27 Facts About Edith Galt

Edith Galt's married the widower Wilson in December 1915, during his first term as president.

Edith Galt Wilson played an influential role in President Wilson's administration following the severe stroke he suffered in October 1919.

Edith Galt was the seventh of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy.

Bolling household was a large one, and Edith Galt grew up within the confines of a sprawling, extended family.

Edith Galt had the responsibility to wash her clothing, turn her in bed at night, and look after her 26 canaries.

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In turn, Grandmother Bolling oversaw Edith Galt's education, teaching her how to read, write, basic math skills, speak a hybrid language of French and English, make dresses, and instilled in her a tendency to make quick judgments and hold strong opinions, personality traits Edith Galt would exhibit her entire life.

When Edith Galt was 15, her father enrolled her at Martha Washington College, a finishing school for girls in Abingdon, Virginia.

Two years later, Edith Galt's father enrolled her in Powell's School for Girls in Richmond, Virginia.

Years later, Edith Galt noted that her time at Powell's was the happiest time of her life.

Edith Galt hired a manager to oversee his business, paid off his debts, and with the income left to her by her late husband, toured Europe.

In March 1915, the widow Galt was introduced to recently widowed U S President Woodrow Wilson at the White House by Helen Woodrow Bones .

Lurid gossip that Wilson and Edith Galt had murdered the First Lady further troubled the couple.

Additionally, Edith Galt Wilson became the first First Lady to travel to Europe during her term.

Edith Galt's visited Europe with her husband on two separate occasions, in 1918 and 1919, to visit troops and to sign the Treaty of Versailles.

Edith Galt Wilson submerged her own life in her husband's, trying to keep him fit under tremendous strain, and accompanied him to Europe when the Allies conferred on terms of peace.

Edith Galt took over a number of routine duties and details of the executive branch of the government from the onset of Wilson's illness until he left office almost a year and a half later.

Edith Galt's required they send her all pressing matters, memos, correspondence, questions, and requests.

Edith Galt took her role very seriously, even successfully pushing for the removal of Secretary of State Robert Lansing after he conducted a series of Cabinet meetings without the President present.

Edith Galt's refused to allow the British ambassador, Edward Grey, an opportunity to present his credentials to the president unless Grey dismissed an aide who was known to have made demeaning comments about her.

Edith Galt's assisted President Wilson in filling out paperwork, and would often add new notes or suggestions.

Edith Galt's was made privy to classified information, and was entrusted with the responsibility of encoding and decoding encrypted messages.

In My Memoir, published in 1939, Edith Galt Wilson justified her self-proclaimed role of presidential "steward", arguing that her actions on behalf of Woodrow Wilson's presidency were sanctioned by Wilson's doctors; that they told her to do so for her husband's mental health.

Edith Galt Wilson maintained that she was simply a vessel of information for President Wilson; however, others in the White House did not trust her.

Judith Weaver opined that Edith Galt Wilson underestimated her own role in Wilson's presidency.

Markel has opined that Edith Galt Wilson "was, essentially, the nation's chief executive until her husband's second term concluded in March of 1921".

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Edith Galt's was to have been the guest of honor that day at the dedication ceremony for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge across the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia, on what would have been her husband's 105th birthday.

Edith Galt's was buried next to her husband at the Washington National Cathedral.