Brady, Melissa. Presidential Wives: An Anecdotal History. Paul F. Boller, Jr. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Pages 133-146.
Mrs. Julia Dent Grant was married to Ulysses S. Grant and served as First Lady during her husbands two presidential terms.
Mrs. Grant was very proud to be the wife of a General and President, and tool her White House duties as hostess very seriously.
Mrs. Grant was generally well likes by the press and, to the delight of Washington society, a woman of fashion. Her only goals seemed to have been to gain support for her husband by way of her social obligations. Mrs. Grant accomplished this by keeping to the Jeffersonian cannons of Republican simplicity, and giving receptions considered truly republican because of the extreme mingling of the social classes during these parties.
Mrs. Grant was likewise active in her husbands political career.
She often spoke to President Grant about his associates and even warned him about the ones she considered untrustworthy.
English: Pres. U.S. Grant (between 1870 and 1880) ...
English: Ulysses S. Grant seated on porch with his...
Ulysses S Grant, JrMrs.
Grant also made suggestions about the strategies used during the war.However, President Grant would frequently ignore her advice.
English: Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant (Julia Dent Grant),...
Julia Grant with family. Library of Congress descr...
Julia Grant. Library of Congress description: "Gra...