“I’m here once again to present another post dedicated to a President of the United States.”
“This particular person was our 13th President; and not because he was a Taylor Swift fan. That was Zachary Taylor, and he wasn’t all that swift.”
“I’m talking about Millard Fillmore. At this moment, you’re thinking to yourself, ‘We had a President named Millard Fillmore?’ Even though Millard was one of our more obscure men who resided in the White House, it was still an honor to walk in his footsteps during some of our trips.”
MILLARD FILLMORE BIRTHPLACE SITE – “Future 13th President Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800 in a log cabin once located on this property in Moravia, New York.”
“As a youth who was born into poverty, Fillmore spent most of his childhood clearing land and raising crops on his father’s 130-acre farm.”
“The ground that I’m standing on is the approximate location where Fillmore was born. Unfortunately, the birth cabin no longer exists, and a picnic pavilion stood in its place.”
FILLMORE GLEN STATE PARK – Located in Moravia, New York, this park boasts a replica cabin that represents Millard Fillmore’s birthplace. The park was located four miles from his actual birth site.
“Millard was the second of eight children born into the Fillmore family; a family who was very impoverished.The future President also didn’t receive any formal education as a youth. Fillmore worked on the farm until his dad forced him into a couple of textile mill apprenticeships where he could learn a trade.”
“When I was carried inside the cabin, I saw this crib that represented the one used by Fillmore as an infant.”
“I had to laugh to myself because Fillmore’s replica birthplace reminded me of the cabin from the Wizard of Oz when the Wicked Witch threw a fire ball at the Scarecrow.”
“Here Scarecrow, want to play ball?”
ABIGAIL POWERS – On February 5, 1826, 27-year-old Abigail married 26-year-old Millard Fillmore at the home of her brother, Judge Powers, in Moravia, New York. The couple did not have a honeymoon and they settled in East Aurora, New York where Mrs. Fillmore continued to teach school.
MILLARD FILLMORE HOUSE – “Millard Fillmore built this East Aurora, New York house in 1826 along Main Street, but lived there for only four years with his new bride Abigail Powers. It is the only surviving Fillmore residence besides the White House.Over the years, this house had fallen into disrepair and would’ve face certain demolition had it not been saved in 1930 by Margaret Price, who had the home moved to its current location on Shearer Avenue.”
“When Millard and Abigail left East Aurora and this house behind, they moved 20 miles west into Buffalo.Let’s walk through the door behind me and see the interior of the Fillmore home.”
“I’m standing in the Parlor of Fillmore’s home. During his time living here, Millard was an East Aurora lawyer who had his office located across Main Street from this home.”
“During my time in the Parlor, I found this original, unfinished chair once used by Millard Fillmore. That’s right – I’m standing in the butt prints of our 13th President.”
“Millard Fillmore had hammered and nailed the Parlor floorboards himself during construction of the home in 1826.”
“As I stood between portraits of Millard and Abigail Fillmore on the fireplace mantel, I had the honor of posing alongside an original teapot used by the First Lady in the White House.”
“I can’t begin to describe the feeling I had when I was placed onto Millard Fillmore’s standing law desk that was filled with his original law books from 1837.”
“The rosewood square piano I’m standing on was brought to the White House by First Lady Abigail Fillmore. Daughter Mary Abigail “Abbie” Fillmore was an accomplished musician, and she played the piano, harp, and guitar at White House functions, especially when she filled in for her mother as White House hostess.”
“I found this punch bowl interesting, as it was hand-painted and used by the Fillmore’s in the White House.”
“In the kitchen, I had the opportunity to stand on the scrub table that was hand-built by Millard Fillmore. The silver tea pot to my left was from 1868 and used by Millard and his second wife, Caroline.”
“This was Millard Fillmore’s dresser from his house in Buffalo. In my mind, the dresser was likely in the bedroom when the President passed away on March 8, 1874. The encased doll to my right was from the First Lady series and represented Abigail Fillmore.”
MILLARD FILLMORE LAW OFFICE SITE – “Fillmore’s law office was once located beneath the “Vidler on the Roof” figure in the center section of Vidler’s 5 & 10 Store in East Aurora, New York.When the law office burned to the ground in 1904, Vidler’s built an addition to their growing store over the footprint of Fillmore’s office building.”
UNITED STATES CAPITOL – The day after President Zachary Taylor died on July 9, 1850, Vice President Millard Fillmore was sworn-in as our 13th President in the House Chamber of the United States Capitol.
“I’m standing in the original House Chamber inside the U.S. Capitol where Millard Fillmore recited the Presidential Oath of Office on July 10, 1850. Today, this area of the Capitol is known as National Statuary Hall. Fillmore was the last President from neither the Democratic or Republican parties.”
THE WHITE HOUSE –“As soon as Fillmore took residence in the White House, he replaced Taylor’s Cabinet. Millard is the only President in history who took office after a death or resignation to do this.”
ABIGAIL FILLMORE – On vacation when President Taylor died, Abigail had self-doubt about serving as First Lady. She adapted quickly and became active in the role, even though she didn’t enjoy the social aspect. Abigail oversaw the expansion of the White House heating system and had a kitchen stove installed to replace the practice of cooking by fireplace.
“Slavery was a huge issue during Fillmore’s term and some of his lackluster decisions caused his own Whig Party to nominate a new candidate for the 1852 election.First Lady Abigail Fillmore died when she caught a cold during Franklin Pierce’s inauguration. The cold turned to pneumonia and Abigail died on March 30, 1853; just three weeks after leaving the White House.”
CAROLINE CARMICHAEL McINTOSH – When Millard Fillmore returned to Buffalo after leaving the White House, he met and fell in love five years later with a well-to-do widow named Caroline McIntosh. The couple married on February 10, 1858 in Albany, New York, and they bought a large house on Niagara Square in Buffalo. At the time of their marriage, the former President was 58 years old, while Caroline was only 44.
FILLMORE HOME – This mansion, located along Niagara Square in Buffalo, New York, was purchased by Millard and Caroline Fillmore in 1858 and they lived in the home until there deaths – Millard in 1874 and Caroline in 1881. Following Caroline’s death, the building became The Fillmore Hotel. In 1901, it became The Castle Inn until it was razed in 1921.
STATLER HOTEL – This large hotel was constructed in 1921 after the Castle Inn was demolished. The Statler Towers is located along Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo, New York.
“Millard Fillmore died in his home, once located at this site, at 11:10pm on March 8, 1874 following two strokes. His last words were, as he was being fed soup: “The nourishment is palatable.” Fillmore was 74 years old.”
“As I posed alongside the plaque that was affixed to the hotel, I couldn’t help but wonder why in the world the city of Buffalo didn’t save Fillmore’s home as a historic site.”
“When I returned to the Statler Hotel nine years after my first visit, the plaque was nowhere to be found and the interior of the building was being renovated.”
FOREST LAWN CEMETERY – “Located in Buffalo, New York, this cemetery plays host to the final resting place of 13th President Millard Fillmore.Two days after his death, Millard Fillmore was laid to rest alongside his wife Abigail in the Fillmore Plot of Forest Lawn Cemetery.”
“When Caroline died seven years after Millard, she was buried alongside the President and the 14-foot-tall pink granite obelisk was placed over their gravesites.”
“Fillmore’s grave was very unassuming; somewhat like the President himself. Because of the shrubs that surrounded the obelisk, I had difficulty finding a place to stand near the gravesite.”
“The unsightly shrubs even prevented me from standing on top of this small foot marker at Fillmore’s grave.At this time, it dawned on me that Fillmore was America’s only Presidential MFer!”
“The absence of the shrubs in 2020 made it easier for me to see the markers of Millard’s two wives. Caroline’s grave was to my right; and Abigail’s grave was marked by the tall gray stone behind me.”
“Tom and I have visited the grave of Millard Fillmore four times over the past decade. Since Forest Lawn Cemetery is only 226 miles from our home, Fillmore’s is the fifth closest gravesite, which makes it easier for us to visit on a regular basis.”
“My first visit to Fillmore’s grave with my photographer came on June 20, 2014 – and Tom’s borrowed camera he brought on the trip was permanently broken shortly after this image was taken.”
“My second visit came on July 7, 2017 during the first leg of a New England trip with my photographer and his wife.”
“When I returned to Forest Lawn on January 11, 2020, which was just three months before everything was closed down due to the Covid pandemic, I was pleasantly surprised to see the unsightly shrubs had been removed from around the monument.”
“A little over three years later, during our visit on June 4, 2023, I noticed grass was taking root around the headstones and the monument. This was my first visit to Fillmore’s grave with Bob Moldenhauer.”
“Did you get your fill of Fillmore? If so, please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.”
My name is Thomas Watson and I've been a U.S. history fanatic since I was 9 years old. In 2013, I decided to take my passion to the next level when I purchased a Thomas Jefferson bobble head with the sole intention of photographing that bobble head at Presidential sites. From that first day on July 10, 2013 at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, this journey has taken on a life of its own. Now, nearly 40,000 miles later, I thought it was time to share the experiences, stories, and photos of Jefferson's travels. Keep in mind, this entire venture has been done with the deepest respect for the men who held the office as our President; no matter what their political affiliations, personal ambitions, or public scandals may have been. This blog is intended to be a true tribute to the Presidents of the United States and this story will be told Through the Eyes of Jefferson. I hope you enjoy the ride!
