#42: Jane Irwin Harrison
Jane Irwin Harrison assumed the role of First Lady during her father-in-law William Henry Harrison’s brief presidency. Anna Tuthill Harrison, the President’s wife, was too ill to accompany him to the White House for the inauguration, so Jane stepped in as the official hostess during that time.
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Tragically, President Harrison succumbed to pneumonia just 31 days after his inauguration, marking the shortest presidency in American history to date. Remarkably, Anna remains the only presidential spouse who never set foot in the Capitol during her husband’s presidency due to her illness.