Mr. President

Born in 1804 and Died in 1869

It just so happens that we live in the same town as the 14th President of the United States (1853 to 1857).  His name was Franklin Pierce and he was at that time the youngest President to serve in that position.  Scott and I were going to go to Salem, Massachusetts and to the John F. Kennedy presidential library on Saturday but because of the weather we decided we would stay around town.  We found the Pierce Manse (Manse apparently means "a house lived in by its owner") after noticing a sign on a corner.  It is located down a little worn road and sits next to a picturesque spot with a pond next to it.  We weren't able to go in because it is only open in the summer but we will see it next summer and I will take more pictures of it then.  The house was originally in downtown Concord but was moved in 1971 to preserve its historic value.

The Pierce Manse

When Scott saw a picture of him at the archives he commented on what a sad looking man he was.  In reading about his life I found out why.  He and his wife had three sons.  Their first son died when he was three days old.  Their second son died of typhus when he was four years old.  When their third son was eleven years old they saw him killed in a train accident while they were out campaigning for his election as President.

Graveside of President Pierce, his wife Jane,
and their three sons

His wife was so grief stricken that she withdrew from society refusing to go to Washington when he was elected. One of her friends came to Washington, D.C. in her place to serve as the hostess in the White House.  When he completed his first term the democrats refused to nominate him for another.  He came back to Concord very disillusioned and he remained pretty much in seclusion until his death in 1869.