Lucy Ware Hayes
1877-1881
Lucy Webb was born on August 28, 1831 in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Lucy's father died when she was two years old.
She went to college at Ohio Wesleyan College and graduated from Wesleyan Female College in Cincinnati. She was the first First Lady to graduate from college.
Ruther B. Hayes met Lucy while she was still in college. They were married on December 30, 1852. The wedding was held in her home in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mrs. Hayes had been a supporter of the women's rights movement. After her marriage she followed her husband's beliefs that women should take care of the home and family. She was antislavery throughout her life.
They had eight children. Three* of the eight died in infancy:
- Richard Austin
- Webb Cook
- Rutherford Platt
- Joseph Thompson*
- George Crook*
- Fanny
- Scott Russell
- Manning Force*
After Hayes became President, Lucy was a popular First Lady. She loved entertaining and did well at it. Some of her guests complained about the lack of alcohol at the parties.
Lucy was called "Lemonade Lucy" while she was First Lady because she always served lemonage instead of liquor.
She died of a stroke on June 25, 1889. She is buried with her husband at their estate, Spiegel Grove in Freemont, Ohio.
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