39 Second Ladies of the United States

Abigail Adams was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She is sometimes considered to have been a Founder of the United States, and is now designated as the first second lady and second first lady of the United States, although these titles were not used at the time. She and Barbara Bush are the only two women to be married to one U.S. president and the mother of another.

Elinor Isabel Agnew was the second lady of the United States from 1969 to 1973. She was the wife of the 39th vice president of the United States, Spiro Agnew, who had previously served as Governor of Maryland and Baltimore County Executive. Although Judy Agnew attempted to avoid political discussion during her tenure as second lady, preferring to cultivate her image primarily as a wife and mother, her dismissive remarks about the women's liberation movement were quoted by media.

Elizabeth Jane Barkley, also commonly known as Jane Hadley Barkley, was the second lady of the United States from 1949 to 1953, as the wife of Vice President Alben W. Barkley.

Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States as the second wife of President Joe Biden. She was previously the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Since 2009, Biden has been a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College.

Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge was the wife of John C. Breckinridge and served as the second lady of the United States from March 4, 1857 until March 4, 1861, while her husband was the 14th vice president of the United States.

Muriel Fay Buck Humphrey Brown was an American politician who served as the second lady of the United States from 1965 to 1969, and as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota in 1978. She was married to the 38th vice president of the United States, Hubert Humphrey. Following her husband's death, she was appointed to his seat in the United States Senate, serving for most of the year 1978, thus becoming the first woman to serve as a Senator from Minnesota, and the only Second Lady of the United States to hold public office. After leaving office, she remarried and took the name Muriel Humphrey Brown.

Barbara Pierce Bush was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 as the wife of President George H. W. Bush, and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She previously was the second lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Among her six children are George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, and Jeb Bush, the 43rd governor of Florida. She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to be married to one U.S. president and the mother of another.

Floride Bonneau Calhoun was the wife of prominent U.S. politician John C. Calhoun. She is best known for her leading role in the Petticoat affair, which occurred during her husband's service as vice president of the United States. In that role, Mrs. Calhoun led the wives of other Cabinet members in ostracizing Peggy Eaton, the wife of Secretary of War John Eaton, whom they considered a woman of low morals. The affair helped damage relations between John C. Calhoun and President Andrew Jackson, and effectively ended any legitimate chance of him becoming president of the United States.

Lynne Ann Cheney is an American author, scholar, and former talk show host. She is married to the 46th vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney, and served as the second lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009.

Julia Chinn was an American plantation manager and enslaved woman, who was also the common-law wife of the ninth vice-president of the United States of America, Richard Mentor Johnson.

Ellen Maria Wade Colfax was the second wife of Schuyler Colfax, who became the first House speaker to be elected vice president when he ran on a ticket headed by Ulysses S. Grant in 1868. She was born in Andover, Ohio in 1836.

Grace Anna Coolidge was the wife of the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. She was the first lady of the United States from 1923 to 1929 and the second lady of the United States from 1921 to 1923. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 1902 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in teaching and joined the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in Northampton, Massachusetts, to teach deaf children to communicate by lip reading, rather than by signing. She met Calvin Coolidge in 1904, and the two were married the following year.

Sophia Chew Nicklin Dallas was the wife of Vice President George Mifflin Dallas, and thus second lady of the United States from 1845 to 1849. She was the daughter of Philadelphia merchant Philip Nicklin and Julianna Nicklin, and the granddaughter of Benjamin Chew.

Caro Dana Dawes, was the wife of Vice President Charles G. Dawes, and thus second Lady of the United States from 1925 to 1929.

Cornelia "Nellie" Cole Fairbanks was the wife of Charles W. Fairbanks, the 26th vice president of the United States. During her husband's tenure she held the unofficial position of the second Lady of the United States from 1905 to 1909. She was at the forefront of the women's suffrage movement and considered a pathfinder to politics for American women in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Abigail Fillmore, wife of President Millard Fillmore, was the first lady of the United States from 1850 to 1853. A teacher by profession, she was a notable scholar, who built a library at the White House and started a literary salon. Her husband respected her political judgment, and was willing to consult her on state matters.

Elizabeth Anne Ford was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. Ford also served as the second lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974.

Mariette Elizabeth "Ettie" Garner was the wife of John Nance Garner, the 32nd vice president of the United States, and thus second lady of the United States from 1933 to 1941.

Ann Thompson Gerry was the wife of Vice President Elbridge Gerry, thus the second lady of the United States from 1813 to 1814.

Mary Elizabeth Gore is an American social issues advocate, activist, photographer and author who was the second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She is married to Al Gore, the 45th vice president of the United States, although they separated in 2010.

Ellen Vesta Emery Hamlin was the second wife of Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, and thus second lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865. They were married a year after the death of his first wife Sarah Jane Emery in 1855 who was also her half-sister. She had two children with Hannibal Hamlin: Hannibal Emery, who later became the attorney general of Maine, and Frank. Hamlin also had four children from his first marriage: George Hamlin, Charles Hamlin, Cyrus Hamlin, and Sarah Hamlin Batchelder.

Eliza Carol Morgan Hendricks was the wife of Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks. She was the second Lady of the United States from March to November 1885. She served as first lady of Indiana (1873–77).

Esther Jane "Jennie" Tuttle Hobart was the wife of Vice President Garret Hobart and a philanthropist and community activist in New Jersey.

Eliza Johnson was the first lady of the United States from 1865 to 1869. She served as the second lady of the United States in 1865. She was the wife of Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States.

Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson was an American socialite and first lady of the United States as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1963 to 1969. She had previously served as the second lady from 1961 to 1963 when her husband was vice president.

Lois Irene Kimsey Marshall was the wife of Thomas R. Marshall, the 28th vice president of the United States. During her husband's tenure she held the unofficial position of the second Lady of the United States from 1913 to 1921. She served also as first lady of Indiana during her husband's Governorship (1909–1913).

Joan Mondale was the second lady of the United States from 1977 until 1981 as the wife of Walter Mondale, the 42nd vice president of the United States. She was an artist and author and served on the boards of several organizations. For her promotion of the arts, she was affectionately dubbed Joan of Art.

Anna Livingston Reade Street Morton was the second wife of United States Vice President Levi P. Morton. She was known as Anna Street Morton.

Patricia Ryan Nixon was an American educator and the wife of President Richard Nixon. During her more than 30 years in public life, she served as both the second (1953–1961) and first lady of the United States (1969–1974).

Karen Sue Pence is an American schoolteacher, painter, and was the second lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She is married to the 48th vice president of the United States, Mike Pence. She was the first lady of Indiana from January 14, 2013, to January 9, 2017.

Marilyn Tucker Quayle is an American lawyer and novelist. She is the wife of the 44th vice president of the United States, Dan Quayle, and served as the second lady of the United States from 1989 until 1993.

Margaretta Large "Happy" Rockefeller was a philanthropist and the second wife of the 49th governor of New York and 41st vice president of the United States, Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979). She was first lady of New York from 1963 to 1973, and second lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977.

Edith Kermit Roosevelt was the second wife of President Theodore Roosevelt and the first lady of the United States from 1901 to 1909. She also was the second lady of the United States in 1901. Roosevelt was the first first lady to employ a full-time, salaried social secretary. Her tenure resulted in the creation of an official staff, and her formal dinners and ceremonial processions served to elevate the position of first lady.

Carrie Babcock Sherman was the wife of Vice President James S. Sherman, and thus second lady of the United States from 1909 to 1912.

Letitia Green Stevenson was the wife of Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson I, and thus second lady of the United States from 1893 to 1897.

Hannah Minthorne Tompkins was the wife of Daniel D. Tompkins, Governor of New York, and later Vice President of the United States, and thus was first lady of New York 1807 to 1817 and then second lady of the United States, from 1817 to 1825.

Elizabeth Virginia Truman was the wife of President Harry S. Truman and the first lady of the United States from 1945 to 1953. She also served as the second lady of the United States in 1945.

Letitia Tyler was the first wife of President John Tyler and first lady of the United States from 1841 to 1842.

Ilo Wallace was the wife of Henry A. Wallace, the 33rd vice president of the United States. She was the second lady of the United States from 1941 until 1945. She was the sponsor of the battleship USS Iowa.