Background
During her father"s presidency from 1850 to 1853 she often served as, in part due to her mother"s illness.
During her father"s presidency from 1850 to 1853 she often served as, in part due to her mother"s illness.
A native of Buffalo, New York, she studied at a private school in Lenox, Massachusetts, and graduated from New York State Normal School.
She spoke French fluently and was conversant in Spanish, German, and Italian. She taught briefly in the Buffalo schools until her father became President in 1850. While exercising the role of she performed at White House functions.
Abigail Fillmore died 24 days after Fillmore"s presidency ended, and Abbie took over the management of her father"s household.
She accompanied him to a variety of public functions, notably including the widely promoted train and steamboat Grand Excursion of June 1854. Her sudden death a few weeks later, from cholera at age 22, is thought to have contributed to former president Fillmore"s decision to come out of retirement and resume his political career.