Florence Harding

Florence Mabel Harding (née Kling) was born on August 15, 1860, in Marion, Ohio. She was the eldest of three children of Amos Kling, a prominent local accountant and businessman of German descent, and Louisa Bouton Kling, who was of French Huguenot and English ancestry. Her father’s business activities included banking, real estate, and involvement with the Columbus & Toledo Railroad, and he served as a member of the school board and president of the Agricultural Society. Florence attended Union School starting in 1866, where she studied the classics.

From an early age, Florence developed interests in horses and participated in races. Her father trained her in business skills including banking, real estate, and farm management. After completing high school in 1878, she enrolled at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with the aspiration to become a concert pianist. She dedicated several years to intensive piano studies, reportedly practicing up to seven hours a day.

At age 19, Florence eloped with Henry Atherton ("Pete") de Wolfe, with the marriage occurring on January 22, 1880, in Columbus, Ohio. The couple had one child, Marshall Eugene, born on September 22, 1880. Henry de Wolfe worked in a warehouse but left the family in December 1882 due to alcoholism. Florence moved in with a friend, Carrie Wallace, while her mother provided financial support. To supplement their income, Florence taught piano and enjoyed skating.

Her marriage to de Wolfe ended in divorce in 1886 after his attempt to rob a train. Despite the divorce, her father offered to adopt her son Marshall, which he did, although he did not assume financial responsibility for Florence. Marshall Kling, though not legally adopted, took his father's surname and died in 1915 from tuberculosis.

In 1891, Florence remarried Warren G. Harding, the owner of the Marion Star newspaper and a former schoolmate of her sister. Their wedding took place on July 8, 1891, against her father's objections, who doubted Harding’s social aspirations and propagated rumors of non-existent Black ancestry. Their honeymoon included trips to Chicago, St. Paul, Yellowstone, and the Great Lakes. Contrary to many traditions, Florence chose not to wear a wedding ring. Warren Harding called her "the boss," while she referred to him as "Sonny."

During her marriage, Florence discovered her husband's extramarital affairs, most notably with Carrie Phillips. She first learned of the affair in 1911 after intercepting a letter, which caused her to consider divorce, though she ultimately chose to remain with Harding. Warren Harding's infidelities extended to other women, including Nan Britton. Florence publicly confronted Carrie Phillips during the summer of 1918 at a train station, an incident reflecting her awareness of the relationship.

Florence played an active role in the Marion Star, initially managing its circulation and operations informally during Warren Harding’s periods of illness. She was involved in developing the newspaper’s wire reporting during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and supported the hiring of Ohio’s first woman reporter, Jane Dixon. Her influence extended to advising her husband on political strategies and campaigns, including his 1899 election to the Ohio state senate and subsequent political roles as lieutenant governor in 1903.

During her tenure as First Lady of the United States from 1921 until her husband's death in 1923, Florence Harding was notably visible and outspoken on issues such as women’s rights, animal rights, and prohibition. She also focused on protecting her and her husband's reputations. Florence Harding suffered from severe kidney ailments throughout her life and died of kidney failure on November 21, 1924, in Marion, Ohio, approximately 14 months after her husband's death.