#41: Margaret Taylor
Margaret Taylor’s tenure as First Lady, from 1849 to 1850, coincided with her husband Zachary Taylor’s presidency, tragically cut short by his death just 16 months after taking office due to a stomach ailment. Having spent most of her life in the rugged frontier, Margaret was at odds with the conventional “high-society” expectations associated with the role of First Lady, especially the duty of being the White House hostess.
Preferring seclusion, she often sought refuge on the second floor and limited her public appearances to hosting close friends and family. Margaret Taylor remained largely detached from her husband’s administration, delegating most of her First Lady responsibilities to her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Bliss.