28 Facts About Elizabeth Monroe

Elizabeth Monroe was the first lady of the United States from 1817 to 1825, as the wife of James Monroe, fifth president of the United States.

Elizabeth Monroe's paternal 2nd great grandfather, Cornelius Jansen Kortright, was born in Holland, Netherlands in the year of 1645, and immigrated to New York in the year of 1663.

Elizabeth Monroe's father was one of the founders of the New York Chamber of Commerce.

Elizabeth Monroe purchased land tracts in what is Delaware County, New York, and from the sale of this land the town of Kortright, New York, was formed.

Elizabeth Monroe acquired social graces and elegance at an early age.

Elizabeth Monroe grew up in a household with four older siblings: Sarah, Hester, John and Mary.

At the time of their deaths, Elizabeth Monroe was nine years old.

The Elizabeth Monroe's third child, a daughter whom they named Maria Hester, was born in Virginia in early 1802.

Elizabeth Monroe found the social climate there less favorable than in France, possibly because British society resented the United States' refusal to ally against France despite the governmental change.

James Elizabeth Monroe won election and returned to the Virginia House of Delegates, and resumed his legal career.

In 1811 Elizabeth Monroe won election to another term as governor of Virginia, but served only four months.

However, Elizabeth Monroe had little to do with the War of 1812, as President Madison and the War Hawks in Congress were dominant.

The war went very badly, so Madison turned to Elizabeth Monroe for help, appointing him Secretary of War in September 1814 after the British had invaded the national capital and burned the White House.

Elizabeth Monroe resigned as Secretary of State on October 1 but no successor was ever appointed, so he handled both offices from October 1,1814, to February 28,1815.

Elizabeth Monroe, therefore, resigned as Secretary of War and was formally reappointed Secretary of State.

Elizabeth Monroe stayed on at State until March 4,1817, when he began his term as the new President of the United States.

Elizabeth Monroe began her tenure as First Lady on March 4,1817, when her husband commenced his first term as the fifth president of the United States.

However, the White House was still under reconstruction, so Elizabeth Monroe hosted the inaugural ball at their private residence on I Street, and part of the time the First Family lived in the Octagon House.

Elizabeth Monroe's husband was re-elected to a second term in office in 1820, and Elizabeth attended the inaugural ball held in Brown's Hotel.

Still, Elizabeth Monroe had made such an impression upon General Andrew Jackson that her husband always mentioned her to him in their correspondence.

Elizabeth Monroe drew favorable reviews as the couple briefly hosted General Lafayette during his return tour through America.

Furthermore, James or Elizabeth Monroe destroyed her correspondence, both between themselves and with others, before her death.

Consistently, Elizabeth Monroe has been ranked in the lower-half of first ladies by historians in these surveys.

Elizabeth Monroe sold his plantation, Highland in Albemarle County to pay debts, and both retired to Oak Hill in Loudoun County, nearer Washington, DC and their daughter Eliza and her husband.

Sickly and suffering several long illnesses, Elizabeth Monroe died at Oak Hill on September 23,1830, aged 62, her husband following her less than a year later, aged 73.

Elizabeth Monroe was interred at the estate, but her husband later died in New York under their daughter's care and was originally buried in that northern state.

Elizabeth Monroe's remains were moved 25 years after his death to become a key attraction during the development of Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

Elizabeth Monroe's remains were reinterred there in 1903, where both spouses remain buried.