June 2, 2013
JUNE WEDDING IN THE BLUE ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE 127 YEARS AGO TODAY
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Grover Cleveland* and Frances Folsom** were married in the Blue Room at the White House here in the Nation's Capital 127 years ago today, June 2, 1886.
Wedding Ceremony in the Blue Room
June 2, 1886
The White House
Invited guests included relatives and close friends as well as the President's cabinet and their wives.
Grover Cleveland was 49 years old while the bride, the daughter of his late law partner, was 21. Mrs. Cleveland became the youngest FIRST LADY.
The event also marked the first time a sitting President was married in the Executive Mansion. John Tyler was the first President to marry while in office but the ceremony was not conducted at the White House.
Frances Folsom Cleveland
Library of Congress Photo
The couple were joined together by the Rev. Byron Sutherland with the assistance of the groom's brother, Rev. William Cleveland.
For the ceremony, the traditional words 'honor, love and obey' were substituted by 'love, honor and keep.'
Music was provided by John Philip Sousa and the United States Marine Band.
Although the day was a regular "working day" for the President, he and the 1st Lady departed for a 5 day honeymoon at DEER PARK in the Cumberland Mountains of western Maryland.***
As First Lady, Mrs. Cleveland held two receptions each week.
*Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) the only President to serve non consecutive terms is both the 22nd (1885-1889) and 24th (1893-1897) Presidents. He was born in Caldwell, NJ and admitted to the bar in 1859. He later became Mayor of Buffalo, NY and Governor of NY.
**Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland (1864-1947) was born in Buffalo, NY. Her father, Oscar Folsom, died in 1875 and Grover Cleveland became administrator of his estate.
Frances graduated from Wells College in Aurora, NY. After Cleveland's death, she married Thomas J. Preston Jr. She died in Baltimore and is buried in Princeton, N.J. beside her 1st husband.
***The Clevelands would have 3 daughters and 2 sons. Their second child, Esther, born in 1893, was the first child to be born in the White House.
JUNE WEDDING IN THE BLUE ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE 127 YEARS AGO TODAY
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Grover Cleveland* and Frances Folsom** were married in the Blue Room at the White House here in the Nation's Capital 127 years ago today, June 2, 1886.
Wedding Ceremony in the Blue Room
June 2, 1886
The White House
Invited guests included relatives and close friends as well as the President's cabinet and their wives.
Grover Cleveland was 49 years old while the bride, the daughter of his late law partner, was 21. Mrs. Cleveland became the youngest FIRST LADY.
The event also marked the first time a sitting President was married in the Executive Mansion. John Tyler was the first President to marry while in office but the ceremony was not conducted at the White House.
Frances Folsom Cleveland
Library of Congress Photo
The couple were joined together by the Rev. Byron Sutherland with the assistance of the groom's brother, Rev. William Cleveland.
For the ceremony, the traditional words 'honor, love and obey' were substituted by 'love, honor and keep.'
Music was provided by John Philip Sousa and the United States Marine Band.
Although the day was a regular "working day" for the President, he and the 1st Lady departed for a 5 day honeymoon at DEER PARK in the Cumberland Mountains of western Maryland.***
As First Lady, Mrs. Cleveland held two receptions each week.
*Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) the only President to serve non consecutive terms is both the 22nd (1885-1889) and 24th (1893-1897) Presidents. He was born in Caldwell, NJ and admitted to the bar in 1859. He later became Mayor of Buffalo, NY and Governor of NY.
**Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland (1864-1947) was born in Buffalo, NY. Her father, Oscar Folsom, died in 1875 and Grover Cleveland became administrator of his estate.
Frances graduated from Wells College in Aurora, NY. After Cleveland's death, she married Thomas J. Preston Jr. She died in Baltimore and is buried in Princeton, N.J. beside her 1st husband.
***The Clevelands would have 3 daughters and 2 sons. Their second child, Esther, born in 1893, was the first child to be born in the White House.
