Jane Irwin Harrison

Jane Findlay Harrison (née Irwin) was born on July 23, 1804, in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. She was a granddaughter of James Ramsey, who owned Millmont Farm in Montgomery Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Her father was Archibald Irwin Jr., a miller, and her mother was Mary Ramsey Irwin. Jane had one sister, Elizabeth, and three brothers named James, John, and Archibald. Her father later married Sidney Grubb, resulting in seven half-siblings: Joseph, William, Mary, Nancy, Louisa, Sarah, and Sydney.

Jane Irwin married William Henry Harrison Jr. on February 18, 1824. The marriage produced two sons known as James and William. Her husband struggled with alcoholism and severe gambling problems, and he died in 1838. During her marriage, Jane lived with her husband and children.

In 1840, her father-in-law, William Henry Harrison, was elected President of the United States. Her husband's health issues and personal difficulties persisted during his lifetime. When William Henry Harrison assumed office as president, his wife Anna Harrison chose not to travel immediately to Washington, D.C., due to health concerns and weather conditions. Instead, she remained at their North Bend, Ohio, estate.

Upon taking office, William Henry Harrison appointed Jane Harrison as the White House hostess in his stead. She traveled to Washington, D.C., with the president-elect and was accompanied by her paternal aunt, Jane Findlay, who had experience living in Washington as the wife of a congressman. Jane Harrison was intended to serve as a social adviser and acting first lady, as Anna Harrison was expected to arrive later in the spring. However, Harrison's presidency lasted only from March 4 to April 4, 1841, due to his death, which occurred shortly after his inauguration.

During her brief role as acting first lady, Jane Harrison hosted only two social events. Her tenure was characteristic of many women who served as surrogate first ladies during that period, often with limited influence or historical record. Due to her short service and the absence of personal writings or extensive documentation, many details of her time as acting first lady have been lost.

After President Harrison's death, Jane returned to North Bend. She subsequently married Lewis Whiteman, a widower, but died of tuberculosis a few years later. Her date of death is recorded as May 11, 1847.

Her familial connections extended her historical significance, as her sister Elizabeth Ramsey Irwin married John Scott Harrison, the son of President William Henry Harrison. Their son, Benjamin Harrison, became the 23rd President of the United States. Through this family relationship, Jane Irwin Harrison was both the maternal aunt and the paternal aunt-by-marriage of Benjamin Harrison.

Many sources note that Jane Harrison left no personal records of her experience as acting first lady, and her influence is often regarded as minimal. Carl Sferrazza Anthony described her as the least influential of all acting U.S. first ladies, due to her brief tenure. Her role exemplifies the practice of women serving as temporary White House hostesses during the absence or incapacity of the official First Lady in the early 19th century.