Caroline Harrison
Caroline, born in 1832 in Ohio, has consistently been undervalued in her role as first lady, as per C-SPAN. An accomplished artist before marrying in her early 20s, she recognized the political impact of entertaining, with the Harrisons gaining renown for their numerous receptions. Although her aspirations for White House expansion were thwarted, Caroline redirected her efforts towards redecorating. Actively volunteering with orphans and in hospitals, she advocated for women’s admission as medical students at Johns Hopkins University. Despite her multifaceted contributions, the Siena College study assigns mostly low threes to Caroline Harrison, ranging from 3.09 for her White House stewardship to 2.97 for her public image. Tragically, she succumbed to tuberculosis in October 1892, becoming the second first lady, after Letitia Tyler, to die in the White House.
Image Credit: Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons