Marriage and Family
On November 19, 1834, Pierce married Jane Means Appleton (1806–63), the daughter of Jesse Appleton, a former president of Bowdoin College. Jane was Pierce's opposite. Born into an elite Whig family, she was shy, whereas he was very extroverted. Often ill, she was deeply religious and pro-temperance. They lived permanently in Concord, NH. They had three children, all of whom died in childhood:
- Franklin Pierce, Jr. (February 2, 1836 – February 5, 1836)
- Frank Robert Pierce (August 27, 1839 – November 14, 1843), died at the age of four from epidemic typhus
- Benjamin Pierce (April 13, 1841 – January 6, 1853), died at the age of 11 in a railroad accident.
None of the sons lived to see his father become President. Benjamin's death occurred after his father's election, but before his inauguration.
Benjamin Pierce was a direct descendant of Thomas Pierce (1618–1683), who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England and immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Franklin Pierce's mother was Anna B. Kendrick. Former First Lady of the United States Barbara Pierce Bush is a distant cousin.
Read more about this topic: Franklin Pierce
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