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First Ladies and Gentlemen of Massachusetts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

First Lady of Massachusetts
Seal of the State of Massachusetts
Incumbent
Joanna Lydgate (as "first partner")[a]
since January 5, 2023
ResidenceMassachusetts State House, Boston
Inaugural holderDorothy Quincy
FormationOctober 25, 1780; 244 years ago (1780-10-25)[b]

The style of First Lady or First Gentleman of Massachusetts (alternatively "first partner") is the honorary position given to the spouse or significant other of the Governor of Massachusetts. If not counting for the spouses of acting governors, to date all of the state's first spouses have been women. The role is currently being filled by Joanna Lydgate, the partner of current governor Maura Healey. Since Healey and Lydgate are not married, Lydgate has adopted the title "first partner".

List

[edit]
Dorothy Quincy Hancock
Ann Gerry
Grace Coolidge
Kitty Dukakis
Ann Romney
Diane Patrick
Lauren Shadt Baker
Status
  Denotes spouse of an acting governor

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Governor Maura Healey has never married, though her partner Joanna Lydgate has assumed the role under the style "first partner"[3][4]
  2. ^ not counting spouses of colonial governors
  3. ^ Mary Glover, spouse of John Davis Long, died in office, in 1882
  4. ^ At the time of his governorship, Benjamin Butler was a widower. His spouse Sarah Hildreth Butler died in 1876
  5. ^ Winthrop M. Crane was unmarried during his governorship. He would later marry Josephine B. Crane
  6. ^ Presumably; William Lewis Douglas was known to have had two wives, the second being Alice Keneston Moodie. It is not clear who his wife at the time of his governorship was.
  7. ^ David I. Walsh never married
  8. ^ James Michael Curley was a widower at the time of his governorship. He remarried afterwards.
  9. ^ Paul A. Dever never married and thus the role of First Lady was fullfiled by his sister Marie[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Marie Dever". Boston Globe. February 14, 1959.
  2. ^ "Lauren Schadt Baker - Speaker". MA Conference for Women. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  3. ^ "Gov. Maura Healey's Partner Joanna Lydgate Takes On Traditional Role". Boston 25 News. June 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Service, State House News (June 3, 2024). "First Partner Lydgate To Lead Tour Guides". Boston Herald. Retrieved May 14, 2025.