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This week's hero is...
Lucy Webb Hayes
Part 1
Lucy Webb was born on August 28, 1831. She was the youngest of three siblings and the only girl. Her father tragically died during a cholera epidemic when she was only two years old. When Lucy was 14, her brothers were enrolled in the new college, Ohio Wesleyan University. Although women were not allowed study at the university, Lucy requested and was permitted to study in the school's prep program. After she had made her education skills apparent she was transferred to the all-female Wesleyan College in Cincinnati. Four years later, she graduated with a degree in writing. For that time period, Lucy was unusually well-educated. It would not be long before her skills and knowledge would begin to make a major difference for the United States.
Just a few days after she graduated from college, Lucy met a handsome young man named from Cincinnati. His name was Rutherford Birchard Hayes and had come to Cincinnati to set up a law firm. Although there was an 8 1/2 year age gap between the two of them, they soon began a relationship that turned into a romance. In his diary Hayes wrote, "Her low sweet voice is very winning ... a heart as true as steel...Intellect she has too...By George! I am in love with her!". They were married on December 30, 1852.
While her husband was working as a lawyer, Lucy took to writing papers on moral dilemmas that the country was facing. She dedicated most of them to the issues of slavery and women's suffrage. In one particular essay Lucy wrote, "It is acknowledged that a woman's mind is as strong as a man's....Instead of being considered a slave of man, she is considered his equal in all things and his superior in some". Lucy Hayes was also a fierce opponent of slavery. It was directly through her anti-slavery sentiments that Rutherford Hayes soon began to accept runaway slaves as clients and help defend them from hunters in court. And during election of 1860, both Rutherford and Lucy Hayes were staunch supporters of Abraham Lincoln.
Part II
When the Civil War broke out after Lincoln's election, Rutherford enlisted in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He saw combat in numerous engagements, the heaviest of which was at a place called South Mountain in Maryland. At this battle, Hayes was severely wounded while leading an attack against the Confederates. The 23rd was then forced to fall back and left many of its fallen behind in the confusion (Hayes included). When he was found the next day, he was barely clinging to life.
When she heard that Rutherford was near death, Lucy did something almost unheard of for a soldier's wife. She (along with their kids) made a more than 300 mile trip from Ohio to Maryland to visit him. Despite his severe wounds, Hayes made a full recovery and eventually returned to combat. He would play a crucial role in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864. For her part, Lucy often accompanied the 23rd on campaigns and helped to care for the wounded. She even delivered their letters home to their families. Her services were so appreciated that soldiers affectionately referred to her as, "Mother Lucy".
After the Civil War ended, Rutherford Hayes ran for the seat of Governor of Ohio. After winning, both Rutherford and Lucy Hayes began actively participating in reforming prisons and hospitals for the mentally ill. One of Lucy's proudest achievements was the establishment of a soldiers' orphans home in 1870. After Hayes had served three terms as governor, he made a decision to represent the Republican Party in the Presidential Election of 1876. Although he lost the popular vote, Hayes succeeded in winning the electoral vote. As a result, he defeated the Democrat candidate (Samuel Tilden) 185 to 184 (the closest election in history).
Part III
In January of 1877 the Hayes family moved into the White House. By this time period, the role of the first lady had become more prominent for life in the White House. Although she had no desire to take part in politics, Lucy dedicated much of her time to humanitarian projects while she was the first lady. She was the very first to ever visit the Western coast while her husband was president. She was also made a number of renovations to the White House (many are still in place to this day). Lucy also became well-known for being a very popular hostess. Her support for the Temperance Movement and the lack of alcohol in the White House earned her the nickname, "Lemonade Lucy".
Unfortunately, her popularity was not the same for her husband. The Hayes Administration became infamous for how it had ended the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. President Hayes ordered the removal Federal soldiers from the southern states. He had hoped that the southerners would follow the 14th Amendment and allow the freedmen the right to vote in their states if he withdrew the occupation force. Instead, the southern states established Jim Crow Laws that suppressed the freedmen's' right to vote. These racist laws would not be ended for another century.
After serving one term, Rutherford Hayes declined to seek a second. He and Lucy returned to their home in Ohio (Spiegel Grove). They spent the rest of their lives together while continuing to advocate for education reform and better prison conditions. On June 14, 1889, Lucy Hayes suffered a severe apoplectic stroke. Early the next morning, she died at the age of 57. Her husband followed her 3 1/2 years later. His last words were, "I know I'm going where Lucy is".
Epilogue
Today, the legacy of Lucy Hayes has been largely forgotten by the general American populace. Her contributions to women's suffrage, education, and ending slavery have largely never been acknowledged. However, I believe that she was one of the most influential First Ladies of her time. From when she was a child to when her husband left office, Lucy always continued to do what she could to make America better. I believe that her story definitely deserves to be told and remembered.
https://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/lucy-webb-hayes/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/first-ladies/lucy-ware-webb-hayes/
https://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/lucy-webb-hayes-and-her-influence-upon-her-era/
https://web.archive.org/web/20161202034506/http://millercenter.org/president/essays/hayes-1877-firstlady
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