Freak shows have a tangled past, offering both a stepping‑stone to independence and a trap of exploitation for the human curiosities who made the stages their homes. Some performers leveraged their striking differences to carve out a livelihood and a degree of freedom that would have otherwise been impossible, while others were reduced to property, bought and sold for the profit of their “owners.” Women, in particular, were often shackled by managers who married them to cement control, turning the performers into little more than captive attractions.

In recent decades, the word “freak” has been reclaimed, and many bearded ladies now run their own shows, using the internet to broadcast their stories and talents on their terms. Today, a bearded lady can be a symbol of gender‑bending confidence, a self‑made entrepreneur, and a performer who decides when and how to appear. The stage has shifted from a place of exploitation to one of empowerment, and there’s nothing hotter than a bearded woman who owns her narrative.

10 Helena Antonia

Historical records on Helena Antonia are scarce, yet her presence in the 1500s court of Holy Roman Empress Maria of Austria guarantees her a spot on this list. This enigmatic bearded dwarf was deemed valuable enough to be painted as a courtly figure, a rarity for anyone with such a distinctive appearance.

The portrait shows her dressed in the feminine fashions of the era, her full, dark beard unmistakable. Whether she was embraced as a fully fledged lady of the court or relegated to a jester‑like role remains a mystery, as does her personal perspective on her status.

All that survives is the portrait itself, a silent testament to a woman who lived at the crossroads of curiosity and royalty.

9 Julia Pastrana

Julia Pastrana’s tale is perhaps the most tragic chapter in the annals of show business. Born in 1834 in Mexico, she was labeled the “ape woman,” “bear woman,” and even the “ugliest woman in the world” because of her pronounced hypertrichosis and gingival hyperplasia, which gave her a thick, furry visage and protruding gums.

Despite these cruel monikers, Julia was a remarkably gifted individual. She was trilingual, could dance, and sang opera with remarkable skill. After being rescued from a Mexican orphanage by the governor of Sinaloa, she was whisked to New York to perform, quickly securing a manager and embarking on a world‑tour.

Her six‑year stint as the anti‑belle of the ball was marked by astonishing talent that shone even brighter against the backdrop of public prejudice. She married her manager, became pregnant, and gave birth to a child who inherited her condition but died shortly after. Tragically, Julia herself died five days later from complications related to childbirth at just 26. Her husband then turned their bodies into taxidermied exhibits, treating them as museum curiosities rather than human beings.

8 Josephine Clofullia

Born Josephine Boisdechen in 1831 Switzerland, she was covered in hair from birth and sported a full beard by the age of two. Uncertain how to raise such a child, her parents sent her to boarding school, where both her education and her beard flourished.

She began exhibiting alongside her father, who acted as her agent. During her travels she met Fortune Clofullia, a heavily bearded man, and the two wed. Their family grew when a second son survived infancy, inheriting a full beard of his own. Josephine and her husband joined P.T. Barnum’s troupe, showcasing their hirsute family.

Josephine’s fame surged when a court case alleged she was actually male. Three physicians testified, confirming her womanhood, and she was cleared of fraud. Though later years of her life have faded from the record, it’s safe to say she avoided the grim fate that befell Julia Pastrana.

7 Annie Jones

Annie Jones entered the world in 1865, already sporting a nascent beard visible in the womb. By a little over a year old, she earned the nickname “Infant Esau” and was exhibited by P.T. Barnum for a weekly salary of $150 – a fortune at the time.

Her mother moved to New York to support the venture, but a family emergency forced a return to Virginia. While there, a local phrenologist abducted Annie; she was later rescued in upstate New York, after which her mother never left her side again.

Transitioning from the “Infant Esau” to the “Esau Lady,” Annie toured the globe as a professional performer. She became an accomplished musician and grew her hair to a staggering 1.8 meters (6 feet). Annie married twice and died at 37, leaving behind photographs that capture a refined, well‑dressed woman with a luxuriously groomed beard.

6 Clementine Delait

Clementine Delait, a Frenchwoman from Lorraine, proudly displayed a double‑plumed beard from her teenage years. Married to a baker, she ran a café that soon became a local curiosity.

Initially, she shaved her beard, but after spotting another bearded woman, she challenged her husband to a contest: she would grow a superior beard. The wager turned the café into a tourist magnet, eventually renamed “Café of the Bearded Woman.” In 1904, she secured official permission to wear men’s clothing, though she preferred cycling in a skirt.

Clementine was a devoted wife and mother to an adopted child. Though she could not write herself, she dictated memoirs and expressed a wish to be buried with the inscription, “Here lies Clementine Delait, the bearded lady.”

5 Jane Barnell

Jane Barnell earned lasting fame as a bearded lady in the 1932 cult classic Freaks. Her early life was tumultuous: at four, her mother sold her to a circus while her father was away on business. The troupe soon traveled to Europe, and when Jane fell ill, she was abandoned in a German orphanage.

Her father eventually rescued her at age five. As an adult, Jane returned to the circus world, boasting the longest beard among bearded women of her era – a full 33 centimeters (13 inches). She performed under the monikers Lady Olga, Madame Olga, and Lady Olga Roderick, dazzling audiences on the trapeze until a railroad accident forced her retirement from that act.

Afterward, she pivoted to commercial photography. Jane married several times, outlived two children, and expressed disappointment with how Freaks portrayed its subjects.

4 Vivian Wheeler

Born in 1948, Vivian Wheeler entered the world intersex and later underwent surgeries to align her genitalia with traditional female anatomy. While her mother adored her, her father viewed her as a cash‑cow, pushing her into sideshow work from the tender age of five.

During tours, older bearded ladies mentored her, but at home she was forced to shave, a practice she despised. As she matured, she adopted the name Malinda Maxey, embraced her faith, and entered two marriages, also maintaining long‑term relationships with men.

Now retired, Vivian is the mother of a son she placed for adoption in her youth, later reconnecting with him on The Maury Povich Show. Her story underscores the complex interplay of identity, exploitation, and resilience.

3 Jennifer Miller

Jennifer Miller is a contemporary champion of the bearded lady identity. Unwilling to shave, she stepped away from mainstream expectations and forged her own path by founding Circus Amok, a traveling troupe where she stars as both performer and director.

Her artistry blends feminist activism, humor, and theatrical flair. By taking control of her own narrative, she reshapes the definition of beauty, proving that a beard can be a source of empowerment rather than shame.

2 Kore Bobisuthi

Kore Bobisuthi lives a seemingly ordinary life as a mother, yet she boasts a full, luxurious beard that she proudly showcases in beard‑contests traditionally dominated by men. Her beard’s vigor stems from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that fuels excess hair growth.

Despite her confidence, Kore endures constant harassment when she appears in public without shaving. For her, the issue isn’t the beard itself but the societal intolerance that permits men to assault a woman simply for her appearance.

1 Harnaam Kaur

Harnaam Kaur has turned her beard into a social media phenomenon. Suffering from PCOS, she sports a full beard and uses Instagram to showcase vibrant looks—bold lipstick, bright turbans, and lavish jewellery—celebrating her unique beauty.

She refuses to hide, instead amplifying her presence as a model and influencer. Harnaam’s journey from bullying victim to confident advocate illustrates how embracing one’s natural features can inspire countless others to defy conventional standards.

8 exceedingly eccentric personalities have left their indelible mark on England’s storied reputation for oddball behaviour. From black‑pudding breakfasts to courtroom wigs that hide more than just hair, the nation has cultivated a tradition of delightful absurdity. Below we meet the most memorable characters who embody that quirky spirit.

Why 8 Exceedingly Eccentric Figures Matter

These ten individuals—eight men and two women—show us how far imagination can stretch when wealth, intellect, or sheer willpower is involved. Their stories range from bizarre art policies to ill‑fated hunts, and each one adds a colourful thread to the tapestry of British eccentricity.

10 John Ruskin—The Coy Wonder

All great tales of English quirks should kick off the way John Ruskin’s does—by noting that the famed art critic wed his own cousin in 1848, a fact that explains a great deal about the oddities that follow.

Ruskin’s brilliance as a writer and critic never translated into charm with women. He was openly repulsed by the female sex, and his marriage to Effie Gray remained unconsummated because he flat‑out refused. His disdain for women was so intense that when he founded the Ruskin School of Art in 1871, he barred students from ever sketching, painting, or sculpting nude female forms—yes, even in an art school.

9 William Beckford—Lord of ‘(fall)Downton Abbey’

This fellow was essentially a real‑life Ritchie Rich, inheriting a staggering £1 million in 1770 at the tender age of ten—adjusted for modern inflation that equates to a gazillion‑and‑a‑half US dollars and a few cents—plus several Jamaican sugar plantations and 1,600 enslaved Africans. With such wealth, Beckford quickly grew accustomed to the finest luxuries, becoming an avid art collector, a literary mind, and a collector of young male companions.

His true passion lay in gothic architecture, prompting him to commission the flamboyant Fonthill Abbey as a personal sanctuary for his relationship with his 11‑year‑old cousin, William Courtenay. Over six years, he employed 500 local labourers, kept them well‑supplied with beer, and oversaw the construction of a 300‑ft spire that famously snapped in half, only to be rebuilt seven years later. Beckford ultimately resided there with his sole attendant, a Spanish dwarf.

8 Mary Amelia ‘Emily Mary’ Cecil, Marchioness of Salisbury—Mistress of the Hunt Who Was Gone in a Flash

When people reach roughly their seventies, a curious transformation often occurs: the fashionable begin swapping haute couture for cozy sweaters, deck shoes, and thick spectacles. Imagine a 90‑year‑old punk rocker. The first Marchioness of Salisbury, however, refused to surrender to such gentle‑toned retirement.

She was a devoted sportswoman, passionately participating in fox‑hunting—a pastime shared by many aristocratic lords and ladies. Even into her seventies, she persisted, though failing eyesight and poor balance forced her to be tethered to her horse while leading the chase. Her most infamous trait was her unwavering devotion to the elaborate wigs that had once been the height of fashion. Tragically, this devotion led to her demise: while seated at her writing desk in the west wing of her manor, her massive wig caught fire from a candelabrum, igniting the house and ending her life. Only charred bones and a set of dentures were recovered from the eccentric octogenarian.

7 Henry Cavendish—Make It Rain‑Man

“The richest of all the savants and the most knowledgeable of all the rich,” French scientist Jean‑Baptiste Biot once described the Honourable Henry Cavendish, a man celebrated as one of the most influential experimental chemists of the eighteenth century.

His achievements are staggering: he devised numerous astronomical instruments, uncovered the chemical composition of both air and water, calculated electrical resistance decades before Georg Ohm, and anticipated the gravitational bending of light a century before Einstein. Perhaps most astonishingly, he computed Earth’s mass with such precision that modern measurements have only required minute adjustments. Cavendish was also notoriously reclusive and oblivious to monetary value; when a household staff member fell ill and colleagues organized a collection, he absent‑mindedly pledged £10,000—a sum that would be astronomical today.

6 Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt‑Wilson, Lord Berners—Typifier of the Bizarre

Consider this logic: a cute spaniel thrown into water instinctively swims; therefore, tossing the same spaniel out of a window should produce a comparable result. That, allegedly, is exactly what the young Lord Berners attempted at his family estate—though the outcome remains undocumented.

Lord Berners grew up as a peculiar child and remained just as eccentric in adulthood. He tailored his meals to match his mood’s colour—imagine a green‑themed menu of asparagus soup, mixed leaves, peas, and a kiwi fool. In 1935, he erected a folly tower on his Oxfordshire estate, despite local planners’ objections; the tower bore a warning sign stating, “Members of the public committing suicide from this tower do so at their own risk.”

Berners delighted in practical jokes, often dressing in outlandish attire and leaning out train windows to invite strangers to sit with him—few obliged. Those who did quickly fled after discovering his habit of checking his temperature every few minutes with a rectal thermometer. His epitaph reads, “Here lies Lord Berners / One of the learners / His great love of learning / May earn him a burning / But, Praise the Lord! / He seldom was bored.”

5 David James, MP for Brighton Kemptown—In Search of Nessie…and His Seat in Parliament

I truly wish the Loch Ness Monster were real—alongside UFOs, Bigfoot, and guardian angels (the benevolent kind, not the vigilante New York types). One fellow who shared this longing was David James, the MP for Brighton Kemptown. Unlike me, James actually believed in Nessie and set out on a three‑week expedition to locate the cryptid.

In the 1964 general election, James lost his seat to a Labour challenger—the first time his constituency had flipped. While most politicians would knock on doors, attend debates, and kiss babies to secure votes, James pursued a far more eccentric agenda: a quest for Scotland’s most elusive aquatic dinosaur. Unsurprisingly, his plan yielded no sightings, but it remains a testament to his uniquely odd priorities.

4 Admiral Algernon Charles Fieschi Henage—Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness, Sloppiness Gets You Punished

Admiral Henage earned reverence and a knighthood in the Order of the Bath after retiring from what many consider the world’s most powerful navy. While one might assume daily gun drills or flawless supply lines underpinned Britain’s maritime dominance, Henage believed the real weapon was immaculate ship hygiene.

He would patrol his vessels wearing pristine white kid gloves, accompanied by a coxswain who carried a fresh mound of gloves on a silver platter. He would glide his finger across every surface, hunting for any speck of grime. In Henage’s view, a single fleck of dirt could spell an officer’s downfall, and his obsessive cleanliness helped keep Britannia’s fleet unrivaled.

3 Lady Diana Cooper—Beyond Leisure

One could write an entire tome about Lady Diana Cooper, the glamorous socialite, muse to Evelyn Waugh, and often hailed as “the most beautiful girl in the world.” Yet we’ll focus on two particularly eccentric episodes that highlight her singular flair.

During World War II, Cooper conceived a bold scheme to shield London from nightly bombings: she suggested installing gigantic magnets throughout the city’s parks to deflect enemy aircraft. The War Office, however, never adopted her inventive plan. Another memorable moment occurred at a centennial celebration for Sir Robert Mayer. While mingling with the elite, Cooper chatted away with a splendidly dressed lady, only to realize she was actually the Queen. She promptly curtsied and apologised, “I’m terribly sorry, ma’am. I didn’t recognise you without your crown on.”

2 Justice Sir Melford Stevenson—A Terrifying Wit

We’ve already encountered a parade of quirky personalities, but imagine one whose courtroom presence could send shivers down a defendant’s spine. That was Justice Sir Melford Stevenson, notorious for his razor‑sharp, often inflammatory remarks.

He branded bookmakers a “bunch of crooks,” denounced Birmingham as a “municipal Gomorrah,” and, during a divorce hearing, called a man’s decision to reside in Manchester “wholly incomprehensible.” In 1945, Stevenson ran for Parliament, promising a spotless campaign free of any mention of his opponent Tom Driberg’s alleged homosexuality. Ironically, he now holds the dubious record for the most appellate overturns in a single day—three—remarking that many of his colleagues were “just constipated Methodists.”

1 Kenneth Cecil Gandar‑Dower—Not Quite the Sport of Kings

England boasts a proud lineage of multi‑sport athletes, both male and female, and none exemplify this more than Kenneth Cecil Gandar‑Dower. He excelled at cricket, mastered both Eton and Rugby variants of “fives,” and shone in tennis, squash, and billiards—a true all‑rounder.

Beyond sport, Gandar‑Dower was a globe‑trotting adventurer, pioneering aviator, and discoverer of uncharted territories for the Empire. Yet his most infamous venture was the invention of a ludicrous spectator sport: he attempted to pit cheetahs against greyhounds in a race, believing the swift felines could outpace the hounds. Unsurprisingly, the plan flopped—cheetahs are not trained racers and simply roamed West London, frightening locals who imagined hungry cheetahs hunting in the streets. Though the scheme faded, it remains a testament to his boundless, if misguided, imagination.

The role of the First Lady is a one‑of‑a‑kind gig. Every woman who’s slipped into this unofficial office has left her own imprint—whether she’s throwing lavish parties, calling press briefings, championing social causes, or quietly nudging presidents behind the curtains. Yet many of their most eyebrow‑raising moments remain tucked away. From riding a bicycle in a Chinese war zone to summoning spirits in the Red Room, and even being hinted at in murder mysteries, here are the top 10 surprising stories that make these ladies truly unforgettable.

Top 10 Surprising Highlights

10 Dolley Madison Had An Honorary Seat In Congress

Dolley Madison crafted the prototype for the modern First Lady, dazzling guests and tackling public concerns with poise. She campaigned alongside her husband, threw soirées with the single President Thomas Jefferson, helped fund the Lewis and Clark expedition, and famously rescued George Washington’s portrait as the British torched Washington, D.C., in 1814. She also holds the quirky distinction of being the first private citizen to dispatch a telegraph message.

In an astonishing twist, the 1840s saw Dolley granted an honorary seat on the House floor—an unprecedented privilege for a woman before suffrage existed. She could stroll into debates whenever she pleased, listening to lawmakers hash out policy. Today, only elected officials, their staff, and the President and Vice President may set foot on that hallowed ground. Congress even rallied around her later: after James Madison’s death in 1836, they paid her to publish his papers; when she fell into poverty a dozen years later, they awarded her the modern equivalent of over $700,000 to acquire more of his manuscripts. President Zachary Taylor is credited with coining the phrase “First Lady” in his eulogy for her, though the alternative “Presidentress” briefly flirted with popularity without sticking.

9 Lou Hoover Patrolled Her Home In China During The Boxer Rebellion

Lou Hoover was a whirlwind of energy—an avid horse rider, roller‑skater, nature lover, and polyglot fluent in five languages. After marrying geology classmate Herbert Hoover in 1899, the couple set sail for China. There, Lou quickly mastered Mandarin, a secret tongue the Hoovers would later use to converse privately in front of White House guests.

When the Boxer Rebellion erupted in 1900, targeting foreigners, Lou didn’t stay behind a desk. She tended to gunshot wounds, erected barricades, and rode her bicycle armed with a pistol, patrolling alongside Western troops. Later, she coordinated aid for refugees in London during World War I, championed Belgium’s cause, and helped launch the American Red Cross Canteen Escort Service to ferry wounded soldiers home. Her lifelong devotion to humanitarian work also saw her help found the Girl Scouts, while during the Great Depression she delivered regular radio broadcasts to keep the nation informed.

8 Mary Todd Lincoln Held Seances In The White House

After the Civil War’s staggering death toll—about three‑quarters of a million souls—grief ran rampant across the nation. Spiritualism surged, especially among the elite, promising contact with the departed. Mary Todd Lincoln suffered a cascade of personal losses: her mother, three children, and finally her husband. The death of her son Willie in 1862, at just eleven years old from typhoid fever, broke her heart most profoundly. President Lincoln honored Willie with a black ribbon on his hat, a somber reminder until his own assassination.

Desperate for solace, Mary enlisted the services of a group of mediums known as the Lauries, hoping to converse with Willie. She even hosted séances in the White House’s Red Room, with President Lincoln occasionally in attendance. In letters, she described nightly visits from Willie’s spirit, noting his familiar smile and comforting presence. She also consulted a spiritual photographer who claimed to capture a ghostly silhouette of Abraham Lincoln hovering over her. To this day, rumors persist that the spirits of Willie, his brother Eddie, and President Lincoln still linger within the White House walls.

7 Lucretia Garfield Nursed Her Husband Back To Health After An Assassination Attempt

The marriage of Lucretia and James Garfield was anything but a romantic fairy tale. James’ diaries reveal he found Lucretia dull, and she endured his infidelities, suspecting that duty rather than love motivated their union. Their early years saw them apart—he in the Union army, she managing family affairs. Yet adversity drew them closer. In 1881, Lucretia contracted a severe bout of malaria that nearly claimed her life, prompting James to shoulder more childcare responsibilities.

After a brief recovery, Lucretia traveled to the Jersey shore for fresh air, unaware that assassin Charles Guiteau was lying in wait at the train station, intending to kill President Garfield. Guiteau hesitated upon seeing Lucretia’s frail condition, fearing the trauma of witnessing a murder. Nevertheless, on July 2nd, Guiteau shot James. Lucretia rushed back to Washington, nursing her husband despite her own lingering illness. When James ultimately succumbed in September, she displayed stoic bravery. After his death, Congress attempted to double the pay of his male physician while offering less to the female doctor; Lucretia intervened, ensuring both doctors received equal $1,000 stipends.

6 Florence Harding Was Accused Of Murder

President Warren Harding’s untimely demise shocked the nation. At 58, he seemed vigorous, traveling the country on his “Voyage of Understanding.” While in Alaska, he grew exhausted and disoriented, fainting repeatedly on the return trip. Three days later, on August 2, 1923, he passed away in a San Francisco hotel while his wife, Florence, read to him. She told physicians he suffered a convulsion before death.

Speculation swirled: some blamed spoiled crab meat, others diagnosed severe pneumonia, and eventually a stroke was cited. Yet Florence’s behavior raised eyebrows—she embalmed him immediately, refused an autopsy, and destroyed numerous papers. A year after her husband’s death, retired FBI agent Gaston Means published a sensational book accusing Florence of murder to shield Harding’s legacy from scandal. The book proved largely fabricated; modern consensus points to a heart attack as the cause.

Top 10 Faux Pas Committed By US Presidents

5 Eleanor Roosevelt Forced Newspapers To Hire Female Reporters (And May Have Had An Affair With One)

Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of America’s most celebrated First Ladies and a towering advocate for women’s rights. Among her lesser‑known tactics, she demanded that only women be permitted into her press conferences. This bold move forced newspapers eager for access to hire female reporters, thereby opening doors for women in journalism across the nation. Throughout Franklin D. Roosevelt’s twelve‑year administration, she hosted 348 press events, initially focusing on domestic topics before expanding to deep political discussions and inviting notable guests, such as Soong Mei‑ling, wife of Chinese leader Chiang Kai‑shek.

One of those female journalists, Lorena Hickok, formed an especially close bond with Eleanor. Assigned to cover the First Lady in 1932, Hickok eventually moved into a suite next to Eleanor’s office. Their correspondence exploded with intimacy—Hickok once wrote, “I want to put my arms around you and kiss you at the corner of your mouth,” and Eleanor replied, “I ache to hold you close… Your ring comforts me, for I know you love me, or I would not wear it.” Their relationship endured throughout Eleanor’s life, hinting at a profound personal connection beyond professional collaboration.

4 Elizabeth Monroe Saved Lafayette’s Wife From Execution

Elizabeth Monroe wed future President James Monroe at the tender age of seventeen in 1786. After years of domestic life in Virginia, the couple accompanied James on diplomatic missions, landing in Paris in 1794 as the United States Minister to France during the tumult of the French Revolution. There, Elizabeth embraced European fashion and etiquette, earning the moniker “la belle Americaine” for her charm and elegance.

When the Revolution turned violent, the wife of the heroic Marquis de Lafayette—Adrienne de Noailles—found herself imprisoned and threatened with the guillotine. Elizabeth seized the initiative, insisting on a personal visit to the prison. Her bold, unofficial intervention signaled that the fledgling United States would not tolerate harm to Lafayette’s family. The visit proved decisive: Adrienne was ultimately released, sparing her from execution and cementing Elizabeth’s reputation as a diplomatic heroine.

3 Edith Bolling Wilson Ran The Country And Was Descended From Pocahontas

Edith Wilson stands out not only for her distinguished lineage—she was the great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑great‑granddaughter of Pocahontas, making her a direct descendant of the famed Native American figure—but also for the remarkable authority she wielded behind the scenes. Born into a once‑prominent Virginia family that fell into poverty after the Civil War, Edith’s early life was marked by social exclusion. She proudly highlighted her Pocahontas ancestry as a conversation starter, turning a genealogical footnote into a personal brand.

Her true political influence emerged after marrying President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. As World War I erupted, she gained access to classified war documents and served as an informal advisor in high‑level meetings. When Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919, Edith deftly managed the flow of information, telling the public her husband merely needed rest. She reviewed every memo, added her own notes, and even dismissed the Secretary of State for convening a cabinet meeting without Wilson’s approval. She also ordered the British ambassador to leave after he refused to fire a staffer who made a vulgar joke about her. For seventeen months, Edith effectively ran the executive branch, though she publicly insisted she never made presidential decisions.

2 Anna Harrison’s Packed Bags Never Made It

Anna Symmes first met William Henry Harrison during a visit to her sister in Kentucky, sparking an instant connection. Her father initially opposed the match because William, a career soldier, lacked a trade, but after a secret 1795 wedding, he relented. Anna quickly became a mother to ten children, raising them on the Indiana frontier while drawing on her coastal‑elite upbringing for education and refinement.

When William secured the presidency in 1840, Anna was still recovering from an illness and could not immediately join him in the capital. Their daughter‑in‑law, Jane Harrison, stepped in as acting hostess while Anna prepared for the journey. Tragically, before Anna could finish packing, President Harrison fell ill and died of pneumonia in April 1841, after just one month in office—the shortest presidential term ever. Congress granted Anna a pension equal to the president’s salary, and she lived on until age 88, witnessing the nation’s growth from the sidelines.

1 Mary Arthur McElroy Was An Anti‑Suffragette

After President Chester A. Arthur ascended to the White House following Garfield’s assassination, his beloved wife Ellen had already passed away in 1880. In her stead, Arthur’s younger sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, stepped forward during the “busy season” to serve as the official hostess, though she never received the formal title of First Lady. Her warm demeanor and adept event planning earned her acclaim among Washington’s social circles.

However, when the “off‑season” arrived and Mary returned to Albany, New York, she aligned herself with the Albany Association Opposed to Women’s Suffrage. This organization, active in the 1890s and again in 1915‑1917, championed the belief that women’s best contributions were within the home. Their pamphlets proclaimed, “There are still women enough left outside of the clique of female agitators, who believe that woman can always do her best work at home.” Suffragists retorted, “If a woman can always do her best work at home, why does the Anti‑Suffrage Association send Mrs. CranneI to conduct a political campaign hundreds of miles away from Albany?” The movement ultimately dissolved with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Top 10 Costly US Presidential Campaign Blunders

Imagine living in a time where bombs and missiles are always falling from the sky. The sounds of machine guns are heard every day plus explosions light up the night. You are in a war zone where every man and nation from all over the world is involved. These World War 2 women experienced this in the battlefields of Europe.

They were the pioneers of women being involved actively in the armies of the 20th century. These ladies were heroes in their own right some died in active duty leaving a celebrated legacy.

They took a weapon and went to the battlefield. These World War 2 women were brave and pioneer that cemented their legacy in history. They were heroes to their people and country. So let’s check out these women heroes of WWII, one by one. Because when you know them, you can know the impact they made on history.

10. Hannie Schaft

A Dutch resistance fighter commonly referred as the girl with the red hair that rebelled against the German occupation of her country, the Netherlands.

She was born in 16th September 1920; she was interested in politics from a young age. Therefore for her to pursue studies in law at the University of Amsterdam was the most logical thing to do.

In 1940 the Germans invaded forcing the Netherlands to surrender. But the Germans had a condition for all university students, that they sign an allegiance form to the Germans. Hannie Schaft and almost 80% of all the university students’ refused therefore they were not allowed to continue their studies.

When the Germans started targeting Dutch Jews, she sought to help them by giving them fake identities to have free movement. She mostly did courier work like transporting weapons and documents.

As she became more involved in the Dutch resistance the missions become more risky like assassinations and blowing up German positions. In one such assassination mission, she was with a fellow resistance fighter; they shot at their target when the Germans spotted them. They couldn’t make out who Hannie was but her red hair was visible. This was where the name, the girl with the red hair became her main characterization.

This eventually led for her to become a wanted person by the Germans.

To ensure that she doesn’t get caught she dyed her hair black and wore glasses. This disguise worked for a while but when she was caught in 1945 at a German checkpoint. She had a pistol and a banned socialist paper.

Schaft was later identified as the girl with the red hair. She was interrogated and tortured but didn’t provide any information to the Germans.

Eventually the Germans set out to execute her and on 17th April 1945 Dutch Nazi officials murdered her. Two men were assigned that task. One shot her only wounding her. She told him, “I shoot better!” this is where the other man delivered the final shot.

She was a great resistance figure to the Dutch that she is even commemorated to this day. A statue was erected in her honor. She’s among the iconic World War 2 women in the Netherlands.

9. Mariya Oktyabrskaya

Hell has no fury than a scorned woman. This best describes Mariya and how she found herself in the battlefields of the Second World War.

She was born in 16th August 1905 in Ukraine during the Soviet era. In 1925 at the age of 20 years she got married to a Soviet soldier Ilya Oktyabrskaya. When Germany invaded in 1941 her husband went to serve in the frontline.

Unfortunately she got news that her husband llya died in August 1941 fighting the Nazis. This angered her greatly that she took an action that would alter her life and be forever remembered in history. She sold all of her possessions and decided to purchase a tank (T-34) that she would use to personally fight the Nazis.

She personally wrote a letter to the Soviet leader Stalin to be allowed to drive the tank and name it the Fighting Girlfriend. Stalin offered approval and she underwent 5 months of tank training. Most male soldiers thought this was a publicity stunt.

The training was over and the Fighting Girlfriend saw action in 1943 with the 16th Guards Tank Brigade. Her courage was evidenced here as the Fighting Girlfriend was able to breach German lines earning admiration from her male counterparts.

In another battle she risked her life to continue fighting. Her T-34 tank was hit and the tread damaged, instead of waiting for help she got out of the tank and repaired it herself. She managed to do this and continued fighting. This move on her part was insane, risky and crazy because bullets and missiles were still flying around, it’s a war.

Sadly the 17th of January 1944 would be last time the Fighting Girlfriend would terrorize the Germans. It was during a night attack on a heavily fortified German position. Her T-34 was spearheading the assault and German fire was focused on her. They managed to destroy the treads stalling the tank, as usual Mariya got out of the tank to repair it.

This is where she was wounded badly, shrapnel managed to hit her head rendering her unconscious. She was rushed to a medical facility where she was in a coma for two months but eventually succumbed. Mariya died on 15th March 1944 at just 38 years old. She was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union for her bravery and heroism.

8. Nancy Wake

A World War 2 veteran that was an active French resistance fighter, this former journalist replaced her camera for the gun.

She was actually born in New Zealand on 30th August 1912 but the family didn’t settle there, they moved to Australia. Her rebellious nature and desire to be free from parents was evidenced when she ran away from home at just the age of 16 years. She got a job as a nurse and by 1932 she left Australia to explore Europe.

She landed in Paris, France and got a job as a journalist on the Hearst newspaper. This was at the time Hitler and the Nazi party popularity was rising in Germany.

Her assignments included reporting on the rise of the Nazi party and Hitler in 1935 Germany. Her visits to Vienna showed the scale of brutality of the Nazi gangs. They would beat up Jewish men and women and this act left a lasting impression on Nancy Wake.

She was angry and vowed to resist this new rising power in Germany. This beautiful woman eventually got married to a wealthy French industrialist Henri Fiocca in 1939. They were both pivotal in the coming resistance.

In 1940 the war started with Germany invading Belgium, Netherlands and France who were forced to surrender. France was now controlled by the Germans, Nancy Wake was first an ambulance driver that she used to ferry Allied soldiers and Jews out of France to Spain.

The couple, Henri and Nancy, became part of the French resistance. But the Gestapo uncovered her and put a price tag of 5 million francs for her capture. Her husband persuaded her go to England to evade capture.

In England she worked in the French Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in 1943. What she learned was pivotal to the success of D-Day and liberation of France. In 1944 she was parachuted to France to meet the French Resistance fighters to organize/prepare them for France liberation. She was also a liaison between the fighters and the British. She did this although she was the most wanted person by the Germans.

Nancy and the fighters became involved in the destruction and blowing up of German posts, convoys, bridges and supply lines. In one such mission she had to fight a German soldier in hand combat where she killed him using a judo-chop technique. She also travelled for 300 kilometers on a bike for a 72 hour period to deliver a message to London passing through German checkpoints. Her radio had been damaged by German fire.

She was nicknamed by the Germans as the White Mouse because she evaded capture. She utilized bribes, her feminine/flirtatious nature and her ability to create a convincing story to avoid capture. Unfortunately after the war she was told news that her husband was executed by the Germans because he wouldn’t betray her.

The story of Nancy Wake is that of courage, love, determination and doing the right thing. She had awards/ medals from various countries such as the Officer of the Legion of Honor from France and the Medal of Freedom from the United States.

Nancy Wake died at the age of 98 on 7th August 2011. She showed how World War 2 women were central in the war effort and victory.

7. Marina Raskova

She was the architect of the all-female military aviation unit of the Soviet Air Force that ran successful missions against Hitler’s Germany.

She was born in 28th March 1912 to middle class parents who wanted her to become a musician. Unlike most Soviet aviators she never showed interest in flying at a young age and it wasn’t her goal. She eventually quit on her music ambitions and started studying chemistry.

By 1931 she had graduated and was working with the Soviet Air Force in the Aero Navigation Laboratory. By 1933 aged 19 she became the first female navigator in the Soviet Air Force.

She therefore had a pilot’s license and became a teacher or instructor at the Zhukovskii Air academy. Before the war Marina Raskova was a Soviet heroine due to her record breaking flights. One such flight was the Flight of Rodina from Moscow to Komsomolsk. She did it with other two female aviators and was the first women to receive the Hero of the Soviet Union medal.

Then the invasion of the Soviet Union happened in 1941 where Raskova role was pivotal. Due to her influence she managed to persuade Soviets Joseph Stalin to form an all-female flying regiment. She divided these aviators into three regiments: 586 Fighter Regiment, 587 Bomber Regiment, and 588 Night Bomber Regiment.

Their mark on the war was made with female regiment aviators like 21 year old Lilya Litvak (White Rose of Stalingrad) causing havoc in the skies.

Although they had planes that were slow and less advanced than the German fighter planes. They mostly conducted their missions or bombing raids at night, and the Germans nicknamed them as the Night Witches.

Marina Raskova was not only the architect or commander but was actively involved in the war or missions. On one mission she was on the frontline and was leading two damaged planes back to safety. Her plane was hit therefore she was forced to make a forced landing in banks of River Volga.

She died on the 4th of January 1943, she received a state funeral and buried in the Kremlin. As part of remembering or commemorating her, streets are named after her and postage stamps have her portrait.

6. Lilya Litvyak

A Russian female fighter pilot that served in the Second World War and credited with the record of most kills by a fighter pilot. She was part of the soviet air force and heeded the call to serve when the Germans invaded in 1941.

Lilya was born in 18th August 1921 where by the age of 15 she performed her first solo flight and graduated from the Kherson military flying school. She became a flight instructor at Kalinin Air club.

When the invasion happened, she volunteered to join the aviation unit but her lack of experience was a hindrance. She therefore exaggerated her experience as a pilot to serve in the Soviet Air Force. She was part of a female regiment of fighter pilots in the 586 Fighter Regiment.

Her first mission was over the Port City Saratov where she flew defensive missions. Her first kill came about when her unit was transferred to the battle of the city of Stalingrad. On 13th September 1942 she had her first two kills becoming the first woman to shoot down an enemy plane.

As she began to rack up more kills and missions her fame rose throughout Europe. She was mostly referred to as the White Rose of Stalingrad because of how she used to pick roses and place them in the cockpit before any mission.

Unfortunately 1st August 1943 was her last mission, in the Battle of Kurskshe she came under attack in Ukraine. She was pursued by as many as eight (8) German fighter planes where they all disappeared in the clouds. It’s most likely she was hit and crashed although controversy still exists concerning her death.

She was 21 years old by this time and had achieved 12 solo victories over the German Air Force. She was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medal. There is a museum dedicated for her with all her achievements in war.

5. Major Lyudmila Pavlichenko

She was the most famous and successful female sniper of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. In 1941 this young woman that joined to fight Hitler’s army when they invaded the Soviet Union.

Born in 1916 in modern day Ukraine, from a young age she was an amateur sharpshooter and was in the OSOAVIAKhIM shooting club. Before the invasion started, Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a history student at Kiev University.

When the invasion started, she halted her studies to join military service but the recruiter wanted her to be a nurse. Her refusal of this request managed her to be part of a unit to fight the Germans. She was part of the Red Army and was involved in battles of Greece and Moldova.

In her first 75 days as a Red Army soldier she had managed to kill 187 Germans. She was such a feared sniper that the Germans actually nicknamed her ‘Lady Death.’

But in 1942 she was wounded taking shrapnel to the face. She was retired from active service having 309 kills including 29 German snipers.

Lyudmila = was widely publicized as a hero as postage stamps had her portrait. She eventually toured Canada and the USA, meeting President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She was well received in both countries with crowds gathering to see and listen to her.

She cemented herself as one of best World War 2 women snipers that terrorized the Nazis.

Lyudmila eventually went back to Kiev University to finish her history studies. By this time she had already been awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medal. She died at the age of 58 on 10th October 1974.

4. Mariana Dragescu

She was a Romanian military pilot who was part of the White Squadron which was an all-female medical evacuation unit. This unit was involved in the 2nd World War and the planes were piloted by women.

She was born in Southern Romania on 7th September 1912. By 1935 at the age of 23 she graduated from aviation school becoming among the first Romanian women to have a pilot license. By 1938 she joined the Royal Aero Club and by 1940 she was part of the White Squadron.

When the war started Romania was allied with Germany and by 1941 Mariana Dragescu and the White Squadron were involved in the invasion of the Soviet Union. They were involved in transportation, rescue missions and especially evacuating the wounded.

The war wasn’t going as planned as Germany was in retreat mode from the Allies. This is where Romanian officials staged a coup in 1944 and joined the allies. Under this new alliance she continued her role in the Romanian Air Force.

As the war was coming to an end Mariana Dragescu had successfully managed to fly more than 15,000 soldiers to safety. She was able to fly them from the battlefields of Europe to medical facilities.

Unfortunately under the Romanian Communist regime her role and the White Squadron contribution were mostly ignored. When the Communist regime fell in 1989 their story became widely recognized and honored.

In 2003 she was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania. She actually served on both sides of the warring factions. Mariana was the longest living member of the White Squadron, but on 24th March 2013 she died at the age of 100 years. She was a pioneer among World War 2 women that took to the skies.

3. Yevdokiya Zavaliy

She was a 16 year old girl that lied about her age so that she can take part in World War 2. She was born in 28th may 1926 in Ukraine during the Soviet era in the Nikolayev Region. Her first introduction to the reality of war came about when her village was bombed by German warplanes and seeing soldiers injured lying in pools of blood. Zavaliy didn’t just stand by but immediately helped the injured soldiers by bandaging their wounds with bed sheets.

This is where she met the commander of the unit and persuaded him to take her, but lied that she was 18 years old for the officer to agree. Her first role was to be a nurse as women were not allowed to serve in the battles. During her role as a nurse she managed to teach herself on the use of guns.

Her drive to be an active soldier was so strong that she shaved her head and wore men’s military uniform. This was enough for most soldiers to mistake her to be a man.

Her disguise managed Zavaliy to be sent to the frontline. Senior Sergeant Yevdokim Zavaliy with the 6th Airborne Brigade was sent to battle near Goryachy Kluch. She took part in other battles under this new male identity.

In one such battle (Mozdok late 1942); her troops were starving due to lack of food and limited ammunition supplies making them vulnerable. This is where Zavaliy showed her heroism and leadership as she mounted a night raid across a river to a German camp, where she stole ammunition and provisions before sailing away.

Zavaliy lie was eventually exposed when in the battle at Kuban Region she was injured seriously. During treatment doctors discovered that she was a woman but due to her many successes she wasn’t court martialed or ordered to be a nurse. She was okay to continue her military service and was also promoted to commander.

A 17 year old Yevdokiya Zavaliy became commander of a submachine gunner platoon in 1943. Under her command this platoon achieved success in the Battle of Crimea and they were always on the forefront. The German feared her so much that they nicknamed her ‘Frau Black Death.’

Eventually at just 21 years old Zavaliy retired from active service in 1947. She settled in Kiev with 40 medals such as the Medal “For Courage”. She died on 5th May 2010 as a World War hero.

2. Hazel Ying Lee

The first Chinese-American military pilot that was central in the Second World War. Born in 1912 in Portland, Oregon to Chinese immigrants at a time where discrimination for the Chinese was rampant. After her high school education she got a job as an elevator operator because it was the only job available to Chinese-Americans.

At age 19 she joined the Chinese Flying Club of Portland and later earned her pilot license. This motivated her to fly professionally but opportunities were few in America for her. This is where she moved to china hoping to join the Chinese Air Force and help in fighting the invading Japanese. But she was turned down because she was a woman; instead she was given a desk job in Canton.

As the Japanese moved through China taking over territories, Canton fell and Hazel Ying Lee fled to Hong Kong. She later moved back to the US where the Women Air force Service Pilots (WASPs) program was introduced in 1943. This is where World War 2 women like Hazel made their mark.

Their role was to deliver military aircraft to ships and docks where they would be used in the warzones of Europe. Although she did these flights at night and during the winter with open cockpits, she didn’t stop flying.

She was such a skilled pilot that in 1944 she was one of the 130 women selected to fly the faster and advanced pursuit airplanes. They were to deliver these warplanes to assigned points in the US. At one such mission Hazel Ying Lee faced her death.

She was on assignment to deliver a warplane but bad weather had delayed her. When the weather cleared, the flight controllers told her to take off but other warplanes were coming in to land. This led to Hazel Ying Lee colliding with the other plane bursting into flames. Hazel Ying Lee was pulled out from the plane with severe injuries and 3 days later she was dead.

Hazel Ying Lee and the WASPs were recognized for their role and service to America.

1. Roza Shanina

A 19 year old young woman who was a Soviet sniper that served during the Second World War. She was born on 3rd April 1924 in Russia to Anna (mother) and Yegor (father). Her father had served in the First World War. She had other siblings that served in the Second World War but unfortunately three of her brothers were killed in action.

On 22nd June 1941 Nazi forces invaded the western border of the Soviet Union. By the end of the year (1941) Nazi forces began bombing Arkhangelsk where Roza was studying. This is where she joined the Soviet army as a volunteer for air raid duty. But when her brother died in the Siege of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) in December 1941 she had the desire to go to the frontline.

But women were not allowed to join and serve but due to the high losses the Soviet army suffered, women were allowed to serve. She joined the women sniper unit created and excelled as she became a skilled sniper. By 1944 she had graduated and given a job as a sniper instructor but she wanted to go and serve in the frontline. She declined the job and opted to be in active duty.

This was the beginning of her fame and legendary nature where she had 59 confirmed kills. At just the age of 20 this young woman was an elite sniper. Although being a legend she wasn’t invincible, at one instance she was shot by enemy fire on her right shoulder.

Her braver and courage led her to become the first woman to be awarded the Order of Glory because she killed 13 enemy soldiers while subjected to artillery and machine gun fire.

She was also referred to as the Unseen Terror of East Prussia by a Canadian newspaper and also soviet newspaper featured her in their stories. On 27th January 1945 during the East Prussian Offensive her platoon was under constant German fire. She was severely wounded when shielding an artillery commander, shrapnel hit her chest.

Sadly Roza Shanina was dead therefore was killed in action. She was honored by streets being named after her and a museum in her village (Yedma) dedicated to her. She was one of the famous World War 2 women in Europe.

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