Julia Grant
Julia Grant, wife of Ulysses S. Grant, fondly termed her time as first lady “the happiest period” of her life, according to the White House Library. Despite this sentiment, the Siena College study depicted Julia with a mixed evaluation, awarding her a 3.12 for her value to the country, 3.16 for integrity, and 3.05 for leadership. Her highest marks were 3.31 for her value to her husband and a commendable recognition for being “her own woman.” The Grants presided over the nation from 1869 to 1877 during the Gilded Age, and Julia, known for her opulent style and lavish parties, became the first presidential spouse to publish an autobiography. Britannica notes her self-consciousness about a slightly crossed eye, prompting a preference for being photographed from her “better side.”
Image Credit: Mathew Benjamin Brady, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons