- Née:
- Jane Means Appleton
- Born:
- March 12, 1806, Hampton, New Hampshire, U.S.
- Died:
- December 2, 1863, Andover, Massachusetts (aged 57)
- Title / Office:
- first lady (1853-1857)
Jane Pierce
-
Who was Jane Pierce?
Jane Pierce (1806–1863) was the wife of Franklin Pierce, the 14th U.S. president, and served as the American first lady from 1853 to 1857.
Despite her family's disapproval of Franklin's political aspirations, she married him in 1834. As Franklin's political career grew, Jane reluctantly fulfilled social duties, blaming his Washington, D.C., associates for his drinking. She believed her family's tragedies, including the death of their first child, were linked to Franklin's political success.
In 1842, she persuaded Franklin to leave Washington for New Hampshire, but the death of their son Frankie caused her health to decline. Later, the death of her son Bennie just before Franklin's inauguration caused her to sink into a deep depression. She believed God took her son so Franklin would not be distracted from his presidential duties. After Franklin's term, they traveled to Europe but returned to Concord, New Hampshire, by 1860. Jane died in 1863 and was buried near her children.
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Who was Jane Pierce married to?
Jane Pierce was married to Franklin Pierce, who became the 14th president of the United States (1853–57). The couple wed on November 19, 1834, despite Jane's family's disapproval of Franklin's political ambitions. Jane found the social duties of a political wife agonizing and blamed Franklin's political friends for his excessive drinking. She also believed that her family's tragedies were connected to Franklin's political success.
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When did Jane Pierce serve as First Lady of the United States?
Jane Pierce served as the First Lady of the United States from 1853 to 1857 during the presidency of her husband, Franklin Pierce. She was born on March 12, 1806, and she passed away on December 2, 1863. Due to her aversion to political life and personal tragedies, including the death of her son shortly before Franklin's inauguration, she remained largely out of the public eye during her time as First Lady.
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What was Jane Pierce known for during her time as First Lady?
During her time as First Lady (1853–57), Jane Pierce was known for her withdrawal from public life due to personal grief and depression following the death of her son, Bennie, in a train accident shortly before her husband's inauguration. She rarely left the White House, and social events were limited and typically managed by female relatives. Pierce's reluctance to engage in social duties stemmed from her aversion to political life, which she found agonizing, and a series of family tragedies, including the early death of another child. Due to her withdrawal, female relatives often presided over social events.
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How did tragedy affect Jane Pierce's life in the White House?
As first lady, Jane Pierce was deeply affected by tragedy. She had always disliked her husband's political life and blamed it for the many tragedies that befell her family, including the death of two of her children.
Just weeks before Franklin's inauguration, their son Bennie died in a train accident. Jane sank into a deep depression, believing God had taken her son so that Franklin would not be distracted from his duties as president. She did not attend her son’s funeral or her husband’s inauguration, and she rarely left the White House during his presidency.
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What impact did Jane Pierce have on the role of First Lady or American society?
Jane Pierce, as First Lady from 1853 to 1857, largely avoided public attention due to personal grief and depression following the death of her son. She did not attend her husband's inauguration and rarely left the White House during his presidency.
Because of Jane Pierce's withdrawal from public life, female relatives often presided at social events. During this time, the role of First Lady was evolving from hostess and social leader to a figure of national attention. While some First Ladies sought a public role, like Sarah Polk, others, such as Jane Pierce, remained more private due to personal circumstances.
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Jane Pierce (born March 12, 1806, Hampton, New Hampshire, U.S.—died December 2, 1863, Andover, Massachusetts) was the American first lady (1853–57), the wife of Franklin Pierce, 14th president of the United States.
Jane Appleton was the third of six children born to Jesse Appleton, a Congregational minister and president of Bowdoin College, and Elizabeth Means Appleton. Although the details of her education are unclear, she showed an early interest in literature and spent some time at a boarding school in Keene, New Hampshire; she also studied piano in Boston. Jane’s sister Frances married one of Franklin Pierce’s tutors at Bowdoin, and it is likely that Jane and Franklin met through this association. Despite her family’s strong objection to Franklin’s intense political ambitions, the couple wed on November 19, 1834.
While Franklin served in the New Hampshire state legislature (1829–33), the United States House of Representatives (1833–37), and the Senate (1837–42), Jane was forced to perform the social duties of a political wife, though she found them agonizing and tried to avoid them when she could. She blamed her husband’s political friends in Washington, D.C., for his excessive drinking, and she was convinced that there was a connection between Franklin’s political success and the many tragedies that struck her family, including the death of their first child, Franklin Jr., only three days after his birth in 1836.
In 1842 Jane persuaded Franklin to resign his Senate seat and leave Washington for New Hampshire, where she devoted herself to caring for their two surviving sons, Frank Robert (“Frankie”) and Benjamin (“Bennie”). Frankie’s death one year later brought the couple severe distress and caused Jane’s health to deteriorate. Respecting his wife’s strong wishes, Franklin refused an offer from President James K. Polk to be attorney general, and he later declined an appointment to the Senate (to fill an unexpired term) and nomination as governor of New Hampshire, declaring that he “never again…[wanted] to be voluntarily separated from my family for any considerable time except at the call of my country in time of war.”
Jane fainted when she learned that the Democratic Party had nominated her husband for the presidency in 1852, and she later prayed for his defeat. While she was in New Hampshire, Bennie wrote to her that “I hope he won’t be elected for I should not like to be at Washington and I know you would not either.” Eventually, she accepted Franklin’s victory and prepared to return to Washington. However, just weeks before the inauguration, the Pierces were involved in a tragic train accident in which Bennie, then 11 years old, was killed before their eyes. Sinking into a deep depression, Jane eventually came to believe that God had taken her son so that her husband would not be distracted from his duties as president. She did not attend her son’s funeral or her husband’s inauguration, and during Franklin’s presidency she rarely left the White House. Female relatives presided at most of the social events—which were limited—and Jane saw few people besides family and close friends.
At the end of Franklin’s single term, the couple traveled to Europe for a year and a half, but by 1860 they had returned to Concord, New Hampshire. Jane also spent time with relatives in Massachusetts. When she died in 1863, she was buried near her children.