Mary Abigail Fillmore

Mary Abigail Fillmore (March 27, 1832, Buffalo, New York – July 26, 1854, East Aurora, New York) was the daughter of President Millard Fillmore and Abigail Powers, and was the White House Hostess from 1850 to 1853 due to her mother's illness. A native of Buffalo, New York, she studied at a private school in Lenox, Massachusetts, and graduated from New York State Normal School. She spoke French fluently and was conversant in Spanish, German, and I... more

Mary Abigail Fillmore (March 27, 1832, Buffalo, New York – July 26, 1854, East Aurora, New York) was the daughter of President Millard Fillmore and Abigail Powers, and was the White House Hostess from 1850 to 1853 due to her mother's illness. A native of Buffalo, New York, she studied at a private school in Lenox, Massachusetts, and graduated from New York State Normal School. She spoke French fluently and was conversant in Spanish, German, and Italian. She taught briefly in the Buffalo public school system until her father became president in 1850. An accomplished musician, she played the piano, harp, and guitar and performed at White House functions. Her sudden death from cholera at age 22, coming barely a year after the death of her mother, is thought to have contributed to former president Fillmore's decision to come out of retirement and resume his political career. less