Edith Wilson

Edith was a widow for several years before her introduction to President Woodrow Wilson. He assured her of his intentions by sharing official information and seeking Edith’s assistance in confidential presidential matters. The outbreak of World War I overshadowed their blissful marriage. Edith was the first woman to sign the Food Administration pledge for food conservation. Taking the afternoon shift, she donned a Red Cross uniform, rode a bus to Union Train Station, and distributed sandwiches to men leaving for service in Europe. Edith’s primary concern was her husband’s physical and mental health. He suffered a stroke, and with the toll the war had taken on him, she protected him at all costs.