President Woodrow Wilson served 2 terms in the White House. His first wife, Ellen, passed away of kidney failure in 1914, during the President’s first term in office. While Wilson notably grieved his loss, by the end of 1915 he was remarried to Southern widow Edith Bolling. This President’s time in the White House was marked by several notable dramas, including his regressive thinking about segregation and the entry into WWI.
Davie, the Airedale Terrier, was rumored to be one of the Wilsons’ pets during their time in the White House. Airedale terriers became remarkably popular in that time period, as Davie was followed by Harding’s Laddie Boy – who was then followed by Coolidge’s Paul Pry.
Davie was apparently a very well behaved pet as he made little press during his time with the family. Some historians claim that Wilson had no dogs in the White House, however a 1916 photo of Davie seems to prove otherwise. Still others say that Davie was a Wilson before the Presidency.
While there may be some confusion as to exactly when Davie lived with President Wilson, there is no doubt that he did and was much loved by the family.
