Post-Affair
After the Petticoat Affair, John Eaton and Peggy moved to Florida for a short period, where John was the Governor of Florida. They returned to Washington where John practiced law and Peggy became a host. They had three children together, and eventually adopted 4 of their grandchildren after her daughter and son in law died. John Eaton died in 1856, and left Peggy well off financially as well as her pieced together reupuation.1
After John died, Peggy married Antonio Buchignani in 1859, an Italian immigrant who was her granddaughter's dance instructor and was 40 years younger than Peggy. Buchignani left her after 5 years, as he ran off with her granddaughter as well as her money. Antonio would return to America years later in 1968 where Peggy had him arrested. He would then go on to jump bond leaving her with a hard life moving forward.2 Peggy lived with her grandson John for a few years in Philadelphia until she returned to Washington D.C. for her remaining years. In her final years, Peggy lived a mainly secluded life, but the press in D.C. learned of her return and she would give occasional interviews and she was regarded with a great deal of respect. Peggy Eaton died November 9, 1879 and was buried in Oak Hill cemetary. Her gravesite's importance was expressed in a newspaper that read "Doubtless among the dead populating the terraces are some of the assailants and cordially as they may have hated her, they are now her neighbors." 3
No matter what high class Washington thought of her, Peggy Eaton is remembered and respected for her time in history.
HJ
1 Allgor, Catherine. .“." Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.Com. 24 Nov. 2024 .” Encyclopedia.com, November 27, 2024. https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/eaton-peggy-c-1799-1879#:~:text=Hayward's%20school%20in%20Washington%20until,June%201859%3B%20children%3A%20(first.
2 Marszalek, John F. “Eaton, Margaret.” Tennessee Encyclopedia, March 1, 2018. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/margaret-eaton/.
3 “Peggy Eaton.” History of American Women, April 2, 2017. https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2013/03/peggy-eaton.html.
