Peters' Law

Peters’ Law is a law of politics that states, “If you want to get involved with politics, marry money.” Although there are exceptions to the law, there most certainly is a trend among politicians to wed women of high societal status, coming either from the wealth of one’s parents or the wealth inherited from a previous marriage.

Presidents

George Washington

America’s first president is not known for being a gold digger. Yet it is clear that his wife Martha “was the right hand, support and influence of America’s greatest founding father. With her wealth, she helped George Washington further his Mount Vernon into one of the finest and most famous plantations in Virginia.” Born Martha Dandridge, she grew up as the daughter of a wealthy tobacco planter, John. She had private tutors for schooling, attentive servants, and even horses to ride. “Martha’s status grew…leaving an estate that made her the wealthiest widow in Virginia.” <ref As great as a leader that George was, he could not do it without Martha. “It was Martha’s money that promoted George Washington’s, and therefore, America’s cause.”

Thomas Jefferson

“In the small world of colonial Virginia, it seemed unlikely to people who kept track of such things that young Thomas would ever marry into a family as highly regarded as the Wayleses.” Martha’s father, John Wayles was a lawyer, a land speculator, and even a slave trader. His estate near Williamsburg called “The Forest,” was among the biggest and most productive in all of Virginia. Furthermore, Martha became a widow at the age of 20.

James Madison

James’ wife, Dolley, grew up in a poor Quaker family, but married John Todd, Jr. at the age of 22. Just three years she became a widow. “Dolley’s inheritance from her late husband allowed her to live comfortably…”

James Monroe

James’ wife’s, Elizabeth, the Kortrights, were among the first settlers in New York after it was established as a colony. Her lineage became wealthy merchants over time and established the colony’s first upper class. By the time she arrived along the Kortright line, she had the beauty and wealth to be “regarded as not only the most beautiful but also one of the most accomplished belles of New York society.”

William Henry Harrison

Anna Symmes was born to Colonel John Cleves Symmes, who was among the most important men in the territory, later to become Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and he was well-known, at least by reputation. After the Revolutionary War ended, Symmes “served in the Continental Congress, where he made a connection that allowed him to buy a of land in present-day Ohio and to obtain a judgeship there.” Historian Bill Harris writes of William Henry Harrison’s courtship previous to Anna, “There had been some gossip making the rounds about this young man who had previously courted another girl whose money seemed to interest him more than her charms, and more important, his financial future didn’t look too bright.”

John Tyler

John Tyler and Letitia Christian met when they were both eighteen years old. He had just finished undergraduate schooling at the College of William and Mary, and there was love at first sight. “There was no question that they were attracted to one another, but there were no visible sparks apart from John’s subsequent proposal of marriage.” Robert Christian, Letitia’s father, did approve of the marriage, but would not bless it. He instructed the two that his blessing would come if they were still interested in getting married after five years. During this time, John continued in his service as a member of the Virginia legislature and went on to become a member of the United States House of Representatives. But Letitia would not follow him to Washington. Instead, she worked at her inherited parent’s plantation when the two passed, not long after her wedding. In September 1842, Letitia died, while John held the office of the presidency. Twenty-one months later, John married Julia Gardiner, who was regarded as one of New York City’s up-and-coming stars. “Julia and her sister were raised in an atmosphere of bottomless wealth and privilege. Not only was their father’s family at the very top of New York’s upper crust, but their mother was heir to an unusually large fortune as well.”

James K. Polk

 “That girl is wealthy, pretty, ambitious, and intelligent.” –Andrew Jackson’s
response to James Polk when asked what he thought of Sarah.

Sarah Childress was born into wealth. It would be an understatement to say that her childhood was a privileged one. Her father moved from Virginia in his early 20’s to Tennessee, where he became a wealthy planter, owning a tavern, general store, and more land than any person in the region.

James Buchanan

Although James Buchanan was the first elected bachelor to the office of the presidency, he sought after women. Ann Coleman “was practically the girl next door, and her father, who owned an iron mine and was repute to be the richest man in Pennsylvania, had emigrated from the same county in Ireland as James’s own father. It seemed to be a perfect match.” The two were seen everywhere together during their courtship in the summer of 1819, but when rumors spread that James was only in it for Ann’s father’s money, Ann broke off the engagement because she believed them to be true.

Abraham Lincoln

Mary Todd “was part of a wealthy family that ranked high in local society, but because of the way her sisters had treated her over her choice of a husband, she pointedly avoided going to the Edwards house, where she had spent so many happy hours socializing with the elite of Springfield.”

Harry Truman

Although it is true that Bess and Harry met at Sunday school when they were 5 and 6 years old, respectively, it didn’t bother Harry that Bess was born into wealth. In fact, Peters’ Law reached further back into Bess’ life; her father, David Willock Wallace married the daughter of the richest man in Independence, Missouri.

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Lady Bird Johnson’s, father, Thomas Jefferson Taylor, owned more than in Texas, and was the wealthiest man in the county. Her father was rich, and he was more than generous as far as she was concerned. When money became scarce for the Johnson’s early in their marriage, Lady Bird asked her father for $10,000 so Lyndon could run for Congress. He obliged and Johnson ended up winning the seat. In 1942, Lady Bird bought a small radio station with a small inheritance from her mother’s death and money that her father gave her, totaling $41,000. Twenty years later, KTBC became a multimillion dollar radio and television enterprise known as LBJ Holding Company.

Presidential Candidates

John McCain

More recently, in the 2008 presidential election, the Republican nominee John McCain (senator from Arizona) married Cindy Hensley in 1980. In 2007, Cindy made $4.1 million dollars. During the campaign run in 2008, “[John] McCain lent his campaign $169,000, money that came from Cindy's trust fund.”

Discovery

   The discovery of Peters’ Law occurred at Biola University.  Dr. C. David Peters teaches political science at Biola University, a private Christian University located in Southern California.
   His education consists of a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma (1964), an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma (1966), and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma (1977).

Dr. Peters specializes in Political Science and Public Administration with an emphasis in the public sector. He has taught at Biola for 42 years. He has been elected to six four-year terms on the La Mirada City Council and served as Mayor six times. Dr. Peters has published articles: Methods of Building & Running a Theater, A City Dealing with Tax Cut Measures, The Use of Xeriscape to Conserve Water, How One City in LA County Deals with Gangs, etc. Dr. Peters enjoys reading, gardening, physical exercise and travel.

References

• “My Heart Is In the Cause”
• Harris, B (2005). ‘ ‘The First Ladies Fact Book’ ‘, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc.
• Biola University