Little Known First Ladies: Jane Pierce Quiz

Answer: New Hampshire

Jane's father Jesse was a reverend in the Congregationalist Church. Jane was always described as a timid and frail girl, a phase she never really got over even into her adult life.

Answer: Music

Jane was homeschooled when her tutors noticed she was very good at playing the piano. However, Jane was unenthusiastic about pursuing a music career and never played the piano in public after her marriage to Franklin in 1834.

Answer: No one really knows

Jane's father was president of Bowdoin College from 1809-1819 but Franklin did not attend the school until 1820. Jane never attended Bowdoin herself. Also, one of Jane's sister's husbands had been an instructor at Bowdoin and taught Franklin, but there is no evidence to suggest this is how the first couple met. Jane had terrible handwriting and most of her correspondence is illegible, so historians cannot accurately decipher them.

Answer: She absolutely hated it

Jane was described by friends and family as being somewhat naïve on political matters and was completely disinterested in his work. Her only passion in life was for her son Benjamin after her first two sons died in infancy. Jane liked neither socializing with the other senators' wives nor the effect Washington was having on her son.

She successfully convinced Franklin to resign his Senate seat and move back to New Hampshire.

Answer: She fainted

Jane was absolutely devastated by the prospect of returning to Washington nearly 15 years after leaving. Twelve-year old Benjamin once wrote to his mother that he hoped his father lost the presidency because he did not want to go to back to Washington both for his sake and his mother's.

Answer: Their son Benjamin was killed

Benjamin was the only child of the Pierces' who survived past the age of four. Benjamin died when a train car derailed and crashed. Jane Pierce never fully recovered from the incident, becoming something of a recluse. She did not attend her husband's inauguration nor hosted guests for two years or half Franklin's presidency. Benjamin's death also strained the relationship between the First Lady and the President as she blamed his death on Franklin winning the presidency.

Answer: Varina Davis

Varina Davis was the wife of Jefferson Davis who was Franklin Pierce's Secretary of War. During the Civil War, Varina Davis would be the Confederate First Lady when her husband became its president. Jane Pierce also gave out other traditional duties to various other women including her Aunt Abby.

Answer: Writing letters

Mrs. Pierce spent a lot of her time as First Lady writing letters to her dead son, Benjamin. As time went on, Jane's health deteriorated significantly and she was limited to what she could actually do. Because of her ill health, Jane did not receive many visitors except for White House servants whom she became friendly with.

Answer: Jane was pro-war; Franklin was anti-war

Neither Jane nor Franklin were pro-slavery. However, Franklin thought preservation of the Union was essential and didn't really think divisions over slavery justified a civil war. Jane was adamantly against slavery and thought the war was necessary to get rid of the evils of slavery from the nation.

Answer: Tuberculosis

Jane was ill on and off for most of her life. She died while visiting her sister Mary. She was buried in Concord, New Hampshire with her sons. Franklin died in 1869 and was buried next to her.