World History
Julia Tyler - Biography about Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820-1889) from the National First Ladies' Library.
Julia Tyler was the youngest First Lady of the United States. She was only 24 when she married President Tyler during his presidency. She started the tradition of having "Hail to the Chief" played at state occasions. Julia married the President after her parents were tragically killed in an accident. President Tyler married Julia after his wife (and first First Lady) died and made him a widower in the White House.
Mrs. Tyler would go on to bear the President 7 children. (He already had 8 from his first marriage!) John Tyler has the record for the fertility of an American President.
During the American Civil War, she was put in an awkward position. She was a New Yorker but her husband was from Virginia. He swore allegiance to the Confederacy when Virginia illegally seceded from the Union. When President Tyler died in 1862, she was left in a tough spot. She had trouble living in both New York and Virginia and frequently moved between them during the conflict.
All in all, I have to say that Julia Tyler is one of the more interesting First Ladies in American history.
From the site:
By 1841, Senator Gardiner?s two daughters had taken Washington by storm, so much so that, by 1843, he had to take a few extra rooms in their boarding house to entertain the gentlemen callers. Sometimes Julia entertained her guests by playing the guitar and singing. In 1842, she met her future husband at a White House reception. Between 1841 and 1844, Julia received proposals from no less than 2 Congressmen, one Supreme Court Justice and one from President Tyler, now a widower. Christmas Eve 1843 the Gardiner?s were invited to the White House. By February 1844, the gossips were making much of the friendship between President Tyler and Julia. Tragedy interrupted the talk. Dolley Madison had arranged a trip up the Potomac on the gunboat, The Princeton, on February 28, 1844. Among the guests were President Tyler, most of his cabinet, and the Gardiners. One of the guns that was fired while passing Mount Vernon exploded, killing the Secretary of State and Senator Daniel Gardiner, among others. Julia, hearing the explosion, fainted into the arms of the President. She said later that, after her father?s death, the President seemed to fill the void that no younger man ever could. Amidst great secrecy, John Tyler married Julia Gardiner on Gardiner?s Island on June 26, 1844. Dolley Madison prided herself on the role she played in helping the romance along.
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World History
First Lady Julia Tyler
Julia Tyler - Biography about Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820-1889) from the National First Ladies' Library.
Julia Tyler was the youngest First Lady of the United States. She was only 24 when she married President Tyler during his presidency. She started the tradition of having "Hail to the Chief" played at state occasions. Julia married the President after her parents were tragically killed in an accident. President Tyler married Julia after his wife (and first First Lady) died and made him a widower in the White House.
Mrs. Tyler would go on to bear the President 7 children. (He already had 8 from his first marriage!) John Tyler has the record for the fertility of an American President.
During the American Civil War, she was put in an awkward position. She was a New Yorker but her husband was from Virginia. He swore allegiance to the Confederacy when Virginia illegally seceded from the Union. When President Tyler died in 1862, she was left in a tough spot. She had trouble living in both New York and Virginia and frequently moved between them during the conflict.
All in all, I have to say that Julia Tyler is one of the more interesting First Ladies in American history.
From the site:
By 1841, Senator Gardiner?s two daughters had taken Washington by storm, so much so that, by 1843, he had to take a few extra rooms in their boarding house to entertain the gentlemen callers. Sometimes Julia entertained her guests by playing the guitar and singing. In 1842, she met her future husband at a White House reception. Between 1841 and 1844, Julia received proposals from no less than 2 Congressmen, one Supreme Court Justice and one from President Tyler, now a widower. Christmas Eve 1843 the Gardiner?s were invited to the White House. By February 1844, the gossips were making much of the friendship between President Tyler and Julia. Tragedy interrupted the talk. Dolley Madison had arranged a trip up the Potomac on the gunboat, The Princeton, on February 28, 1844. Among the guests were President Tyler, most of his cabinet, and the Gardiners. One of the guns that was fired while passing Mount Vernon exploded, killing the Secretary of State and Senator Daniel Gardiner, among others. Julia, hearing the explosion, fainted into the arms of the President. She said later that, after her father?s death, the President seemed to fill the void that no younger man ever could. Amidst great secrecy, John Tyler married Julia Gardiner on Gardiner?s Island on June 26, 1844. Dolley Madison prided herself on the role she played in helping the romance along.
- Seven American Presidents Nobody Remembers?
CNN has an article up by Christopher Connolly titled Seven presidents nobody remembers. I have to object to several names on the list. Perhaps the general public does not remember them but to historians studying the American Presidency, a few men on...
- Sympathy For President John Tyler
Sympathy for President John Tyler. I just read Politics and the Court and in it I learned that President Tyler had five Supreme Court nominations defeated by the Senate! That had to of hurt. Tyler was the first Vice-President to become President as a...
- John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams. This is a biography of American President John Quincy Adams. He is also well know for being the successful lawyer for the famous Amistad Supreme Court case. From the site: John Quincy Adams ( July 11 , 1767 - February 23 , 1848...
- William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison. This is a biography of the man who was President of the United States for only a month. Even though his presideny was short, he lived a long and interesting life. From the site: William Henry Harrison ( February 9 , 1773...
- Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant. This is a good biography and overview of the life of the American Civil War General and President. From the site: Ulysses Simpson Grant ( April 27 , 1822 - July 23 , 1885 ) was an American Civil War General and the 18th ( 1869...