Harding, Florence Kling (1860-1924), was the wife of Warren G. Harding , who served as president of the United States from 1921 to 1923. Mrs. Harding had a dominant personality and played a leading role in persuading Harding to run for president. At the time of his presidential campaign, Harding was a member of the United States Senate. He said he much preferred the Senate to the presidency.
Mrs. Harding, whose maiden name was Florence Mabel Kling, was born in Marion, Ohio, on Aug. 15, 1860. Her father was a wealthy businessman. Florence enjoyed music and attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for a time. In March 1880, she eloped with Henry De Wolfe. A child, called Marshall, was born to the couple in September of that year. De Wolfe abandoned Florence and the child in 1882, and Florence divorced him in 1886. She made a living by giving piano lessons. Her parents took care of Marshall.
Florence Kling met Warren Harding in the late 1880’s. He was a newspaper publisher at the time. The couple married on July 8, 1891. Florence and Warren Harding had no children.
Florence Harding helped her husband make his newspaper, the Marion Star, a profitable business. In 1914, she urged him to run for the United States Senate, and he won. Mrs. Harding also helped persuade him to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 1920. Harding won the nomination in June and was elected president of the United States in November.
As first lady, Mrs. Harding often expressed her opinion on issues of the day and urged her husband to act on her proposals. She played an active role in White House social events and greeted as many White House visitors as security would allow. Women throughout the United States were given the right to vote in 1920, and Mrs. Harding became the first wife of a president who could vote for her husband.
President Harding died in August 1923, before his term ended. Mrs. Harding died on Nov. 21, 1924.
