Fillmore Caroline



Caroline Fillmore's Signed Holy Bible

A family Bible 2x signed by Caroline C. Fillmore (1813-1881), second wife of 13th U.S. President Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), the first time as "C. C. McIntosh" on the front paste down endpaper, and the second time as "Caroline C. McIntosh, Albany" on p. 3, or the first page of the Book of Genesis. With possible additional marginalia in Caroline's hand, including whimsical drawings of hands pointing to biblical passages. Also signed by Caroline's step-uncle Dr. Absalom Blachley (1765-1854) and dated by him as "15 February 1852" on the title page. Deaccessioned from the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Library, the institution founded by Millard and Abigail Fillmore.

This 41st Edition copy of The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Translated out of the Original Tongues; and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised (New York: American Bible Society, 1851) features dark brown morocco leather boards tooled with foliate and scroll decoration. The spine is gilt embossed "Holy Bible." The two detached covers have been reinforced with binding tape. Expected wear to the leather including some dry and brittle areas. Condition issues include scattered foxing, light toning, and isolated closed tears and water stains. Else near fine pages. 7.25" x 10.5" x 3.5". 4to.

The volume includes both the Old and New Testaments. It was printed in a two-column format, and includes copious internal notes about the translation, historical dates, and biblical cross-references. Someone--possibly Caroline--has doodled in the margins of several pages found around the Book of Isaiah. The drawings of hands with pointing fingers highlight important passages in the text. The Family Record section is blank. A loose leaf of paper entitled "Ancestors of the Jews or Hebrews" is tucked in the front.

Before her marriage to ex-President Millard Fillmore in 1858, Caroline was married to Ezekiel C. McIntosh (1806-1855), an affluent Troy, New York businessman and railroad executive, between 1832 and his death in 1855.

When Caroline and Fillmore married, he had been out of the White House for five years, and had been widowed the same length of time (first wife Abigail Powers Fillmore had died just three weeks after Fillmore's presidential term ended.) The newly married Fillmores signed a pre-nuptial agreement to protect Caroline's fortune and later settled in Buffalo, where they ranked among the city's leading socialites and philanthropists.

From books in her personal library, we know that Caroline was interested in art, theater, music, literature, current events, politics, religion, manufacturing, sports, weather, humor, and human interest.

Books were also important to Caroline's second husband. Millard Fillmore had been a lover of books since boyhood. By the time he reached adulthood, his library differed little from those found in families of wealth and education. Yet Fillmore was born into a poor family and became an indentured servant. His responsibilities, which ranged from farming, accounting, wood-cutting, and textile-making, prevented him from receiving a continuous education. So Fillmore educated himself. Motivated by a thirst for knowledge and a growing awareness of his comprehensive deficiencies, Fillmore read voraciously - using a dictionary to learn the meaning of words he didn't understand. Fillmore taught himself to read, and as he could not afford to buy books, sometimes he stole them.

Still obsessed with his education, he attended school in a nearby town, and his teacher, Abigail Powers, encouraged his studies. In time, she became the most influential and trusted person in his life. Abigail helped him learn with precision, and on subjects where they both lacked knowledge, they studied together. Fillmore realized when he later moved away that he had been "unconsciously stimulated by the companionship" of his teacher, but, too poor to visit Abigail Powers, they did not see each other for three years. In the interim, he apprenticed to a lawyer, began to teach professionally in the city of Buffalo, and was able to begin a law practice across the street from which he built a home to share with his new wife. When Millard Fillmore went to the state capital in Albany to serve a term in the state legislature, his wife stayed behind and began to purchase books of literature, poetry, and the classics to build upon his collection of law books at home, the core of what would become their personal library. Together, the Fillmores established a lending library and college in the city: the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Library.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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