Kinfolk In The White House

Lots of excitement about Michelle Obama's mother, Mrs. Marian Robinson, moving into the White House, at least for a while, to help the girls transition.

As a non-racist conservative, I think it's a great idea.  Though I never knew my maternal grandmother, and though I did know my paternal grandmother all too well, I'm told that there is no love like grandparent's love.  I would want nothing less for two little girls who must be a bit overwhelmed at all the recent changes in their lives.

Of course, hanging out on Free Republic, I have to confront the "I'm not racist, but I sure can whip out the ugliest JPEG of Aunt Esther in existence whenever the subject comes up" crowd.  (More on that next post.)  I couldn't believe that no other President ever had kinfolk move onto the third floor of the White House, so I did a little research.

I was right.

John Tyler (10th President, 1841-1845) apparently married well; his wealthy mother in law, Julianna Gardiner, paid for the redecoration of a goodly part of the White House when she got tired of its shabbiness.


The father-in-law of Benjamin Harrison (26th President, 1889 - 1893), the Reverend Doctor John Witherspoon Scott, lived with the Harrisons in the White House until the old gentleman died in 1892.

Andrew Jackson's whole blended family --- his dead wife's brother's three kids,  his dead wife's great-nephew, and the three kids he and his wife took in when they were orphaned, his daughter-in-law (married to one of the nephew-in-laws Jackson adopted)  --- fell in on the White House when Jackson served as President from 1829-1837.

U.S. Grant's father in law, Patrick Dent, a Southern sympathizer, hung around the White House for years. 

FDR's
thirteen grandchildren were around so often that Eleanor had a playground put in on
the South Lawn.

Truman's MIL lived with her daughter and son-in-law
when he was VP (and VP Truman had a five-room apartment then, not an
official residence); she went to the White House with the rest of the
family.  from all accounts, she was hell on wheels.

Eisenhower's MIL lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Tipper
Gore's mother lived in a pool house on the grounds of the Naval
Observatory when Al was VP.

Laura Bush's mother stayed at the White
House for weeks at a time around the holidays.

And now, apparently, one more in-law is about to move in.  some conservatives would have it be the ruination of the nation.  Could it be the color of this woman's skin that makes all the difference?