Rose Cleveland

Rose Cleveland
Acting First Lady of the United States
In role March 4, 1885 – June 2, 1886
President	Grover Cleveland
Preceded by	Mary McElroy (acting)
Succeeded by	Frances Cleveland
Personal details
Born	Rose Elizabeth Cleveland (1846-06-13)June 13, 1846 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1918(1918-11-22) (aged 72) Bagni di Lucca, Italy
Relations	Grover Cleveland (brother)
Occupation	First Lady of the United States

Rose Elizabeth Cleveland (June 13, 1846 − November 22, 1918), was the acting First Lady of the United States from 1885 to 1886, during the first of her brother U.S. President Grover Cleveland's two administrations.

Early life

Rose Elizabeth Cleveland was born in Fayetteville, New York, on June 14, 1846. Known to her family as "Libby", Rose was the youngest of nine children born to Reverend Richard Falley Cleveland and Ann Neal Cleveland. In 1853 the family moved to Holland Patent, New York, where her father was settled as pastor of the Presbyterian church, and where he died that same year. Rose was 7 at the time of her father's death. She stayed in Holland Patent to care for her widowed mother. Grover Cleveland, Rose's elder brother, was 16 years old at the time.

White House years

When her elder brother, Grover Cleveland, won the election to the twenty-second presidency of the United States, Rose became First Lady and lived in the White House for two years, she stood by her brother as First Lady during his inauguration, and his two initial bachelor years in the White House.

During her early tenure as First Lady, Rose received front-page treatment from the New York Times about her appearance during her second reception at the White House. The Times reported that Miss Cleveland, Wore a dress of black satin, with entire overdress of Spanish lace. The satin bodice was cut low and sleeveless, and the transparent lace revealed the shoulders and arms. Rose Cleveland did not completely fit into Washington high society during her tenure as first lady. It is said that," Rose Cleveland was a bluestocking, more interested in pursuing scholarly endeavors than in entertaining cabinet wives and foreign dignitaries." Rose was an intellectual, and she preferred to lecture rather than entertain, but she made sure to perform her duties as First Lady as a favor to her brother.

Later on President Cleveland married Frances Cleveland. Rose resigned as the First Lady, and started her career in the field of education.

Death

She died on November 22, 1918 in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, from the Spanish flu. She is buried in Bagni di Lucca.

References

Honorary titles
Preceded by Mary McElroy	First Lady of the United States 1885–1886	Succeeded by Frances Folsom Cleveland