Secrets & Scandals Of America’s First Ladies

Mary Todd Lincoln

Mary Todd Lincoln was raised in a wealthy family so she had gotten accustomed to a certain lifestyle. When she eventually married Abraham Lincoln and became First Lady between 1861 and 1865, her tastes became a requirement. She only wanted the very best things and made sure she got them. Her lavish shopping trips and expensive clothing habits created quite a debt. She reportedly knew that her husband was going to run for president one day and so she had invested interest in a successful election. When she got into the White House, Mary redecorated the entire residence. President Lincoln had to use federal funds to support her tastes. She rationalized the remodel as a necessary matter to demand respect as the First Family.

Funding Pressure

But talk about political scandal! She pressured the poor populace and the Republican appointees to pay her debts. Her argument? They “owed” President Lincoln for getting them their jobs. Mary also got funds diverted from the welfare of soldiers to the welfare of freed slaves, which was another major political scandal during that time. During Abe’s re-election campaign in 1864, she had run up thousands of dollars in debt while shopping at department stores. She knew that if Abraham won, she could sit on the debt and hope he wouldn’t discover it. But if he lost, the couple would have to deal with the money problems like regular citizens and she would have to tell him how much she spent.