Florence Kling Harding
| Florence Harding | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First Lady of the United States | |
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In role March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 |
|
| President | Warren Harding |
| Preceded by | Edith Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Grace Coolidge |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Florence Mabel Kling August 15, 1860 Marion, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 21, 1924 (aged 64) Marion, Ohio, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Renal failure |
| Spouse(s) | Henry DeWolfe (1880–1886) Warren Harding (1891–1923) |
| Children | Marshall Eugene DeWolfe |
| Alma mater | Cincinnati Conservatory of Music |
| Signature |  |
Florence Mabel Harding (née Kling; August 15, 1860 – November 21, 1924), wife of President Warren G. Harding, was the First Lady of the United States from 1921 to 1923.
She married the somewhat-younger Harding when he was a newspaper publisher in Ohio, and she was acknowledged as the brains behind the business. Known as The Duchess, she adapted well to the White House, where she gave notably elegant parties.
She was born Florence Mabel Kling in Marion, Ohio, the eldest of three children of Amos Kling, a prominent Marion banker of German descent, and Louisa Bouton Kling, whose French Huguenot ancestors had fled religious persecution. (Contrary to some claims, Florence was apparently never known as Flossie.)
Aiming to become a concert pianist, Florence began studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, but at 19 she eloped with Henry Atherton ("Pete") DeWolfe (4 May 1859 - 8 March 1894), and they were married in Columbus, Ohio, on January 22, 1880. A record of the issuance of their marriage license was printed in The Marion Star. Florence gave birth to her only child, Marshall Eugene, on September 22, 1880, but the couple separated not long afterwards, and were divorced in 1886.
In 1890, Florence became engaged to Warren Gamaliel Harding, owner of the Marion Star, and at twenty-five, her junior by five years. They married on July 8, 1891, opposed by her father, who thought Warren was social climbing. They had no children of their own, but Florence's son Marshall lived with them intermittently, and received encouragement from Warren to work in journalism.
During her husband's illness, Florence became business manager of the Marion Star, immediately demonstrating both the talent and the character to run a newspaper. She organised a circulation department, improved distribution, trained the newsboys, purchased equipment at keen prices, and installed the first local news-wire service. One of the newsboys, Norman Thomas, later the Socialist presidential candidate, declared that Warren was the front-man, but Florence was the real driving power of the Marion Star.
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