Elizabeth Monroe

On her deathbed, Elizabeth Monroe ordered her letters burned in her desire for privacy. History has only an impression of a woman who was the constant companion and devoted wife of James Monroe. There is a glimpse of her bravery in war-torn France as she brazenly demanded a visit with Marquise Adrienne de La Fayette in her prison cell — saving her from certain death at the guillotine. As First Lady, Elizabeth was viciously attacked during her White House tenure for her lack of social leadership following the esteemed and exuberant Dolley Madison. Privately, she was not in good health and held her ground as First Lady by not returning social calls to the White House.

Born: June 30, 1768, New York City, New York

Died: September 23, 1830, Loudoun County, Virginia

Early Life and Family Background

Elizabeth Kortright Monroe was born on June 30, 1768, in New York City, New York. She was the daughter of Lawrence Kortright, and Hannah Aspinwall Kortright. Her father, born on November 27, 1728, was a successful merchant who died in September 1794. Her mother, born in 1729-1730, married Lawrence Kortright on May 6, 1755, at Trinity Church in New York City, and died in 1777. Elizabeth’s paternal ancestry traced back to Bastian Van Kortryk, a Belgian who immigrated to Holland around 1615. Through her mother’s family, the Aspinwalls, Elizabeth was related to the Roosevelts.

Elizabeth grew up in a wealthy and socially prominent family. Despite the lack of formal documentation, it is believed that Elizabeth received a well-rounded education, influenced by her paternal grandmother who managed her own real estate holdings in Harlem, New York. Elizabeth was likely instructed in French, Latin, literature, music, dancing, and sewing, which prepared her for the social and diplomatic life she would later lead.

Marriage and Family

At the age of 17, Elizabeth married James Monroe on February 16, 1786, at Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City. James Monroe was a Lieutenant Colonel during the American Revolution and later a U.S. Congressman from Virginia. The couple spent their honeymoon on Long Island before settling in New York City with Elizabeth’s father. In 1786, they moved to Virginia, where Monroe practiced law. They lived first in Fredericksburg and later in Charlottesville to be near Monroe’s close friend, Thomas Jefferson.

Elizabeth and James Monroe had three children: Eliza Monroe Hay (1786-1840), James Spence Monroe (1799-1801), and Maria Hester Gouverneur (1803–1850). Eliza Monroe Hay, the eldest, played a significant role in her mother’s life, often assisting her with social duties. James Spence Monroe, their only son, died at a young age, which deeply affected the family. Maria Hester Gouverneur married Samuel L. Gouverneur, her first cousin once removed, and played a role in her father’s presidential administration.

Diplomatic Life

In 1794, James Monroe was appointed U.S. Minister to France, and the family moved to Paris. Elizabeth Monroe quickly adapted to the diplomatic and social life in France, earning the nickname “La Belle Americaine” due to her beauty and elegance. Her most notable act during this time was visiting Adrienne de Noailles de Lafayette, the imprisoned wife of the Marquis de Lafayette. This courageous visit played a crucial role in securing Adrienne’s release, showcasing Elizabeth’s diplomatic influence.

The Monroe family later moved to London when James Monroe was appointed Minister to Great Britain. Despite the challenges they faced in British society, Elizabeth maintained her grace and dignity, further solidifying her reputation as a skilled diplomat’s wife. She managed to balance the casualness of American custom with the respect for old-world European protocol, a skill that would serve her well in her future role as First Lady.

Role as First Lady

Elizabeth Monroe became First Lady on March 4, 1817, when James Monroe assumed the presidency. She was 48 years old at the time. Her tenure as First Lady was marked by her European-influenced style and protocol, which contrasted sharply with the more accessible approach of her predecessor, Dolley Madison. Elizabeth’s refined manners and preference for formal entertaining set a new tone for the White House.

Despite her declining health, Elizabeth Monroe managed to host several significant events and dinners, often assisted by her eldest daughter, Eliza Monroe Hay. However, her reserved nature and strict adherence to European social customs sometimes alienated other political spouses and diplomats, leading to initial backlash and boycotts of White House events.

One of Elizabeth’s notable contributions as First Lady was her involvement in the 1824 White House dinner honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, who was touring the United States. This event highlighted her earlier act of compassion and diplomacy during the French Revolution.

Elizabeth Monroe also established a European-style social protocol that limited the access of the President’s wife to the spouses of other officials. This approach initially backfired, leading to a boycott of all Administration receptions by officials in Washington. However, by the second Monroe Administration, this policy was accepted, and guests returned to the White House.

Health and Personal Challenges

Elizabeth Monroe’s health began to decline during her husband’s tenure as Governor of Virginia (1799-1803). She developed serious health problems that led to her increasing withdrawal from frequent public interaction. Many of the symptoms described by contemporaries suggest that she suffered from a late-onset type of epilepsy or an illness that frequently left her shaking and falling into unconsciousness.

Her reliance on her eldest daughter, Eliza Monroe Hay, became more pronounced during her time as First Lady. Eliza frequently substituted for her mother as White House hostess and established the exclusive nature of the social tone of the Administration. Eliza’s friendships with European royalty and her abrasive personality sometimes created tension in social circles.

Post-Presidential Life

After James Monroe’s presidency ended in 1825, the Monroes retired to their plantation estate in Loudoun County, Virginia. Elizabeth’s health continued to decline, and she became increasingly reclusive. She focused on her family and spent her remaining years in relative seclusion. Elizabeth Monroe died on September 23, 1830, at the age of 62, at the Oak Hill estate in Virginia. She was initially buried at Oak Hill but was later re-interred at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, in 1903.

Legacy

Elizabeth Monroe is best known for her role in establishing European-style social protocols in the White House and for her courageous visit to Adrienne de Lafayette during the French Revolution, which contributed to Lafayette’s wife’s release. Her refined manners and elegant presence set a new standard for the social life of the presidential residence, leaving a lasting legacy on the role of the First Lady. Despite her health challenges and reserved nature, Elizabeth Monroe managed to leave an indelible mark on the White House and the diplomatic world.