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Jane Appleton Pierce
Date of Birth: March 12, 1806
Date of Death: Dec 2, 1863
Age at death: 57
Married: Nov 10, 1834 - Franklin
Pierce
Children: 3 |
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- Jane Appleton grew up in an aristocratic
atmosphere while living with her widowed mother's family in New
Hampshire
- She enjoyed New England social life,
and abhorred politics
- After her marriage to Franklin she
implored him to leave the political arena, but it was not until
she contracted tuberculosis that he resigned from the Senate
to returned home
- Mrs. Pierce blamed the death of their
two youngest sons, Franklin, three days, and Frank, five years,
as punishment form God for her husband's political involvement
- Consequently Pierce turned down an
offer as Attorney General from President Polk, and remained absent
from politics until nominated for president in 1852
- Barely able to cope with her husbands
reentrance into politics, she lost all emotional stability when
as president-elect the Pierces' were involved in a train derailment
that claimed the life of their only remaining child, 11 year
old Benjamin
- It reiterated her contention that
the loss of her children was punishment from God
- As First Lady, she refused to leave
her room, and attended no social functions
- She often sat crying by the fireplace
while writing letters to her deceased son, Benjamin
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