(Melchizedek Communique, MC111609) Is there a "Curse of the Pierce Blood"?

Franklin Pierce, U.S. President from 1853 to 1857, has as a descendant one Barbara Pierce Bush. She, in turn, gave birth to three lads, George, Jeb, and Neil. These lads therefore bear the Pierce blood.

Franklin Pierce is hopefully shown here, on the left. He appears to be reaching into his vest pocket for a flask of whisky.

In 1833, Franklin Pierce had been elected to Congress, then in 1837 he was elected to the U.S. Senate. But his wife, Jane Pierce, a "religious fanatic," became upset by Franklin's constant boozing and carousing in Washington, DC. "It is either me, or the bottle," demanded Jane. So in 1842 he resigned from Congress.

The couple left frenzied Washington, DC for the peace and quiet of Concord, New Hampshire. Still, Jane Pierce feared the wrath of God. If anything bad happened, it was "God's will," she believed. When she had given birth to two infant sons, and they both soon died, this meant to her a punishment inflicted by God for Franklin Pierce's drinking. In 1841, when a third son Ben had been born, this helped precipitate her demand that Franklin stop drinking and quit politics.

And mysteriously enough, after Franklin Pierce quit politics in 1842, the son, Ben, grew stout and strong. But then, in 1852, Franklin received a telegram. The Democrat Party convention was deadlocked. Would he be willing to accept the presidential nomination as a "dark horse" candidate?

Franklin Pierce did not consult with Jane about it, but privately agreed he would accept his party's nomination. Then, when news came that her husband had in fact been nominated, Jane Pierce grew pale and immediately fainted. Later, when her husband won the election, Jane Pierce foresaw doom.

As the March 1853 inauguration approached, the Pierces and their eleven-year-old son Ben boarded a train. They were headed to Washington, DC. But near Andover, Massachusetts occurred a freak train accident. Franklin and Jane Pierce witnessed their son being crushed to death. Ben was the only one who died in the "freak accident."

Then, on March 2, 1853, Jane Pierce found out that Franklin had lied to her. He in fact had wanted the nomination, rather than having it thrust upon him. This discovery convinced Jane "God's wrath" had been behind the tragic death of Ben. She angrily refused to attend the inauguration ceremony.

The Vice-President-elect, William R. King, was ill in Cuba and could not make it to the Pierce inauguration. King was allowed to be sworn in at the Havana consulate. But then, only a month later, like Ben Pierce, William R. King also lay dead!

At the inauguration, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney administered the oath of office to Pierce. Pierce chose, rather than swear to fulfill the oath, to affirm so. Was this due to Pierce's Presbyterian beliefs, or was it from fear of a lightning strike if he invoked the deity? As Pierce began his inaugural speech, an omen was seen: dark clouds gathered and a fierce wind chilled the bones of those present. As Pierce continued to drone on, the snowfall increased until a blizzard ensued.

After shivering through the ill-omened inauguration, now former-President Millard Fillmore and his wife, Abigail, moved to the Willard Hotel and occupied the exact same suite recently vacated by Franklin Pierce. In the relative blink of an eye, Abigail Fillmore developed a severe cold and a fever, there in that room still soaked in the aura of Franklin Pierce. Her condition quickly worsened. On March 30th, with the vibes of Franklin Pierce all around, Abigail Fillmore went to meet her maker.

It is yet early to fairly judge the presidency of George W. Bush, also known as "Dubya." But already some are whispering, "Aha... You see... It is the Pierce blood."

(Source: Millard Fillmore, by Robert J. Scarry. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., Inc., 2001)