The only U.S. president whose grandmother outlived him was Rutherford B. Hayes. Rutherford’s wife, Lucy, died in 1889 when he was governor of Ohio. She was survived by her mother, Maria Cook, who lived until 1892.
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, has the distinction of being the only U.S. President whose grandmother outlived him. James Buchanan was born in 1791 in Cove Gap, Pennsylvania, to parents of Irish and Scotch-Irish descent.
His paternal grandparents, Alexander Buchan, and Margaret Boyd emigrated from Scotland to America in 1783. His maternal grandparents, George and Elizabeth Speer, were also of Scotch-Irish descent and had emigrated from Ireland to America several years earlier.
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James Buchanan’s father died when he was just a child, and his mother passed away when he was sixteen. As a result, James Buchanan was raised by his uncle, James BuchanANNAe He graduated from Dickinson College in 1809 and went on to study law at Lancaster County Academy. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1812 and began practicing law in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania.
In 1814, James Buchanan married Anna Caroline Coleman, the daughter of a wealthy iron manufacturer. The couple had two children: John Coleman Buchanan (who died as an infant) and Harriet Lane Buchanan. Anna Coleman died suddenly in 1828, leaving James Buchanan a widower with a young daughter to raise.
In 1830, James Buchanan was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania’s 7th congressional district. He served in Congress for ten years before being elected to the United States Senate in 1840. He served as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
His Grandmother
George Washington’s grandmother, Mary Ball Washington, outlived her famous grandson by nearly a decade. She was born in 1708 and died in 1789, just shy of her 81st birthday.
George Washington was very close to his grandmother and often visited her at her home in Virginia. He even named one of his horses after her! After Mary Ball Washington’s death, George Washington wrote a touching letter to his sister expressing how much he missed her.
It is fascinating to think that the only U.S. president whose grandmother outlived him was our very first commander-in-chief. It just goes to show how long-lived the Washington family was (and still is!).
His Presidency
His presidency was marked by economic prosperity and expanding federal power. However, he also faced challenges from a divided Congress and investigations into his personal life. Despite these challenges, he is considered one of the most successful presidents in American history.
His Death
George H.W. Bush was the only U.S. president whose grandmother outlived him. George’s mother, Dorothy Bush, died when he was just a teenager, and his father, Prescott Bush, died when George was in his 40s. But George’s grandmother, Sara Bush, lived to be 97 years old. Sara outlived her son and her grandson, and she died just two months before George H.W. Bush’s death in 2018.
Conclusion
It’s safe to say that George H.W. Bush was a family man. He was devoted to his wife, Barbara, and their children - including future president George W. Bush. So, it’s no surprise that he was also close to his grandparents. In fact, Bush’s grandmother, Dorothy Walker Bush, outlived him by nearly four years.
Dorothy Walker Bush was born in 1889 and died in 1992 at the age of 103. She outlived her husband, Prescott Bush, by 17 years and her son, George H.W. Bush, by four years. Her long life meant that she got to see her grandson become president of the United States in 1989.
George H.W. Bush always spoke fondly of his grandmother and credited her with instilling in him the importance of family values. In her later years, Dorothy Walker Bush lived in Kennebunkport, Maine - not far from where her grandson would later build his summer home. She died just two weeks before her 104th birthday.
