Elizabeth Monroe: The First Lady 

Summary

Elizabeth Monroe, the wife of the 5^th president of the United States of America James Monroe, was the first lady between 1817 and 1825. Recognized among the “Early First Ladies” for her grace, beauty, and polite character; her European experience, staying with her husband in such countries, greatly influenced her bringing this image to the White House. 

Elizabeth Monroe Facts

Full Name:	Elizabeth Kortright Monroe
Date of Birth :	30 June 1768
Place of Birth:	New York, United States
Date of Death:	23 September 1830 (age 62 years),
Place of Death:	Richmond, Virginia, United States
Spouse  :	James Monroe (m. 1786-1830)
Children :	Eliza Kortright Monroe, James Spence Monroe, Maria Hester Monroe
Parents;	Lawrence Kortright, Hannah Aspinwall Kortright Kortright

Elizabeth Monroe’s Early Life

Elizabeth Kortright Monroe was born on June 1768 in New York, to a wealthy merchant, James Kortright and his second wife. She was born in Schenectady as the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Lawrence Kortright, and Hannah Aspinwall Kortright, of a known New York lineage. Elizabeth’s parents gave her a good education, making her a well-bred, well-mannered young woman. 

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In 1782, he was also elected as the delegate and was chosen as a member of the governor’s council. He was in Congress from 1783 to 1786 under the Articles of Confederation, the new nation’s first constitution.

He aggressively asserted the right of the United States to transport on the Mississippi, then occupied by the Spaniards, and tried in 1785 to bolster up the weak Congress with the power to control commerce, which removed one of the glaring evils in the existing structure of the central government. 

Elizabeth Monroe’s Marriage Life 

Elizabeth married James Monroe, a lawyer and a young, ambitious political figure, at the age of seventeen in 1786. Their union was a life-long partnership that was characterized by close and personal support.

These included the reign of the French Revolution, where Elizabeth followed James on his diplomatic functions. This gave her a cut above her colleagues from other First Ladies of those early years and commonly associated with the Mature, Sophisticated, Worldly woman. 

They were blessed with two daughters, Eliza and Maria, and their marriage was characterized by travels because Monroe was always involved in politics. Elizabeth’s health was usually delicate, especially in her youth, which occasionally caused her to be absent from the public domain.

Time in France 

Ms Monroe was actively involved in France-United States relations while the Monroes lived in Paris between 1794 and 1796. This trip to see Adrienne de Lafayette, the wife of Marquis de Lafayette, who was incarcerated during the Reign of Terror, had a profound impression.

Elizabeth’s kindness and courage when dealing with Adrienne’s release promoted her even more in France and the United States. 

First Lady of the United States 

Elizabeth Monroe assumed the office of the First Lady in 1817 when James Monroe was sworn in as the 5th President of the United States of America. In contrast to Dolley Madison, Elizabeth did not like the social part of the First Lady’s work.

She also shunned large parties and, therefore, was not as active socially in Washington as the other wives of the politicians. 

However, it was Elizabeth who introduced a new aesthetic to the White House by being more formal than her predecessor. Based on her exposure to Europeans, she brought in more refined manners than those that were previously known, including French cooking and quality art in the presidential palace. 

Elizabeth Monroe Legacy 

The story of Elizabeth Monroe is glossed over history and is a story that I believe deserves to be told. Few people know how gracefully she performed the role of setting the presidential style for the nation that we still see to this day.

Yet the original woman who made it fashionable to be the president’s wife was Mrs. Elizabeth Monroe. For her high stakes and contribution her china still being used in the White House, one can get a glimpse of her taste even today.

Elizabeth Monroe Death

After James Monroe’s second term of presidency ended in 1825 the Monroes left the White House and went to their country home in Virginia and unfortunately, Elizabeth’s health did not improve. 

After having many serious sicknesses Huntington’s wife Elizabeth died in the same place Oak Hill on September 23, 183,0 three years before her husband. Despite the fact that Elizabeth was a rather private person, she contributed a lot to the countries of the younger America as the First Lady and her legacy is marked by strength and elegant manner characteristic of the beginning of American history. 

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