Florence Harding
Florence Mabel Harding (née Kling; August 15, 1860 – November 21, 1924) was the first lady of the United States from 1921 until her husband's death in 1923 as the wife of President Warren G. Harding.
Florence Harding
Warren G. Harding
Esther Gordon
Caroline Harris
November 21, 1924 (aged 64)
Marion, Ohio, U.S.
-
Henry DeWolfe(m. 1880; div. 1886)
In 1880, Florence married Henry De Wolfe and they had a son, Marshall. After divorcing DeWolfe in 1886, she married Harding who was five years younger than she, in 1891. Harding was then a newspaper publisher in Marion, Ohio, and she became the acknowledged brains behind the business. Known as The Duchess, Florence Harding adapted well to the White House, where she gave notably elegant parties.
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Early life[edit]
She was born Florence Mabel Kling above her father's hardware store at 126 South Main Street in Marion, Ohio, on August 15, 1860. Florence was the eldest of three children of Amos Kling, a prominent Marion accountant and businessman of German descent, and Louisa Bouton Kling, who was of French Huguenot and English descent, as her Huguenot ancestors had fled France to England due to religious persecution.[2][3] Her younger brothers were Clifford, born in 1861, and Vetallis, born in 1864. Florence attended school at Union School beginning in 1866 and studied the classics. Her father prospered as a banker and was a stockholder in the Columbus & Toledo Railroad, President of the Agricultural Society, and member of the school board.[4] Florence developed a passion for horses early in life and participated in several horse races. Her father trained her in several business skills such as banking, real estate, and farm management.[5]
Aiming to become a concert pianist, Florence began studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music after graduating from high school in 1878. As she recalled, she spent seven hours per day on the piano for three years, once playing until her finger bled. On return trips to Marion, Florence often clashed with her father, who would whip her with a cherry switch.[6] At the age of 19 she eloped with Henry Atherton ("Pete") De Wolfe (4 May 1859, Marion – 8 March 1894, Marion) and they were married in Columbus, Ohio, on January 22, 1880.[7] A record of the issuance of their marriage license was printed in The Marion Star.[8] Florence gave birth to her only child, Marshall Eugene, on September 22, 1880. Her husband worked in a warehouse but alcoholism led him to abandon the family on December 31, 1882. Florence moved in with her friend Carrie Wallace while her mother Louisa financially supported the mother and child.[9] Florence became a piano teacher to provide extra income and enjoyed skating at night. Her estranged husband had attempted to rob a train in 1885, and the pair were divorced in 1886.[10]
Eventually, Amos Kling offered to adopt Marshall but would not provide for his daughter. As a result, Marshall adopted the Kling surname despite not being legally adopted. This freed Florence for other romantic flings, and she soon met Warren Gamaliel Harding, owner of the Marion Star. He was five years younger than she was, and his sister Charity was a student of Florence's. Soon the Marion Star reported on Florence's trips to Yellowstone National Park with her mother and Warren Harding. Harding and Florence became a couple by the summer of 1886.[11] Who was pursuing whom is uncertain, depending on who later told the story of their romance.[12]
Newspaper leadership[edit]
They had no children of their own, but Florence's son Marshall lived with them intermittently and received encouragement from Warren to work in journalism.[16] When her husband entered the Battle Creek Sanitarium for depression in January 1894, Florence became the informal business manager of the Marion Star although she never had any official role, immediately demonstrating both the talent and the character to run a newspaper.[17] She organized a circulation department, improved distribution, trained the newsboys, and purchased equipment at keen prices. Her newsboys became known as "Mrs. Harding's boys" throughout the town, and she alternatively gave out awards for achievement and doled out physical punishment. Some Marion children began to fear Florence for paddling the boys in the street. One of the newsboys, Norman Thomas, later the Socialist presidential candidate, declared that Warren was the front-man, but Florence was the real driving power of the Marion Star.[18]
Warren returned to work on the Star in December 1894 though Florence continued to nurse him at home. After the Spanish–American War broke out in 1898, Florence was instrumental in developing the first wire report. Although she never wrote any articles, she did suggest stories based on leads she had, particularly stories to appeal to women. She hired the first woman reporter in Ohio, Jane Dixon, and supported her when there was a backlash from the people of Marion. Through Florence's leadership, the Star prospered and increased its revenue. She also knew about the machinery of the newspaper plant and how to fix it. Though Warren was not particularly supportive of women's rights at the time, belittling rallies for temperance, he greatly appreciated his wife's help at the office and respected her frank opinions.[19] Florence wrote of her husband, "he does well when he listens to me and poorly when he does not."[20]
Florence encouraged her husband in his first political run for the state senate in 1899. She managed the finances and fended off unsurprising objections from her father, who enlisted Mark Hanna for help, though Warren was ultimately elected.[21] Florence observed the legislature from the balcony and frequently made trips to newspaper offices to win her husband's good coverage and observe their operations. She also began her custom of consulting with an astrologer during this first stint in Columbus. Encouraging her husband to be pragmatic and not to alienate anyone, he was reelected in 1901. In 1903, he was elected lieutenant governor. Journalist Mark Sullivan wrote of Florence, "As a wife, she had that particular kind of eagerness to make good which, in a personality that is at once superficial and unsure of itself, sometimes manifests itself in too strenuous activity, a too steady staying on the job."[22]
1905 kidney ailment and emergency surgery[edit]
In February 1905, Florence needed emergency surgery for nephroptosis ('floating kidney') and was initially treated by a homoeopathic doctor Charles E. Sawyer. His close links with the Harding family, and Florence's total trust and dependence on him, would later prove controversial. Sawyer referred Florence to Dr. Jamez Fairchild Baldwin, who "wired" the kidney in place and did not remove it due to heart damage that she had already suffered. Confined to a hospital bed for weeks, Florence later stated this experience made her more empathetic for hospital patients.[23]
Husband's adultery, Florence's view of women's rights[edit]
During her convalescence, Warren began an affair with a close friend of hers, Carrie Phillips, who had recently lost a child.[24] Florence did not find out until she intercepted a letter between the two in 1911, which led her to consider divorce, though she never pursued it. Apparently, she considered herself too invested in her husband's career to leave him, though her discovery of the affair did not end it. It was one of several adulterous escapades that Warren embarked upon, of which Florence found herself increasingly resigned though she expressed her disapproval. She tried to discourage the affairs by sticking by her husband's side at all times.[25] Florence never spoke to Carrie Phillips again, and only acknowledged her in bitter attacks.[26]
Warren and Florence left for a trip to Europe in August 1911. During her stay in England, Florence began to sympathize with women leading protests and became an ardent suffragette. When she returned to America, she went to a rally for women's right to vote in Columbus. Despite her feelings on the matter, Florence remained silent on women's suffrage during the 1912 election.[27] She continued to be treated by Dr. Sawyer at his new White Oaks Sanitarium for various ailments and deepened her study of astrology. Florence also gave her husband advice on his political chances, discouraging a run for governor in 1912. Instead, she had her sights set on Washington, D.C., and Warren broadened his national reputation by very publicly supporting William Howard Taft at the Republican convention. After Taft was defeated by Woodrow Wilson in the election, Warren sought solace by writing poetry to Carrie Phillips.[28]
Inheritance, further health problems, Warren's election as Senator[edit]
On October 20, 1913, Florence's father passed away. Despite their strained relationship, his daughter received $35,000 and valuable real estate in the will. Florence had her own health problems, suffering a serious kidney attack in the winter of 1913 and went to live at the White Oaks Sanitarium. Dr. Sawyer feared that Florence would not survive the year, but his patient managed to recover. In spite of her ill health, she encouraged her husband to run for Senate in 1914 and resolved to be part of the campaign.[29] She limited her role to advisory management and persuaded her husband to ignore pressures to have anti-Catholic remarks against the Democratic opponent, Timothy Hogan. With her assistance, Warren won the Senate election by 102,000 votes.[30]
World War I[edit]
After the U.S. entered World War I, Florence occupied herself in working toward a victory. She helped Ohio women who moved to Washington, D.C. for jobs find housing, and helped Lou Hoover set up dining and recreation spaces for the female workers. Florence frequently visited nurseries and daycare centers to assist mothers who had to work during the day. Alongside other political spouses, she handed out tin cups of coffee and sandwiches to soldiers departing from Union Station. Florence also volunteered at the Walter Reed Hospital, and found a sense of satisfaction in this work missing from her heretofore existence. She worked with other Senate wives to create a Red Cross Unit and produce clothing for soldiers on the battlefield. In order to better monitor the events on the front, Florence avidly read several newspapers and learned the pronunciation of foreign towns and locations.[36]
Warren continued his affair with Carrie Phillips, alongside other women like the young Nan Britton, despite the suspicion that Phillips was a German spy. This proved to be untrue, though she did have sympathies with the German cause. Florence found out about this fact, perhaps being told by her husband, and reacted with rage. During the summer of 1918, while greeting soldiers leaving from the Marion train station, Florence spotted Phillips complaining about the futility of sending men to fight. Florence approached her and got into a heated argument, publicly rebuking her in front of many onlookers. Despite this public display of his wife's temper, Warren soon after sent Carrie love letters proclaiming his devotion, albeit with the caveat that a divorce from Florence was not feasible.[37]
In November 1918, Florence's kidney swelled to ten times its regular size. This was perhaps her worst attack since 1905 and left her bedridden for weeks. She was treated by Dr. Sawyer's son Carl, who had been stationed at Camp Meade (now Fort Meade). Warren stayed at her side until it was clear she was feeling better.[38] By March 1919 Florence had recovered enough to attend events at Evalyn's house while her husband golfed.[39] Florence was in attendance at the Senate on July 10 when President Wilson requested America join the League of Nations, an idea she opposed. During the summer, her husband began to be mentioned as a potential presidential candidate, which Florence was initially not happy with since she thought he didn't have enough of a national reputation.[40]
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Widowhood and death[edit]
Florence had intended to make a new life in Washington and was planning a tour of Europe. But when her kidney ailment returned, she followed Sawyer's advice and took a cottage in the grounds of his sanitarium in Marion. Her last public appearance was at the local Remembrance Day parade where she stood to salute the veterans. Harding died of renal failure, ten days later, on November 21, 1924, aged 64.
Her grandchildren, George Warren and Eugenia DeWolfe, were the principal heirs to her estate.
Until the completion of the Harding Tomb, Florence's body lay with that of her husband in the common receiving vault at Marion's city cemetery.[87]
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