She was considered the belle of Washington DC. An invitation to one of her social events were highly coveted by the upper crust of Washington society. Her beauty and fashion were the standards by which all other woman measured themselves. She was instrumental in advancing the political ambitions of the most important man in her life.
But her name was not Mary Todd Lincoln or Jacquelyn Kennedy. Her name was Kate Chase.
Many people, even those who study the time period of the American Civil War, have often never heard of her name. But if you lived during the 1850's and to the late 1800's, you would have recognized her name, and her face. Think of her on the same level as today's Kate Middleton (The Duchess of Cambridge) or Jacquelyn Kennedy during the 1960's. Her face was everywhere (as much as it could in the early years of photography). The newspapers would give detailed accounts of her lavish society events and her fashion. She would wield this power to try and launch her father (yup her Dad, not her husband) to the highest office of the land, the President of the United States, and would become the number one rival of the current President's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.
Katherine (Kate) Chase was born on August 13 1840 to Salmon P Chase, a Ohio Politician, and his second wife. Her mother would die shortly after her 5th birthday, and she would have a difficult relationship with her father's new wife. Having always been the apple of her father's eye, having to vie with her new "mother" for her father's attention, Kate resented the new woman in her father's life. After being sent to finishing school for 9 years, and the death of her stepmother, Kate returned to her father's house to become the undisputed first lady of his household. The close relationship of Kate and her father would be solidified by their joint ambition to see him as President, and he would rely heavily on Kate for the rest of his life, never marrying again.
She quickly charmed many important men in Washington politics and society including Carl Schurz, a German born American politician who described her as such:
"She was about eighteen years old, tall and slender and exceedingly well formed. . . . Her little nose, somewhat audaciously tipped up, could perhaps not have passed muster with a severe critic, but it fitted pleasingly into her face with its large, languid, but at the same time vivacious hazel eyes, shaded by long dark lashes and arched over by proud eyebrows. The fine forehead was framed in waving, gold-brown hair. She had something imperial in the pose of the head, and all her movements possessed an exquisite natural charm. No wonder that she came to be admired as a great beauty and broke many hearts"
When Abraham Lincoln became President in 1860, defeating her own father for the nomination, which was a bitter pill for both Kate and her father to swallow, Kate decides to set up a rival "court" in Washington society to that of the first lady Mary Lincoln. Invitations to her parties often conflicted with that of Mrs. Lincoln, and Mary Lincoln often lamented the rivalry of the beautiful Kate Chase. Kate essentially becomes the belle of the North, and had the social standing so coveted by Mrs. Lincoln. Kate had influence, youth, beauty and wealth, the world at her feet.
And in 1861, with her marriage to the dashing and wealthy Rhode Island Governor William Sprague, it seemed to be the crowning jewel in the fairy tale that was Kate Chase's life. The bride was gifted a tiara of diamonds and pearls that cost more than $50,000 from her husband. When she entered the room for the marine band played "The Kate Chase March" written specifically for her. All of Washington's elite society was there, including President Lincoln (although Mrs. Lincoln begged off due to a headache, although her dislike of the bride was well known), and it was the social event of the season.
Although the couple would have 4 children (3 daughters and a son), the wedding really marked the beginning of the end for Kate's charmed life. William struggled with alcoholism, had affairs with other women, and lost vast amounts of money in poor business deals. People began to suspect that Kate only married Sprague because she knew that his wealth and connections offered advancements for her father's political career, and the legitimacy of her second child was questionable. Despite being a married woman, Kate's focus would remain on her father and his career. He would run for President 2 more times, with Kate running the majority of the campaigning and behind the scenes dealings. Salmon P Chase would die, without ever being elected President, in 1872.
After years of an unhappy marriage, and with the rumor that her husband had chased her lover with a shotgun and threatened to throw her out of a second story window of their mansion after catching Kate with another man, Kate and William divorced in 1882. After the divorce, Kate's only son Willie continued to live with his father, while her 3 daughters lived with Kate. Kate and her daughters would live in a mansion on an estate purchased years earlier by her father. After her only son committed suicide at the age of 25, Kate would become a recluse. She lost her fortune and would die destitute in 1899 at the age of only 58.
For a young woman who rose to the heights of society and wealth, her downfall was almost as spectacular. She gave up everything to leave her abusive marriage, including her wealth, security and only son, almost unheard of in the 1800's. She used gender expectations to work outside of those same gender expectations, and became almost as influential in politics as any man in Washington DC.
At the time of her death the Enquirer recognized her legacy: "No Queen has ever reigned under the Stars and Stripes, but this remarkable woman came closer to being Queen than any American woman has."
If you would like to read more about Kate Chase (and I highly recommend that you do!) here are 2 books I would recommend. One is historical fiction, and one is non-fiction. Both can be purchased on Amazon.
Book Recommendations:
American Queen by John Oller (non-fiction)
Mrs. Lincoln's Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini (historical fiction)
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