When Martin Van Buren became president in 1837, he had been a widower for almost twenty years. His four sons, known as the "Van Buren Boys" in the press, desperately needed a feminine influence in their lives. More importantly, the White House needed a First Lady. Accordingly, former First Lady Dolley Madison temporarily filled this role. When President Van Buren's first-born son, Abraham, came of age, Dolley introduced him to her cousins, Marion and Angelica Singleton, in 1837. Abraham married Angelica eight months after their first meeting. Angelica assumed the role of substitute First Lady and became very popular for doing so.
Southern AristocracyAngelica Singleton grew up on Home Place, a South Carolina plantation. Home place was owned by Angelica's father, Colonel Richard Singleton. The plantation boasted a huge house, formal gardens, stables stocked with the finest horses, and a racetrack. Angelica and sister Marion were expert horsewomen. They were also related to some very famous individuals, for their cousin was Dolley Madison, wife of fourh president James Madison.
Dolley Madison: Matchmaker to the Political Stars
When Angelica was 21, Cousin Dolley played matchmaker and introduced her to her future husband, the son of President Martin Van Buren. Dolley organized a private White House party during the 1837 social season. She invited Marion and Angelica to Washington to meet Abraham and Martin Van Buren, Jr. Abraham became taken with Angelica, a lovely, charming belle with "Roman goddess" features, dark, expressive eyes, fashionable corkscrew curls, and a long neck. Eight months later, a wedding took place on the Singleton plantation.
Official DutiesThe new Mrs. Van Buren made her debut as official White House hostess on New Year's Day, 1839. Cousin Dolley coached and trained Angelica extensively for her role. The annual White House New Year's reception was a massive success. Many attendees remarked that it reminded them of Dolley's glory days. The president himself was elated that he finally had an official hostess-- 19 months into his administration.
At the end of the 1839 social season, Abraham and Angelica took their honeymoon, which was a grand tour of Europe. While abroad, Angelica became an international celebrity. She was a relative of the American ambassador to England, so she got to meet Queen Victoria. She was a huge hit in London as well as Paris, where she got to meet France's king, Louis Philippe. Angelica mingled with royalty and was treated as such wherever she went. Upon returning to America, she employed many European-style etiquette techniques in her entertaining. This only increased her enormous popularity.
Back Home to South CarolinaIn 1841, Martin Van Buren's single term as commander-in-chief ended with the inauguration of William Henry Harrison. The former president retired to Lindenwald, his Georgian-style mansion in Kinderhook, New York. Abraham, Angelica, and their newborn son, Singleton, stayed at Lindenwald for a brief period. They eventually left for and settled in South Carolina
Source:
Harris, Bill. The First Ladies Fact Book, p. 139-42. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., 2005.
