Abigail Fillmore Biography

Abigail Fillmore, wife of Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States, was the First Lady of America from 1850 to 1853. Raised in a lower-middle class family without a father, she quickly became aware of her financial circumstances. She was passionate about learning and grasping knowledge which encouraged her to become a teacher in her teenage years. During her teaching career, she met an ambitious student, Millard Fillmore. They both fell for each other due to their similar interest in acquiring knowledge and married after some years. Initially a lawyer, her husband eventually went on to contest for the post of governor and later became the Vice President of United States. Following the untimely death of the then-President Zachary Taylor, her husband became the President and she became the First Lady of America. With her strong intellect, she helped her husband execute important political decisions. She also persuaded Congress to start a library at the White House and spent months selecting several hundred volumes to fill its shelves. She often played the hostess at dinners and political gatherings but mostly preferred to spend her time reading and playing the piano. She was a remarkably elegant First Lady of America with a rare combination of grace and intellect.