Abigail Fillmore   • Print   • Cite   Abigail Fillmore
(1798-1853) was an American first lady (1850-1853) and the wife
of Millard Fillmore, the 13th president of the United States.
The first first lady to work outside of the home, she met her
future husband while she was his teacher at a school in New York
state. She supported her husband’s burgeoning political career,
though her deteriorating health prevented her from participating
in most social engagements as first lady. A lifelong lover of
books, her lasting contribution was the creation of a White
House library, which she built with funds she secured from
Congress.