Eleanor Roosevelt holds the distinction of being the longest serving First Lady in American history. That’s because her husband was the only man to be elected as President of the United States for 4 terms of service. Her family, in fact, was ultimately responsible for the two-term limitations that were placed on Presidential service. Here are some more interesting facts about one of the general public’s favorite female figures in all of history.
1. Lots of Famous Relatives
Eleanor Roosevelt, by virtue of her marriage to Franklin, was related to 11 other presidents that served the United States. The names are a Who’s Who of American history: John Adams, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft and, of course, Theodore Roosevelt, who was the fifth cousin of Franklin. She was also related to the Confederate president Jefferson Davis.
2. She Was Related to Her Husband
Eleanor Roosevelt was actually the fifth cousin of her husband Franklin, though they were once removed. It’s even said that the two of them met once at an extended family function, but neither remembered this. The two were engaged after less than a year of dating and he was just 22 at the time while she was 19. When they got married, it was Teddy Roosevelt who gave the bride away since she had been orphaned at the age of 10.
3. An Interesting Mother In Law
Eleanor had a long feud with her mother-in-law because she was seen as being “not good enough” for Franklin. As a wedding gift, Franklin’s mother bought the couple a home in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At first the gesture seems generous, but the gift had one condition attached: Franklin’s mother could come visit at any time. She purchased the home next to Eleanor’s, had doors installed between the homes on every level, and eventually fired all of their house staff and became the nanny to Eleanor’s five children.
4. The First Press Conference
Eleanor really transformed the role of the First Lady. In the past, it had been a position that was more social in nature. For her, it was a role where she could be supportive of the women who were struggling to make ends meet because of the Great Depression. Between 1938-1945, she held nearly 350 press conferences and often used her public image to advance the rights of women in American society. After moving out of the White House, she continued this tradition with a daily syndicated column until her death in 1962.
5. A Great Teacher
One of Eleanor’s passions was to fly. This developed after meeting Amelia Earhart in 1933. Earhart, in fact, offered to give Eleanor flying lessons after she got her student permit. After she went missing in 1937, however, all of those plans went away.
Eleanor Roosevelt continues to be an influential force for women despite her death nearly 50 years ago. These interesting facts are just a small part of who she was and how popular she was able to become.
