Spouses, First Ladies and Gentlemen of North Carolina's Governors

From colonial times to the present day, many women -- and one man -- have occupied the role of "first lady" or "first gentleman" to North Carolina's governors. And in a few cases where a wife predeceased her husband, a daughter assumed the role of first lady or "little mistress of the mansion" to her father the governor (see Helen Fowle and Angelia Morrison). No two of these spouses lived similar lives or inhabited the role of first lady or first gentleman in the same way - their stories are as individual as they were. 

This page gathers the names and years of these "first spouses" and includes links to an NCpedia biographical essay, where available. These biographies tell the stories of these individuals as they lived life for a time in the spotlight as the spouses of governors and politicians. The stories also give a sense of their lives "behind the scenes", as they went about everyday life, often in difficult times, many raising families, having careers and interests of their own, and making their own marks on their local communities and on North Carolina history. Each story is unique and also helps provide historical context, particularly for the women, on the role and lives of women during the eras when they lived.

This collection will continue to grow as more biographies are researched and written.

See Also: North Carolina Governors, History of Governorship in North Carolina