Presidential Ties and Tidewater Roots

   By Tiffany Amber Stockton

We made it! My daughter and I attended the 100th anniversary of the first official Pony Penning Day on Chincoteague Island the last week of July. Although I grew up about 2 hours from the island and attended this more than once, it's always a delight to watch, and especially fun seeing it through the eyes of my 16yo daughter. If you missed last month's post detailing the history of this event, you can view it here.

A fascinating encounter that took place that week was discovering a family connection to the captain of the boat we rode for our sunset cruise around Chincoteague and Assateague. Our grandmothers were both Jesters, and since we knew they weren't sisters, we figured they were cousins. I'll be adding that mention in my upcoming book series set on Chincoteague (release date TBD).

Speaking of family connections, I thought it might be fun to go back to the father-in-law of that grandmother, and his connection to "American Royalty."

Tracing Family Through Edith Bolling Galt Wilson

Family stories often start as whispers, passed down over supper tables, tucked between photo albums, or told with a wink before bedtime. In my case, one of those whispers involved a cousin who became First Lady of the United States. According to some, she also ran the country during a critical moment in history. Her name? Edith Bolling Galt Wilson.

It wasn’t until I began researching my family roots that the puzzle pieces began fitting together in surprising ways. One piece led me back to my great-grandfather, who once shipped clams and oysters from Chincoteague Island to the White House during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency. Another piece led to Edith.

A Cousin by Marriage—and a Quiet Leader in the White House

Edith Bolling was born in 1872 in Wytheville, Virginia, a descendant of colonial aristocracy with deep Southern roots. Her life entered our family history in 1895, when she visited her sister in Washington, D.C., and met Norman Galt. He's my great-grandfather’s first cousin, and he owned the prestigious Galt & Bro. Jewelers, established in 1802.

Their marriage in 1896 tied our family to elite Washington society, but after Norman’s sudden death in 1908, Edith showed remarkable fortitude. She personally selected a capable manager to continue the jewelry business. Thanks to that foresight, she helped sustain the Galt legacy and kept the doors open to Washington’s most influential clientele.

But Edith’s legacy was only beginning. In 1914, she met a widowed President Woodrow Wilson. They shared mutual intellect as well as grief in losing a spouse. As a result, their bond quickly deepened, and they married in 1915. Just four years later, when a stroke left the president partially paralyzed, Edith quietly stepped into the background of American history.

Driven by Devotion

Though some dubbed her “the secret president,” Edith rejected any titles. Instead, she described her role as “a stewardship,” overseeing routine duties, protecting her husband’s health, and determining which matters deserved his attention. She didn't make any attempt to assume power or rewrite policy. She simply stood by her husband’s side with unwavering love, and remarkable grit.

A 2013 commemorative $10 gold coin from the U.S. Mint beautifully captures that image. One side features a sculpted likeness of Edith. The other shows her hand resting atop her husband's, steadying his cane. Such a simple symbol of strength and shared burden. And it's one I’d love to add to our family’s keepsake collection.

From Tidewaters to Washington, D.C.

Growing up, I always loved hearing Edith's story. Digging deeper into my mother’s side of the family, though, led me to how that story also touched the small seaside town of Chincoteague, where hardworking folks like my great-grandfather once helped feed a president.

These days, Chincoteague Island remains a vivid part of my heritage. It’s where stories come alive in salty sea air and oyster beds. I still feel the pull of generations before me. Strong, resilient, and deeply rooted in both the soil and the soul of the Eastern Shore.

Why It Still Matters

In our world of shifting trends and fleeting fame, there’s something grounding about knowing where you come from and who your people were. Edith Bolling Galt Wilson wasn’t just a First Lady. She was family. Her story, along with the others I continue to uncover, reminds me that we all carry a bit of history within us.

So here’s to the cousins, the clams, the coins, and the quiet strength of those who came before us.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Have you ever uncovered a surprising or notable figure in your own family tree? If so, what stories or legacies have you learned from them?

* What part of your family’s history feels most "alive" to you, whether through stories, heirlooms, or local ties?

* If you could sit down for coffee with one ancestor, who would it be, and what would you ask them?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below.

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help them just get rooted and live a life of purpose.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, two dogs, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Gault & Galt: A Family Legacy

 By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Only 1 more month until the festivities surrounding the 100th annual Pony Penning Day celebrations, but I'll cover that in July. :) Actually, the famous fair is having a special allowance this year and will be open every weekend during both June and July. I recently shared some family history with my daughter, and that set me to thinking about family legacy.

If you missed last month's post about the Beebe family legacy on Chincoteague, you can view it here.

When History Gets Personal

When I was a little girl, my mom read me the beloved classic Misty of Chincoteague. I was completely captivated—wild ponies, island adventures, brave kids. But the best part? My mom didn’t stop at the story. She followed it up with tales of her own childhood and how her dad actually knew Grandpa Beebe, Paul, and Maureen. Then she pulled out a photo—a real picture—of her standing next to Misty. The Misty.

To little me, it was like finding out my mom and grandfather were local celebrities. In my eyes, they kind of were.

But let’s rewind a bit. Way back to 1919, when my grandfather—Pop-pop, as I called him—was born on Chincoteague Island. His parents, Daniel W. Gault, Sr. and Carrie Jester Gault, each brought a child from previous marriages, and together they had seven more. Pop-pop was the first of those seven. A big, bustling family.

In 1925, when Pop-pop was just six years old, the very first official Pony Penning Day took place. I love imagining him as a little boy, heart racing as he ran toward the beach, waiting for the moment when the saltwater cowboys would herd the wild ponies across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague for the big auction. That tradition still lives on today, but for him—it was just part of growing up.

The Great Depression hit everyone hard, and my family was no exception. My mom used to tell me how Pop-pop’s father, my great-grandfather, would get creative just to keep the family going. He’d cut up old car tires to use the rubber for resoling shoes. Can you imagine? That kind of grit always stuck with me. By age 13, Pop-pop was already cutting hair in his dad’s barbershop to help make ends meet.

He graduated from high school in 1937, and not long after, the family sold the island barbershop and moved to Washington, D.C. That’s where he met my grandmother, Esther Mae Seiple. They got married after he returned from serving in the Army for five years stationed in the Panama Canal during WWII. After the war, he joined his father once again, this time at the “Father & Son Barber Shop” on Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps from Capitol Hill.

And let me tell you, their client list was impressive. Senators, congressmen, and D.C.’s elite sat in their chairs. It ran in the family, apparently. Another branch of our family, the Galts (spelled without the “u”), owned Galt & Bro., Inc. Jewelers. That shop served U.S. presidents and opened in 1802, right near the White House. The stories that came out of that business—like fixing Abraham Lincoln’s watch during the first shots at Fort Sumpter, or Edith Galt marrying President Woodrow Wilson—could fill an entire book. Maybe that can be my next project.

 

But back to Pop-pop.

Around 1952, not long after Congress opened a barbershop in the Capitol basement, my great-grandfather retired and moved back to Chincoteague. That left Pop-pop running the D.C. shop on his own. He kept it going until 1966 when Safeway bought out the block for a new loading dock. That’s when he, my grandmother, and my mom (who was born in 1950) packed up and moved to Suitland, Maryland.

He rented a chair in a barbershop in Fairfax Village, and that’s where my older brother had his very first haircut. Pop-pop stayed there, cutting hair and telling stories, until 1979 when he returned to his roots on Chincoteague Island. He took over a barbershop there and moved into a little apartment across the street.

That apartment became special to me. I can still picture myself sitting on his knee, spinning wild tales about my brother and me being in some sort of danger, and Pop-pop swooping in to save the day. What can I say? I’ve always been a storyteller...even at age four. :)

Sadly, our time together didn’t last as long as I wish it had. Pop-pop passed away from a heart attack in 1983. I was only seven. But the stories, the history, and the legacy we shared have stayed with me ever since.

And now, through this blog and the books I’m currently writing, his story lives on.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Do you have a family story that connects you to a famous place, person, or moment in history? Share how your family’s past has shaped your perspective or inspired you.

* What childhood memory or family tradition still sticks with you today, and why? Whether it’s a holiday ritual, a special person, or a place you visited, we’d love to hear about it.

* Have you ever felt a personal connection to a book or story that tied into your real life? Maybe like me with Misty of Chincoteague, a fictional tale suddenly felt real. What is it?

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below.

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

---

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help them get rooted and live a life of purpose.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, three dogs, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Galt & Bro. Jeweler's - A Glittering Legacy

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, I shared about the Delaware's State Fair and the history of fairs throughout the "First State." If you missed that post, you can read it here: https://www.hhhistory.com/2019/02/the-first-states-first-state-fair-book.html.

Just last night, I was chatting with a friend about shared commonalities from living around the Chesapeake Bay for a time. We reminisced about places we visited, and in a part of that conversation, I shared about my family's ties to Washington, D.C., as well as some of the elite, including several presidents. Here's a little glimpse of my personal family history as seen through the eyes of one of the oldest and continuously operated jewelry stores in the nation.

* * * * *

A Glittering Legacy

stamp on brown paper showing opening date
also etched on all packages delivered from the shop

George Washington didn't sleep here, but Abraham Lincoln shopped here.

So did Jefferson Davis and Alexander Graham Bell, J. Edgar Hoover and John F. Kennedy, and practically every well-heeled luminary who has passed through Washington, D.C., over the past 200 years.

In 1802, James Galt (a cousin of mine many times removed) opened his "clock and watch" business on the promise that he would "keep a few good watches and material for sale at reasonable prices." Sadly, in 2001, the store was forced to close its doors, but 200 years in continuous operation is quite impressive! Now, the Galt & Bro. legacy continues as Galt Couture!

1107 Pennsylvania Ave. storefront

Throughout its many years in business, leather-bound store ledgers documented the visits and recorded the accounts of people like "Hon. Abraham Lincoln," as well as the "Hon. Jefferson Davis," who in 1860 purchased charms, buttons, shawl pins, and a gold thimble, and "Gen. Ulysses S. Grant," who six years later purchased two butter knives and a sugar tong. These hand-written ledgers and yellowed customer cards became much more of a treasure than the Gorham silver or diamond-and-pearl adornments rumored to be quite favored by Mary Todd Lincoln...a woman whose much-criticized obsession with spending was documented in faded script in the ledgers.

Among some of these hand-written items are customer cards of "Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt," and "Mrs. Wm. H. Taft," and a copy of Washington's first phone directory -- a single page from 1878 with "Galt" as the only name listed under "Jeweler." How amazing is that? To be the only jeweler in the city and to boast a clientele that can only be described as city's elite!

interior of Galt & Bros. Jewelry

The shop reflected its posh patronage too. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, oriental carpets muffled footsteps, and heavy, ice-blue damask curtains blocked the sun, while a massive grandfather clock stood sentry. This place was much more than a jewelry store. Other inventory items included silver keychains, leather watchbands, linen napkins and tablecloths, a grand silver tea service, and a commemorative Bicentennial plate, added in 1976 (the year I was born).

Although I never stepped inside the shop when it was open, I do know the last Galt to operate the business was Norman Galt, whose wife, Edith Bolling Galt, inherited it upon his death and went on to become the wife of President Woodrow Wilson. I wrote a post a couple years ago about this, as she was my grandfather's first cousin on my mother's side.

Galt & Bros. storefront at 1107 Pennsylvania Ave.
(photo copyright Alamy)

Considering the notable list of names who frequented this shop, it's no surprise to also learn the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Washington Historical Society are all itching to inherit the Galt archives.

After 200 years in Washington, that's a pretty amazing legacy. One of these years, I intend to write a series focusing on this jewelry store and the people who were patrons and customers. It will be exciting to research not only the story but my own family's history too. Washington, D.C. elite in the 1800s and 1900s. Sounds like fun to me!!

* * * * *

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Do you have any notable names or stories like this in YOUR family history?

* What item or type of item would entice you to shop at Galt & Bros. if you were in Washington, D.C. during its years of operation?

* What was your favorite part about today's post?

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. On the side, she dabbles in the health & wellness and personal development industry, helping others become their best from the inside out.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and two dogs in Colorado. She has sold twenty (21) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, GoodReads, and LinkedIn

Marrying the President of the United States

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, the story of how my great-grandfather came to be sending clams and oysters to the White House during President Wilson's presidency received featured recognition here.

If you missed last month's post, you can view it here: http://www.hhhistory.com/2016/07/clams-and-oysters-in-white-house.html.

This month, I'll be delving further into my great-grandfather's 1st cousin by marriage, Edith Bolling Galt, the woman responsible for my White House connections. *grins*

EDITH BOLLING GALT WILSON -- 1st Lady and Washington Elite Society member

Edith
Bolling
Galt
Wilson

Edith Bolling Galt Wilson

I grew up hearing stories of my great-grandfather's 1st cousin and how I was loosely connected to United States "royalty." So much of that part of my family seemed like nothing more than an entertaining bedtime story. That is, until I went to college with a minor in history and became an author of historical fiction just six years after graduation. Details left out or forgotten in my childhood mind became somewhat of a passion for me.

It wasn't until recently, with the research associated with the series I'm pitching that's set on Chincoteague Island, that I realized just how fascinating my family history is on my mother's side of the family. My father's might be fascinating as well but with so many deaths during World War I and the Influenza Epidemic, specifics and details are quite difficult to find. I won't give up, though. For now, it's the family history I can research a bit more easily.

Galt & Bro. Jewelers

Edith Bolling was a descendant of Virginia aristocracy, so it's only natural that she remained immersed in elite society, wherever her life took her. She was born the 7th of 11th children in Wytheville in 1872. Her life intersected with my family history in 1895 when she visited one of her married sisters in Washington and met a businessman named Norman Galt (my great-grandfather's 1st cousin), who was the current owner of Galt & Bro. Jewelers, established in 1802.

Edith and Norman married in 1896 and she lived happily for 12 years. In 1908, Norman died unexpectedly, but Edith Galt chose a fantastic manager who operated the family's jewelry firm with financial success, giving her a good dose of added business sense which would serve her well for what was to come. Her shrewd decision is what helped that business continue serving the elite members of Washington society and politicians for 200 years, leading it to be Washington's oldest established business in the District.

President Woodrow Wilson &
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson

Edith & Woodrow Wilson
Valentine depiction

By a quirk of fate and a chain of friendships, Edith met the bereaved President Wilson in 1914, just 8 months after his beloved wife's passing. The president was still mourning profoundly for his first wife, but he took an instant liking to Edith, and that soon changed to love. Unlike Wilson's first wife who was shy and avoided politics, Edith shared Wilson's passion, leading to a whirlwind courtship and marriage. When he proposed, he said "in this place, time is not measured by weeks, or months, or years, but by deep human experiences..." They were married privately on December 18, 1915, at her home.

Remember, I mentioned above how Edith was descended from Virginia aristocracy? Well, that family legacy, upbringing, and culture prepared her quite well for the role of hostess as the new First Lady. Unfortunately, the war in Europe overshadowed just about everything else. Edith jumped right in and became a true helpmate to the President, working hard to keep him fit under tremendous strain.

President Woodrow Wilson

When a stroke left the President partly paralyzed in September 1919, this is where Edith stepped into her chosen role as First Lady and gained unusual significance through her hard work and support of her husband. Legend has labeled Edith as a "secret president" or even the "first woman to run the U.S. government." But according to Edith, considered her work as her "stewardship."

Edith Galt Wilson walking confidently
with her husband and security detail

She didn't try to control the executive branch, initiate programs, or make major decisions. She merely took over many routine duties and details, selected matters for her husband's attention, and let everything else go to the heads of departments or remain in abeyance. Everything she did was in full partnership with her husband, and it was done out of her deep and abiding love for him. I can only imagine how I'd handle such a responsibility! That oft-spoken inspirational quote, "God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called" runs through my mind right now. Oh, to have been able to sit down and talk with Edith after her time as First Lady passed.

In 1921, the Wilsons retired to a comfortable home in Washington, where he died three years later. A highly respected figure in the society of the capital, Mrs. Wilson lived on to ride in President Kennedy's inaugural parade. She died later in 1961: on December 28, the anniversary of her famous husband's birth.

front face of $10 gold coin

rear face of $10 gold coin

I mentioned this last month, but as I featured Edith more thoroughly this month, I felt it bore mentioning again.

There was a $10 gold coin struck in the U.S. Mint at West Point commemorating Edith Wilson's time as First Lady. It was released in 2013, but uncirculated. The front is a replica of a sculpting done of Edith, and the back symbolizes Edith's support of President Wilson following his stroke. Her hand is resting atop his as he holds his cane.

I just love the symbolism of that image depicted. It would be an amazing keepsake to add to my heirloom and legacy collection, wouldn't you agree? With my 40th birthday coming in just 3 weeks, I'm going to try hard to find it for a birthday present. Will update you in next month's post.


NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Do you have anything that has been passed down to you along the family line from generation to generation? What is it, and why is it so special?

* What would YOU have done in Edith's shoes as First Lady with the President partly paralyzed following a stroke?

* Select one unique fact from the post above that stood out to you and share why it appealed to you.

Leave answers to these questions or any comments on the post below. Next month, I'll be returning to the stories and history on Chincoteague Island. Come back on the 9th of September to find out more.

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the anti-aging and personal development industry, helping others become their best from the inside out.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, and a Retriever mix named Roxie. She has sold twenty (21) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.