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Edith Wilson Facts & Worksheets

Edith Bolling Wilson was the wife of former United States president Woodrow Wilson. While Woodrow’s presidency began in 1913, it was in 1915 when he married Edith.

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Edith Bolling Wilson was the wife of former United States president Woodrow Wilson. While Woodrow’s presidency began in 1913, it was in 1915 when he married Edith. Edith Wilson was the First Lady of the United States who served from 1915 until 1921.

See the fact file below for more information on the Edith Wilson or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Edith Wilson worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GENERAL FACTS

  • Edith Wilson served as the First Lady of the United States from December 18, 1915 until March 4, 1921.
  • She was preceded by Margaret Wilson, Woodrow’s first wife, and succeeded by Florence Harding.
  • Edith Bolling Wilson was born on October 15, 1872, in Wytheville, Virginia, US.
  • Edith Wilson had two spouses in her lifetime.
  • Her first husband was Norman Galt. They married in 1896, Galt died in 1908.
  • Her second and last husband, of course, was President Woodrow Wilson. They married in 1915. Woodrow died in 1924.
  • Edith Bolling Wilson died at the age of 89, in Washington, DC, US, on December 28, 1961.

BIOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND

  • William Holcombe Bolling, a lawyer and judge, who was born in 1937 and died in 1899 in Wytheville, Virginia, was Edith’s father.
  • Edith Wilson’s mother was Sally White Bolling, who was born in Virginia in 1843 and died in Washington, DC in 1925.
  • Edith’s parents married on September 16, 1860.
  • An interesting fact about Edith Wilson’s ancestry, aside from being related to Thomas Jefferson, Martha Washington, and Letitia Tyler, is that she was a direct descendant of Pocahontas – the real Pocahontas, who was a known Powhatan tribe princess.
  • Edith Wilson was the seventh child of William and Sally. She had 10 siblings:
    • Rolfe Emerson Bolling (1862-1936)
    • Gertrude Bolling Galt (1863-1962)
    • Annie Lee Bolling Maury (1865, death date unknown)
    • William A. Bolling (1867, death date unknown)
    • Bertha Bolling (1869-1937)
    • Charles Bolling (1871, died in infancy)
    • John Randolph Bolling (1876-1951)
    • Richard Wilmer Bolling (1879, death date unknown)
    • Julian Brandon Bolling (1882, death date unknown)
    • Geraldine Bolling (1885-1887)
  • In terms of religious affiliation, Edith Wilson was raised with Episcopalian faith.
  • Edith gave birth to a child during her first marriage, but sadly, the child died in infancy.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

  • From 1887 until 1888, Edith Wilson attended Martha Washington College in Abingdon, Virginia.
  • Edith enrolled in a college preparatory-type program.
  • At Martha Washington College, Edith was taught history, mathematics, physics, chemistry, Latin, Greek, French, civil government, political geography, spelling, grammar, bookkeeping, and typewriting.
  • In 1889, she left Martha Washington College for The Richmond Female Seminary, in Richmond, Virginia, and studied there until 1890.

MARRIAGES

  • Edith Wilson was 23 years old when she married Norman Galt, a jewelry store owner. They married on April 30, 1896.
  • Norman Galt died on January 28, 1908.
  • Edith Wilson inherited Galt’s property after his death.
  • Edith hired an operations manager for the jewelry store that her late husband left her.
  • She bought her own car and learned to drive it.
  • She took several trips to Europe.
  • Edith Wilson was 43 when she married a fellow widow, Woodrow Wilson.
  • Mr. Wilson was then already the President of the United States.
  • Woodrow and Edith were married on Dec. 18, 1915.
  • They met in March 1915, and three months later, Woodrow proposed.

CONTRIBUTIONS AS FIRST LADY

  • The duties held by Edith Wilson as First Lady could be considered unconventional compared to the traditional duties of other First Ladies.
  • This was because Edith’s service was spent during either the time of Woodrow’s re-election campaign, or Woodrow’s time of illness: a time when the presidential couple did not stay in the White House.
  • This meant Edith Wilson was unable to host any parties, events, dinners, concerts, and other social activities traditionally held at the White House.
  • Woodrow Wilson worked privately, and Edith worked by his side.
  • Later on, Edith Wilson gained access to Woodrow Wilson’s private drawer.
  • Woodrow Wilson shared a secret wartime code with Edith Wilson.
  • In 1917, as the United States entered the First World War, Edith Wilson was entrusted with classified information.
  • Edith Wilson led several fundraising projects to the public.
  • She sold the wool from the sheep grazed at the White House lawn.
  • Edith Wilson volunteered at the Red Cross canteen at Union Station.
  • In 1919, Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke.
  • Edith Wilson led a disinformation campaign, so that Congress would believe that Woodrow Wilson was only suffering from exhaustion.

LATER YEARS AND LEGACY

  • Edith Wilson devoted her life to managing Woodrow Wilson’s image and legacy.
  • Edith held full literary rights to Woodrow’s paper.
  • In 1944, Edith took charge of the script for the film Wilson.
  • She died in 1961, at her home in Washington DC.
  • She was buried at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC.

Edith Wilson Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Edith Wilson across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Edith Wilson worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Edith Bolling Wilson who was the wife of former United States president Woodrow Wilson. While Woodrow’s presidency began in 1913, it was in 1915 when he married Edith. Edith Wilson was the First Lady of the United States who served from 1915 until 1921.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Edith Wilson Facts
  • Word Association
  • Getting to Know Edith
  • Fact or Fake?
  • Educational Checklist
  • Notable Relations
  • Life Before and After
  • Unconventional First Lady
  • President Wilson
  • Prior First Ladies
  • Legacy Collage

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Use With Any Curriculum

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