Jane Appleton Pierce
1853-1857

Jane was born on March 12, 1806 in Hampton, New Hampshire.
Jane Pierce's father died when she was thirteen.

Franklin Pierce met Jane in 1826. They were engaged for eight years.

They were married on November 19, 1834. Franklin was in the U.S. House of Representatives when they were married.

She did not go to Washington when he was a congressman. She was not happy when he was elected to the U.S. Senate.

His wife and son prayed that he would not be elected President.

Their first son, also named Franklin, died when he was only a few days old. Their second son Frank also died at an early age. He died of typhus when he was four years old.

Their third son, Benjamin (Bennie) died in a train accident in 1853. He was 11.

Jane never recovered from their third child dying. She stayed upstairs in the White House and wrote letters to Bennie.

When Franklin Pierce's presidential term ended in March of 1957, the family went on a three tour of the West Indies and Europe. They hoped the trip would improve Jane's health.

She died of tuberculosis on December 2, 1863 and is buried in Concord, New Hampshire. Jane Pierce was fifty-seven when she died. She is buried near her son's, Bennie, grave.

Visit our site on U.S. Presidents

Books and Websites

Books

Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladiesby James Barber and Amy Pastan.
First Ladies: Women Who Called The White House Home (First Ladies) by Beatrice Gormeley.

Websites

http://www.firstladies.org/ National First Ladies Library
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/058_flal.htmlLibrary of Congress, Images of the First Ladies

Comments and/or corrections should be sent to Jim at jim@anewadventure.org.