Elizabeth Monroe

Elizabeth Monroe (née Kortright) was born on June 30, 1768, in New York City. She was the youngest daughter of Lawrence Kortright, a wealthy merchant, and Hannah Aspinwall Kortright. Her paternal great-grandfather, Cornelius Jansen Kortright, was born in Holland in 1645 and immigrated to New York in 1663. The Kortright family lineage traces back to the city of Kortrijk in Flanders, in what was then the Spanish Netherlands, with ancestors who immigrated to Holland in the early 17th century. Lawrence Kortright was a founder of the New York Chamber of Commerce and was involved in privateering during the American Revolutionary War. He also purchased land that led to the formation of Kortright, New York.

Elizabeth's mother, Hannah, died in September 1777 at the age of 39, due to childbirth complications. Elizabeth was nine years old at the time, and she had four older siblings named Sarah, Hester, John, and Mary. Following her mother's death, Elizabeth's father did not remarry. In August 1778, a fire in lower Manhattan caused extensive damage; Elizabeth and her family survived the incident unscathed.

In her teenage years, Elizabeth became noted in New York society. She first attracted the attention of James Monroe, then 27, in 1785 during his visit to New York City, where she and her sisters made a notable impression at a theater event. Elizabeth was 17 years old when James Monroe married her on February 16, 1786, at her father's home in New York City. The marriage was officiated by Reverend Benjamin Moore. The couple's first child, Eliza Kortright Monroe, was born in December 1786 in Virginia, where Monroe was serving in Congress.

From 1794 to 1796, Monroe served as the United States Minister to France, with Elizabeth accompanying him as the diplomat's wife. During this period, she played a role in securing the release of Madame La Fayette, imprisoned during the Reign of Terror, and supported Thomas Paine during his arrest. The Monroes' daughter, Eliza, was educated in Paris alongside Hortense de Beauharnais, stepdaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte. James Monroe's diplomatic service in France ended in 1796, partly due to political disagreements concerning France and the Jay Treaty.

After returning to the United States in 1796, Monroe served as governor of Virginia from 1799 to 1802. Elizabeth became First Lady of Virginia during this time. Their son James Spence was born in 1799 but died in 1800. During this period, Elizabeth experienced health issues, including seizures and collapses, which were possibly indicative of epilepsy. Their daughter Maria Hester was born in Virginia in early 1802.

In 1803, James Monroe was appointed Minister to Great Britain and Spain by President Thomas Jefferson. Elizabeth found the social climate in London less accommodating than Paris. In 1804, Monroe was a special envoy to France for the Louisiana Purchase, and the Monroes attended Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation as part of the American delegation.

The Monroes returned to Virginia in 1807. Monroe was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and served as governor for a brief period in 1811. In April 1811, President James Madison appointed Monroe Secretary of State, a position he held until 1817. During the War of 1812, Elizabeth remained primarily at family estates, including Oak Hill and Ashlawn-Highland. Monroe was appointed Secretary of War in September 1814 after the British burned Washington and the White House, and he simultaneously handled responsibilities of the Secretary of State until March 1815.

On March 4, 1817, James Monroe was inaugurated as the fifth President of the United States. Elizabeth became the First Lady, serving from 1817 to 1825. During her tenure, the White House was still under reconstruction, and the family hosted the inaugural ball at their private residence. Monroe was re-elected in 1820, and Elizabeth continued her role until the presidency concluded in 1825. Her activity as First Lady was somewhat overshadowed by her predecessor, Dolley Madison, but she was recognized for her host duties and social presence during Monroe’s second term. Elizabeth and her daughters took on some social duties during her periods of illness, and both Elizabeth and James Monroe destroyed personal correspondence before her death.

Elizabeth Monroe died on September 23, 1830.