List of first ladies and gentlemen of Michigan

The spouse of the governor of Michigan is given an honorary position, styled as First Lady or First Gentleman of the State of Michigan. First spouses typically fill ceremonial roles, by acting as the official hostess/host. In this role, they often entertain dignitaries and prepare meetings, parties, and dinners. While the role is generally held by the spouse of the governor, if the governor is unmarried, like in the case of Frank Murphy, sometimes a relative, such as a sister, assumes the role.[1]

First Gentlemen of Michigan
Seal of the State of Michigan
Incumbent
Marc P. Mallory
since January 1, 2019
ResidenceGovernor's Mansion
Inaugural holderEmily V. Mason
FormationNovember 3, 1835; 188 years ago (1835-11-03)

First spouses edit

Name Took office Left office Governor Ref.
Emily V. Mason[a] 1835 1838 Stevens T. Mason [1]
Julia Phelps Mason 1838 1840 [1]
Juliana Trumbull Woodbridge 1840 1841 William Woodbridge [1]
Mary Hudun Gordon 1841 1841 James Wright Gordon [1]
Mary Kidder "Polly" Barry 1842 1846 John S. Barry [1]
Lucretia Williams Lawrence Felch 1846 1847 Alpheus Felch [1]
Elizabeth W. Hubbard Greeley 1847 1847 William L. Greenly [1]
Almira Caldwell Ransom 1848 1850 Epaphroditus Ransom [1]
Mary Kidder "Polly" Barry 1850 1851 John S. Barry [1]
Elizabeth Sarah Sabin McClelland 1852 1853 Robert McClelland [1]
Anna Marilla Ferrand Stewart Parsons 1853 1854 Andrew Parsons [1]
Mary Warden Bingham 1855 1858 Kinsley S. Bingham [1]
Angeolina H. Wisner 1859 1860 Moses Wisner [1]
Sarah Louisa Horton Ford Blair 1861 1864 Austin Blair [1]
Mary Ann Slocum Crapo 1865 1868 Henry H. Crapo [1]
Sibyl Lambard Baldwin[b] 1869 1872 Henry P. Baldwin [1]
Frances Elizabeth Newberry Bagley 1873 1876 John J. Bagley [1]
Elizabeth Musgrave Croswell[c] 1878 1880 Charles Croswell [1]
Lucy Amelia Peck Jerome 1881 1882 David Jerome [1]
Harriet Annette Miles Begole 1883 1884 Josiah Begole [1]
Annette Huldana Squire Henry Alger 1885 1886 Russell A. Alger [1]
Mary Eliza Brown Thompson Luce 1887 1890 Cyrus G. Luce [1]
Elizabeth Galloway Winans 1891 1892 Edwin B. Winans [1]
Lucretia W. Rich 1893 1896 John T. Rich [1]
Frances A. Gilbert Pingree 1897 1900 Hazen S. Pingree [1]
Allaseba Morey Phelps Bliss 1901 1904 Aaron T. Bliss [1]
Martha M. Davis Warner 1905 1910 Fred M. Warner [1]
Lillian Gertrude Jones Osborn 1911 1912 Chase Osborn [1]
Helen G. Ferris 1913 1916 Woodbridge N. Ferris [1]
Mary Charlotte Moore Sleeper 1917 1920 Albert Sleeper [1]
Vacant[d] 1921 1926 Alex J. Groesbeck [1]
Helen Adelaide Kelly Green 1927 1930 Fred W. Green [1]
Clara Hantel Brucker 1931 1932 Wilber M. Brucker [1]
Mary Josephine White Comstock 1933 1934 William Comstock [1]
Queena Maud Warner Fitzgerald 1935 1936 Frank Fitzgerald [1]
Marguerite Murphy Teahan[e] 1937 1938 Frank Murphy [1]
Queena Maud Warner Fitzgerald 1939 1939 Frank Fitzgerald [1]
Zora Della Cooley Dickinson[f] 1939 1940 Luren Dickinson [1]
Helen Josephine Jossman Van Wagoner 1941 1942 Murray Van Wagoner [1]
Anne Veronica O'Brien Kelly 1943 1946 Harry Kelly [1]
Mae Louise Pierson Sigler 1947 1948 Kim Sigler [1]
Nancy Lace Quirk Williams 1949 1960 G. Mennen Williams [1]
Alice Nielsen Swainson 1961 1962 John Swainson [1]
Lenore LaFount Romney 1963 1969 George W. Romney [1]
Helen Wallbank Milliken 1969 1982 William Milliken [1]
Paula Lynne Parker Blanchard[g] 1983 1987 James Blanchard [1]
Janet A. Blanchard[h] 1989 1990 [1]
Michelle DeMunbrun Engler 1991 2002 John Engler [1][2]
Daniel Granholm Mulhern[i] 2003 2010 Jennifer Granholm [3]
Sue Snyder 2011 2018 Rick Snyder [4]
Marc P. Mallory 2019 Present Gretchen Whitmer [5]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Emily V. Mason was the sister of Governor Mason. She served as official hostess until Governor Mason first married on November 1, 1838.
  2. ^ Also spelled Sibyle Lombard Baldwin.
  3. ^ Elizabeth Musgrave and Charles Croswell married after Croswell was elected governor. At the beginning of his term, Croswell was an unmarried widower.
  4. ^ Governor Groesbeck was a bachelor.
  5. ^ Marguerite Murphy Teahan was Governor Murphy's sister. She served as his hostess because Governor Murphy was a bachelor.
  6. ^ Zora C. Dickinson died on August 4, 1940, while her husband was still governor, leaving the position of first lady vacant for the rest of his governorship. She is the only First Lady of Michigan to have died in office.
  7. ^ Paula L. Blanchard and Governor Blanchard divorced in 1987. Governor Blanchard is the only Michigan governor to divorce while in office.
  8. ^ Janet A. Blanchard and Governor Blanchard married on September 2, 1989. Between Governor Blanchard's remarriage, and his divorce with Paula L. Blanchard, the position of first lady was vacant.
  9. ^ Daniel G. Mulhern was the first man to take the role of First Spouse of Michigan.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw Weddon, Willah (1994). First Ladies of Michigan. Lansing, Michigan. ISBN 0963837605.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ "First Lady Michelle Engler Biography". Michigan's Former Governors. State of Michigan. 2017. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern Biography". State of Michigan. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  4. ^ "First Lady Sue Snyder". State of Michigan. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "Marc Mallory". National Governors Association. Retrieved April 30, 2021.