Saturday, December 30, 2006

Lucy Webb Hayes, the first wife to be referred to as First Lady

Future President Rutherford Hayes married Lucy Webb on this day in 1852.     

Hayes won the extremely controversial election of 1876 against Governor Samuel Tilden of New York.  

Hayes lost the popular vote by 300,000 out of the 8 million cast.   After weeks of negotiations, Hayes won the electoral college 185-184.   

Historians believe that Mr Hayes' election was part of a deal to get federal troops out of the South.

Hayes had problems governing, in large measure because of his disputed election.   

Nevertheless, First Lady Lucy was quite a charm.   The wife of the president has properly been referred to as "The First Lady" ever since!

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