The Pierce Family Tragedy
Earlier this week marked the anniversary of one of the most gruesome tragedies in Presidential history. On January 6, 1853 (159 years and two days ago), President-elect Franklin Pierce, his wife Jane and their eleven year old son Benjamin (known as Benny) boarded a train in Boston en route to Washington. The family was stuck in a derailed car that ended up rolling down an embankment near Andover, Massachusetts. Franklin and Jane Pierce suffered no significant injury, but Benny was crushed to death and died instantly.
Benny was the third child of the couple, but his two older brothers had predeceased him. Their first child, Franklin Pierce Jr. was born on February 2, 1836, but died 3 days later. A second son, Frank Robert Pierce, was born on August 27, 1839. He died on November 14, 1843 at the age of four from epidemic typhus (sometimes known as "hospital fever".)
Both Benny and Frank had contracted typhus fever, but Benny survived the illness. A year earlier, Jane Pierce had convinced her husband, then a senator, to leave Washington, because in her words, Washington "is tainted by the evils of politics". Franklin resigned his senate in 1842 and moved back to Concord, where he practiced law. When the Mexican War broke out, Franklin Pierce joined the army, was made a brigadier general and took an active part in the war. Jane and Benny remained in Concord until the war ended, in February 1848, when Franklin returned to resume their quiet life in New Hampshire.
In 1852, when Franklin was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, he was excited at the chance to re-enter politics, while Jane, on the other hand, prayed for his defeat. She still detested both politics and Washington D.C. When Franklin won the election, Jane became resigned to the situation. To celebrate both Christmas and Franklin's election, the small family set out for a vacation in Boston leaving for Washington for the inauguration. As their train was nearing Andover, Massachusetts, an axle broke and the train jumped the track and went over a fifteen foot embankment. Franklin and Jane received only minor injuries, such as bruises and scrapes, but, as they lifted their heads, they witnessed their only son, Benny, being crushed beneath the rail road car. He was the only passenger killed in the accident.
Benny was buried in the Old North Cemetery in Concord, the burial place of his brother Frank (and later of his parents). Jane Pierce never recovered from this tragic incident. Having fought so hard to keep her husband from returning to politics, she considered Benny's death as a "divine punishment meted out for [Franklin]'s political ambition". Jane only came to the White House where,f or nearly two years, she remained in the upstairs living quarters of the White House, spending her days writing maudlin letters to her dead son. She left the social chores to her aunt Abby Kent-Means and her close friend Varina Davis, wife of War Secretary Jefferson Davis. Jane Pierce made her first official appearance as First Lady at a New Year's Day reception in 1855 and thereafter served as White House hostess intermittently. She died of tuberculosis at Andover, Massachusetts, on December 2, 1863. She is buried at Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire, and her husband was also interred there beside her in 1869.
Benny was the third child of the couple, but his two older brothers had predeceased him. Their first child, Franklin Pierce Jr. was born on February 2, 1836, but died 3 days later. A second son, Frank Robert Pierce, was born on August 27, 1839. He died on November 14, 1843 at the age of four from epidemic typhus (sometimes known as "hospital fever".)
Both Benny and Frank had contracted typhus fever, but Benny survived the illness. A year earlier, Jane Pierce had convinced her husband, then a senator, to leave Washington, because in her words, Washington "is tainted by the evils of politics". Franklin resigned his senate in 1842 and moved back to Concord, where he practiced law. When the Mexican War broke out, Franklin Pierce joined the army, was made a brigadier general and took an active part in the war. Jane and Benny remained in Concord until the war ended, in February 1848, when Franklin returned to resume their quiet life in New Hampshire.
In 1852, when Franklin was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate, he was excited at the chance to re-enter politics, while Jane, on the other hand, prayed for his defeat. She still detested both politics and Washington D.C. When Franklin won the election, Jane became resigned to the situation. To celebrate both Christmas and Franklin's election, the small family set out for a vacation in Boston leaving for Washington for the inauguration. As their train was nearing Andover, Massachusetts, an axle broke and the train jumped the track and went over a fifteen foot embankment. Franklin and Jane received only minor injuries, such as bruises and scrapes, but, as they lifted their heads, they witnessed their only son, Benny, being crushed beneath the rail road car. He was the only passenger killed in the accident.
Benny was buried in the Old North Cemetery in Concord, the burial place of his brother Frank (and later of his parents). Jane Pierce never recovered from this tragic incident. Having fought so hard to keep her husband from returning to politics, she considered Benny's death as a "divine punishment meted out for [Franklin]'s political ambition". Jane only came to the White House where,f or nearly two years, she remained in the upstairs living quarters of the White House, spending her days writing maudlin letters to her dead son. She left the social chores to her aunt Abby Kent-Means and her close friend Varina Davis, wife of War Secretary Jefferson Davis. Jane Pierce made her first official appearance as First Lady at a New Year's Day reception in 1855 and thereafter served as White House hostess intermittently. She died of tuberculosis at Andover, Massachusetts, on December 2, 1863. She is buried at Old North Cemetery in Concord, New Hampshire, and her husband was also interred there beside her in 1869.