Abell, Bess, 1933-

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Bess Abell was born Elizabeth Hughes Clements on June 2, 1933 in Evansville, Indiana to parents Earle C. Clements and Sara Blue. She grew up in both Kentucky and Washington, D.C. while her father served as Congressman and, later, Governor of Kentucky. In 1954, Clements received a political science degree from the University of Kentucky. She married her husband, Tyler Abell, in 1955. After working for her father in various capacities, Abell took a part-time job as a typist for the Democratic National Committee. It was there that Abell began typing letters in response to correspondence written to Lady Bird Johnson during the 1960 campaign.

After the 1960 presidential election, Bess Abell accepted a formal position as Lady Bird Johnson’s personal secretary, in which she served throughout the Vice Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson. After Lyndon Johnson became President in 1963, Bess Abell became the First Lady’s, Lady Bird Johnson’s, Social Secretary. Bess Abell continued to serve as Mrs. Johnson’s social secretary until the end of the Johnson presidency in 1969.

After 1969, Bess Abell served as Executive Assistant to Joan Mondale, wife of Vice President Walter Mondale, and owner of a public relations firm, Bess Abell Enterprises.

Bess Abell died on October 9, 2020 in Potomac, Maryland.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Papers of Dale Hargrove, 1964 - 1965. Desk Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
creatorOf White House Social Files. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. Bess Abell Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
contributorOf White House Social Files. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. Alphabetical Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
contributorOf White House Social Files. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. Entertainment Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
referencedIn Videotaped Recollections, 7/11/2001? - 2/6/2004?. Excerpts from Video Interviews with Associates of Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
contributorOf White House Social Files. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. Enclosure Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
referencedIn White House Central Files (Johnson Administration). 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. White House Subject Files on the President Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
creatorOf Papers of Bess Abell, 1968-1969. White House Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
contributorOf Papers of Pauline W. Cordell, 6/1967 - 6/1967. Correspondence Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
contributorOf Lyndon B. Johnson Library Oral Histories, 6/3/1963 - ca. 2011. Transcripts of Lyndon B. Johnson Library Oral Histories Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
referencedIn Mondale, Joan. Second Lady's Office Files, 1933-1981 (bulk 1976-1981). Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Videotaped Recollections, 7/11/2001? - 2/6/2004?. Video Interviews with Associates of Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
referencedIn Office Files of Mike Manatos, 1961 - 1968. Subject and Name Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
referencedIn Arthur C. Perry Papers. 1930 - 1970. Senator, Vice President, and White House General Correspondence Files Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
spouseOf Abell, Tyler. person
childOf Clements, Earle C. (Earle Chester), 1896-1985 person
associatedWith Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007 person
child-in-law of Pearson, Drew, 1897-1969 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Potomac MD US
Indiana IN US
Washington, D. C. DC US
Subject
First ladies (United States)
Politics and government
Presidents
White House staff
Occupation
Social secretaries
Typists
Activity

Person

Birth 1933-06-02

Death 2020-10-09

Female

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6hs0330

SNAC ID: 27298687