Angelica Singleton Van Buren

Sarah Angelica Van Buren (; February 13, 1818 – December 29, 1877) was an American heiress and a daughter-in-law of the eighth president of the United States, Martin Van Buren. She was married to the President's son, Abraham Van Buren II. She assumed the post of first lady because the president's wife, Hannah Van Buren, had died and he never remarried. She is the youngest woman ever to act as the White House hostess, assuming the role at the age of 20.

Early life Sarah Angelica Singleton was born in Wedgefield, South Carolina, on February 13, 1818. She was the fourth of six children born to Richard Singleton and his wife, Rebecca Travis Coles.

Angelica was educated at the Columbia Female Academy in South Carolina and Madame Grelaud's French School in Philadelphia for five years. In March 1838, Madison decided to play matchmaker and introduced the girls to the bachelor sons of President Martin Van Buren. Angelica connected with the President's son Abraham, who shortly thereafter asked her to marry him. They married at her father's plantation in Wedgefield on November 27, 1838, Abraham's thirty-first birthday. This effectively made her the acting first lady of the United States, as her mother-in-law had died years earlier.

In 1839, the couple went to England where her uncle, Andrew Stevenson, was U.S. minister (now ambassador) to the United Kingdom. The trip, which also extended to other European countries, inspired Van Buren to introduce some European style and customs to White House functions. She also hoped to replicate the gardens of European palaces at the White House.

After the traditional New Year's Day reception in 1840, Van Buren ceased hostess duties and went into seclusion due to pregnancy.

Post-Van Buren presidency After Martin Van Buren was defeated for re-election in 1840, Angelica brought her family to Sumter, South Carolina while she was pregnant. In June 1841, she gave birth to her son Singleton (1841-1879). That fall, the President invited the family to live at his home of Lindenwald in Kinderhook, New York. Here, Angelica oversaw the household staff and continued hostess duties as Van Buren continued to be a pivotal figure in politics. Angelica and Abraham had two more sons, Martin II (1844-1885) and Travis Coles (1848-1889); and became the guardian of her niece Mary McDuffie (1830-1874), who became close to Martin Van Buren. In 1846, Abraham returned to the military at the start of the Mexican-American War, serving until his retirement in 1854. In 1848, Abraham and Angelica moved their family to New York City, where they would reside until their deaths.

In 1853, Angelica granted refuge to her sister Marion, who was escaping an abusive husband. South Carolina law had required Marion to transfer ownership of the property and assets of her first husband to her new husband, which she attempted to regain through state courts to little success. Angelica was enraged by the decision and attempted to intervene, but found that her political connections were unwilling to help due to the tension between factions of the Democratic party. From late 1854 to 1856, Abraham and Angelica took their family on a tour of Europe. During this tour, Angelica was exposed to the conditions of poverty through literature such as Household Words and Alton Locke. Through these experiences, Van Buren became interested in social reform and charity work, which she dedicated herself to upon her return to the United States.

Martin Van Buren died of asthma on July 24, 1862, at his home in Kinderhook, New York. He was 79 years old.

Abraham Van Buren died on March 15, 1873. Angelica died five years later on December 29, 1878, and was buried alongside her husband at Woodlawn Cemetery.