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Grover Cleveland entered the White House as a confirmed bachelor. His sister served as his First Lady.
When he left the White House after his first four years (remember that Cleveland served as the 22nd and 24th president, with Benjamin Harrison serving a four-year term in between), he returned to New York with a beautiful young wife on his arm.
Grover Cleveland met Frances Folsom at her birth. She was the daughter of his law partner, and upon Mr. Folsom's death, Cleveland was named guardian to young Frances (whom Cleveland called Frank). He was deeply involved with Frances's upbringing.
As she reached her late teens, Cleveland fell in love with her, and she with him. As Cleveland ran for president, his relationship with Frances was kept secret, and upon his election, his sister traveled to Washington to serve as his official hostess. Cleveland continued the deepening relationship with Frances, until he finally proposed. Before the wedding, Frances went to Europe for the Grand Tour, which was common for young unmarried women of her era.
While Frances was abroad, the media began to speculate that a presidential romance was brewing. The objected of Cleveland's affection, the media concluded, was a Folsom woman -- only they picked it to be the widowed Mrs. Folsom, not the young, beautiful Frances.
Cleveland enjoyed playing a game with the press when it came to his romance, and continued to let the public wonder about his bride-to-be. However, once the media narrowed in on Frances as the soon-to-be Mrs. Cleveland, she became a media darling. Accounts of her upcoming nuptials -- including the rumor that the wedding would be held in New York, their home state -- remained front-page news in the papers until the wedding day.
They decided to marry in the White House, making theirs the only marriage of a president ever to take place in the White House itself. When the wedding was over, Cleveland decided to play one final prank on the media. He sent two wedding guests into the presidential carriage, which the media followed. Cleveland and his new young bride were able to leave the White House at their leisure for their honeymoon.
During the early years of their marriage, the press remained most interested in the lovely Mrs. Cleveland, particularly after she had given birth to little Ruth. Mrs. Cleveland would push the baby around the White House lawn which turned into favorable newspaper copy. Little Ruth became so popular that a candy bar was named in her honor -- Baby Ruth. However, when a stranger came to the carriage and tried to take the baby, Mrs. Cleveland's strolls ended, and she became very cautious of protecting her children.
The Clevelands, despite their age difference (and odd pre-courtship relationship) and their marriage in a fishbowl, remained a loving, happy couple until Cleveland's death.
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