A PRESIDENTIAL WEDDING AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On June 2, 1886, President Grover Cleveland* and Frances Folsom** were married in the Blue Room at the White House here in the Nation's Capital.
Invited guests included relatives and close friends as well as the President's cabinet and their wives. Grover Cleveland was 49 years old while his bride, daughter of his late law partner, was 21. Mrs. Cleveland remains the youngest First Lady of a sitting POTUS.
Cleveland proposed to Frances by letter in 1885 when she was still a student at Wells College. Their age difference of 27 years ranks as the second longest for presidents behind John Tyler whose second wife, Julia, was 30 years younger than Mr. Tyler.
The event also marked the first time a president was married in the Executive Mansion. It was not the first time, however, a POTUS had married while in office. That distinction goes to John Tyler.
The Clevelands' service was conducted 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 Mrs. Cleveland departed for a five day honeymoon at Deer Park in the Cumberland
Mountains of western Maryland.
*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. FCFC graduated from Wells College in Aurora, NY. After Cleveland's death, she married Thomas J. Preston Jr.,a professor at Wells College. She was the 1st presidential widow to remarry.
SOURCE
"Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland," Find-a-Grave, www.findagrave.com/
Wedding Ceremony in the Blue Room
June 2, 1886
The White House
Blue Room
White House Tour
Photo by John White (2017)
