"MUSIC BY JOHN PHILIP SOUSA & THE MARINE BAND"

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)

"FIRST PRESIDENTIAL MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN THE WHITE HOUSE"

GROVER CLEVELAND MARRIES FRANCES FOLSOM IN THE BLUE ROOM

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 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.

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 the First Lady 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.FCF graduated from Wells College in Aurora, NY.  After Cleveland's death, she married Thomas J. Preston Jr.

Wedding Ceremony in the Blue Room

June 2, 1886

The White House

Blue Room

White House Tour

Photo by John White (2017)

WHITE HOUSE TOUR, PART II

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2257

TOURING THE GREEN, BLUE & RED ROOMS OF THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) JFK+50 took our anxiously-awaited self-guided tour* of the White House yesterday morning, March 23, 2017.  After touring the East Room as we described in yesterday's post, we strolled through the Green, Blue and Red Rooms.

According to the 1962 White House tour guide, "The Green Room represents the graceful and delicate American Federal style."  Mrs. Kennedy's emerald and gold wallpaper was reinstalled with the renovation of 1971.  This room has six doors which open to the Cross Hall, East Room, South Portico and Blue Room.

The marble top center table, which is in the Blue Room today, has been in the White House since 1817.  A portrait of President John Tyler by George P.A. Healy (1859) hangs above the Monroe sofa.

On the fireplace mantel of the Blue Room sits the Minerva clock ordered especially for the room by President James Monroe.   The view out the center window of the room is one of the most beautiful in the city.  You can see the South Lawn, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

A Gueridon with fine inlay and bronze caryatid heads with marble top is located in the Red Room.  It was made by French-American cabinet maker Charles Honore Lannuier.  Mrs. John F. Kennedy proudly pointed out this piece to viewers of her Tour of the White House in February 1962.

On the fireplace mantel is an 18th century French musical clock presented to the White House in 1952 by Vincent Aurioly, President of France. 

*Tours are arranged through your congressman's office well in advance.  You receive email confirmation of your acceptance for the tour only a couple of weeks before the actual date.  While the estimated time of the tour is 45 minutes, it took us two hours from the time we arrived until the time we left.

SOURCES

"The White House, An Historic Guide," White House Historical Association, Washington, D.C., 1962.

White House Tours Boarding Pass, whitehouse.gov/

The Green Room

March 23, 2017

Photo by John White

Minerva Clock

The Blue Room

March 23, 2017

Photo by John White

View Looking South

From the Blue Room

March 23, 2017

Photo by John White

Lannuier Table

The Red Room

March 23, 2017

Photo by John White

WEDDING AT THE WHITE HOUSE

PRESIDENT CLEVELAND MARRIES FRANCES FOLSOM

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) One hundred twenty-nine years ago today, June 2, 1886, President Grover Cleveland* and Frances Folsom** were married in the Blue Room at 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.

The 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 the First Lady 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.

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.

 Wedding Ceremony in the Blue Room

June 2, 1886

The White House

Frances Folsom Cleveland

Library of Congress Photo