. She was buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Four years later her husband married Mary Dimmick. Rumours circulated about when the romance had begun, and when Benjamin died in 1901 his children, who were never reconciled to the second marriage, buried him beside Caroline.
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