[Ads-l] Antedating of "First Lady" (OED Sense 2)

[James Landau]

On  Thu, 1 Dec 2022 23:40:06 Zone + 0000  "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU> posted: >>First Lady (OED, 2., 1870)
>>1861 _Courier-Journal_ (Louisville) 27 Aug. 4/1 (Newspapers.com)  We are expecting Mrs. Lincoln here this week on her way to Long Branch. ... Our first lady will not suffer in the world's eye, because she is kind and courteous.
>>Fred Shapiro

The Courier-Journal did not come into existence until 1868, when the Louisville Morning Courer and the Louisville Morning Journal were merged.
As a native of Louisville, I do not recognize the place name "Long Branch".
Numerous sources say that President Buchanan's niece Harriet Lane was "First Lady" for her bachelor uncle, who was President from 1857 to 1861/.  
James Landau
jjjrlandau at netscape.com

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