Marie Hampe

Marie Hampe was born in Germany on November 2, 1866 and moved to the United States in 1890.¹ It is unclear exactly when or how Hampe came to know the Harrisons, but in November 1892, Harper’s Young People noted “for more than a year, [the president’s grandchildren] Benjamin and Mary have had a German governess, Fraulein Kampe (sp.).” The Harrisons’ children and grandchildren lived with them in the White House. Harper’s Young People went on to describe that “it is the duty of Fraulein Kampe (sp.) to give such instruction in the rudiments of knowledge as the minds of her young pupils are able to receive and retain.”² Benjamin, known as “Baby McKee,” was extremely popular in the press. Hampe also traveled with the Harrison family and attended First Lady Caroline Harrison’s White House funeral in 1892.³ 

Hampe remained in Washington with the family through the end of Harrison’s administration in 1893, and then appears to have moved to Indianapolis with them. However, later that year, she married cigar dealer A. O. Davidis and left employment as a governess.⁴ According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, “the bride received many presents from the Harrison family, by whom she was much liked. Baby McKee cried bitterly over her departure.”⁵ The couple later lived in Chicago, where Marie stayed at home and raised their children.⁶ Marie H. Davidis died on November 19, 1945, in Los Angeles, and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in that city.⁷ 

Thank you to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site for providing research assistance with this biography.