9 American First Ladies Who Weren’t Married to the President

8. Rose Cleveland

Even before becoming the acting first lady, Rose Cleveland already had an impressive résumé. She was President Grover Cleveland’s sister and a 38-year-old graduate of a New York seminary. But that’s not all. She was also a veteran lecturer, professor, and writer who had published a volume of literary criticism.

When her bachelor brother took office in 1885, “Libbie”, as she was known, temporarily suspended her intellectual pursuits and relocated to Washington to serve as White House hostess.

While she was praised for her wit and charm, she reportedly lacked interest in political schmoozing. She once even confessed that during presidential dinners, she overcomes boredom by mentally conjugating Greek verbs.

Rose Cleveland was one of the most educated American first ladies. When President Grover Cleveland later married in 1886, she gladly stepped down and resumed her former career. Along with publishing criticism and novels, she used to work as a magazine editor and even published several novels.