President Grover Cleveland entered the White House as a
bachelor and left it a married man
and father of two. His new wife was a young woman 27 years younger than
him
named (originally) Frances
Folsom.
Frances was the daughter of his former law partner; Cleveland had
literally known her since she
was born. When she was 11, Frances’ father died and Cleveland became
her legal guardian, also remaining close friends with her mother.
Everyone
thought Cleveland would marry his friend’s widow and were completely
surprised when, instead, he married Frances as soon as she turned 21.
She was the
youngest first lady in American history and the only one to be wed in
the
White House.
By modern standards the story is kind of icky, but by modern standards,
most of history is kind of icky.
Husbands: Grover Cleveland (m. 1886; died 1908). Thomas
Preston (m. 1913)
Frances
Cleveland