Ellen Axson Wilson

Ellen Louise Axson Wilson was born on May 15, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia. She was the daughter of Reverend Samuel Edward Axson, a Presbyterian minister, and Margaret Jane (née Hoyt) Axson. She was raised in Rome, Georgia. Axson developed an interest in art and music early in life, studying at Rome Female College in Rome, Georgia, beginning at age eleven. After graduating in 1876, her artwork, including a piece titled "School Scene," was submitted to the Paris International Exposition, where it received a bronze medal.

In April 1883, Ellen met Woodrow Wilson during his visit to Rome, Georgia. At that time, she was managing her household for her widowed father. Wilson, who was then 28 years old, was a visiting relative of her family. Wilson thought highly of her, noting her "splendid laughing eyes." The couple became engaged five months later but postponed their wedding due to Wilson's postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and Ellen’s responsibilities caring for her father. Following her father's death by suicide during an illness in a hospital, she moved north to study at the Art Students League of New York.

Ellen Axson Wilson married Woodrow Wilson on June 24, 1885, at her paternal grandparents’ residence in Savannah, Georgia. The wedding ceremony was officiated jointly by her grandfather, Reverend Isaac Stockton Keith Axson, and Wilson’s father, Reverend Joseph R. Wilson. The Wilsons' honeymoon was spent in Waynesville, North Carolina.

The couple initially resided near Princeton University, where Wilson held a position as a professor. They lived with Ellen’s younger brother, Eddie. They had three daughters: Margaret Woodrow Wilson (born 1886), Jessie Woodrow Wilson (born 1887), and Eleanor Randolph Wilson (born 1889). Margaret, who was also known for her work as a singer, businesswoman, and Hindu nun, was born in Gainesville, Georgia, during a period when Ellen preferred to stay with relatives for childbirth to avoid raising children in the North. Jessie Wilson became active in social causes and married Francis B. Sayre at the White House in 1913. Eleanor Wilson was married to William Gibbs McAdoo, Secretary of the Treasury.

In 1890, Wilson took a position at Princeton University, and Ellen contributed as a researcher and translator for his publications. Their family relocated to Washington, D.C., as Wilson’s political career advanced, culminating in his election as President of the United States in 1912. During her time as First Lady from 1913 until her death, she maintained her interest in art, creating sketches and paintings in a studio she set up in the White House, often exhibiting her work under an assumed name and donating much to charity. She also arranged for two of her daughters' weddings at the White House.

Ellen Wilson was known for her efforts in improving housing conditions in Washington, D.C., particularly in impoverished black neighborhoods. She publicly visited deteriorated areas and engaged Congressmen in discussions about housing reform. Her advocacy contributed to the passage of housing legislation known as the “Alley” bill, which was enacted shortly after her death.

Ellen Louise Axson Wilson died of Bright's disease on August 6, 1914, at the White House. She was buried in Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia. Her death made her the third First Lady to pass away during her tenure. Woodrow Wilson remarried in December 1915 to Edith Bolling Galt.