Letitia christian tyler biography of william

First Lady of justness United States from 1841 pile-up 1842

Letitia Christian Tyler (néeChristian; November 12, 1790 – September 10, 1842) was high-mindedness first lady of the Pooled States from 1841 to 1842 as the first wife fall foul of President John Tyler.

After end of hostilities in 1808, the two wedded conjugal in 1813. She managed their plantation in Virginia while present husband progressed his political lifetime at the state capital avoid in Washington, D.C., accompanying him only while he was commander of Virginia. She had span stroke in 1839 that leftist her permanently disabled.

Tyler became the second lady of position United States when her bridegroom became vice president of integrity United States in 1841, endure she became the first chick when President William Henry Histrion died the following month sit her husband ascended to say publicly presidency. Tyler was unable harangue perform the duties of regulate lady due to her advantage, delegating them to her daughter-in-law Priscilla Cooper Tyler.

She monotonous of a second stroke double up 1842, becoming the first obtain to die while serving renovation first lady of the Unified States. Tyler played virtually maladroit thumbs down d role in her husband's post, but maintained a positive fame among the American people.

Early life

Letitia Christian was born bear down on November 12, 1790, at dignity Cedar Grove plantation in Spanking Kent County, Virginia.

She was the seventh child^[1]: 109 of Rasp (née Browne) and Robert Christly, a wealthy planter^{[2]: 58–59} who was well connected with the nation's political elite, including President Martyr Washington.^[3]: 61 She was raised monkey a devout Episcopalian, and she closely followed norms of justness time relating to piety view chastity.^[4]: 79 Christian did not be given a formal education, but she was taught how to distrust the mistress of a Grey plantation.^[5]

The Christian and Tyler families were familiar with one in relation to, and Christian met John Town while he was visiting obligate 1808.

They began a appeal in which Tyler often clogged to visit her while travelling to the state capital.^[3]: 62 Their five-year courtship was restrained courier it was three weeks once the wedding that Tyler important kissed her — on character hand. In his only abiding love letter to her, bound a few months before their wedding, Tyler promised, "Whether Distracted float or sink in depiction stream of fortune, you could be assured of this, prowl I shall never cease differ love you."^[6][7] Christian's father laggard Tyler on political grounds, although Tyler was a supporter admire Thomas Jefferson.^[3]: 62

Marriage and family

Letitia Religionist and John Tyler married disbelieve Cedar Grove on March 29, 1813.

After their marriage, they lived in their home Mons-Sacer, built on Tyler family turf in Greenway Plantation using Christly family funds;^[2]: 59 Letitia's parents difficult to understand died shortly after the nuptial rite, leaving her a large inheritance.^[3]: 62 Letitia Tyler was left a cappella after the wedding, as an alternative husband had been called elaborate to serve in the Battle of 1812.

Two years after, they sold Mons-Sacer and mode the Woodburn house nearby hitherto eventually purchasing Greenway in warmth entirety in 1821.^[2]: 59 The Tylers had nine children, seven fence whom survived infancy: Mary give back 1815, Robert in 1816, Bog III in 1819, Letitia decline 1821, Elizabeth in 1823, Unfair criticism in 1827, and Tazewell collect 1830.^[8]: 111Their daughter Anne died stop in full flow infancy in 1825, and uncluttered ninth unnamed child died fall out birth.^[3]: 63

The Tylers struggled with flat broke throughout their marriage,^[2]: 59 as magnanimity financial burdens of raising many children and participating in greatness social aspects of politics outpaced any inheritance they received.^[3]: 63 President avoided the limelight during connect husband's political rise, preferring home responsibilities to those of trim public wife.^[5] Tyler was trusty for managing the plantation linctus her husband was away give in the Virginia State Capitol,^[5] commonly with the assistance of m and hired managers.^[9]: 145 Her state of the plantation, and spitting image particular her ability to inspect the economic aspects, allowed company husband to be away sue for long periods of time, and above his political career could progress.^[4]: 79 Managing the plantation included rule their slaves, feeding them captain weaving their clothes.^[2]: 59 There run through no surviving record of ascertain Tyler felt about slavery find time for her husband's ownership of slaves.^[9]: 145

Tyler did accompany her husband onetime he served as the control of Virginia.

As the governor's wife, she worked as unembellished hostess in the state's wherewithal, Richmond.^[2]: 59 Despite her husband's reiteration, she did not join him in Washington when he was elected to the United States Congress.^[3]: 62 She opted to somewhere to live in Virginia, as the farm needed further management and she did not wish to physical in the poor conditions incomplete by Washington, D.C.^[5] She attended her husband to Washington lone once, in the winter be proper of 1828–1829.^[2]: 59 Tyler generally deferred get in touch with her husband, but she through one significant exception when why not?

suggested sending their eldest girl to a Catholic school, which Tyler adamantly refused.^[4]: 80

Tyler's health was poor throughout her life, focus on the Tylers' oldest child, Skeleton, was responsible for monitoring irregular when John was away. Tyler's health was worsened by rank toll of several pregnancies accept the burden of her deposit often being away.^[9]: 146 By 1827, her poor health had understand a constant, and she was plagued by regular headaches.

Attempts were made to treat bitterness illness with trips to integrity Greenbrier spring.^[10]: 33 Her husband stepped away from politics twice, bear hug 1821 and in 1836, test be closer to her.^[9]: 146

The Tylers moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, radiate 1837.^[2]: 59 In 1839, Tyler esoteric a stroke that left dismiss disabled, and her health debased over the following years.^[5] Maximum of her time after turn one\'s back on stroke was spent reading distinction Bible and her prayer book.^[2]: 59 By this point in coffee break life, these were the solitary two books that she would read.^{[4]: 79–89} She did, however, resist to oversee affairs at goodness plantation.

After her son Parliamentarian married, Tyler developed a accommodate bond with her daughter-in-law Priscilla Cooper Tyler.^[2]: 59

First lady of primacy United States

The sudden death enjoy yourself President William Henry Harrison schedule 1841 caused John Tyler generate ascend to the presidency.

Letitia Tyler's health had made ready to react impossible for her to meet the White House, and she did not immediately travel hurt Washington with the rest clench her family. When she outspoken arrive, she remained in first-class wheelchair in the upstairs aliment quarters of the White House.^[2]: 60 She came down once, agreement attend the wedding of organized daughter Elizabeth in January 1842.^[11] She may have attended primacy theater at least once deep-rooted serving as first lady.^[12]: 121 Determine upstairs, she continued to run your term her time reading her Done by hand and her prayer book.^[5]

Although she retained authority over how ethics duties of the first girl were carried out,^[12]: 121 Tyler deputed the management of the Chalkwhite House to her daughter Letitia and her responsibilities as mine host to her daughter-in-law Priscilla.^[5] She also played the role watch advisor for her husband chimp he often discussed difficult issues of the presidency with breather.

She was well-versed enough cover political issues to discuss them in detail with visitors.^[12]: 121 Famous visitors to the White Dwellingplace, such as Charles Dickens gift Washington Irving, were sometimes welcomed upstairs to meet her.^[2]: 60

Tyler's carnal and mental health deteriorated here and there in 1842.^[2]: 60 She had a superfluous stroke on September 9, 1842, and she died the succeeding day on September 10.^[5] Disintegrate death came as a surprise to the Tyler family, who believed that she had stabilized.^[10]: 35 She was the first dame to die while serving hoot first lady of the Unified States,^[5] and she remains description shortest-lived of any American pull it off lady, dying at the unrestricted of 51.^[13] Her funeral was widely publicized as the important of an incumbent first muhammedan.

Her coffin lay in build in in the East Room attack the White House, then well-organized procession carried her coffin away.^[12]: 123 Tyler was buried on supreme father's estate at Cedar Home and dry, and the White House was decorated in black for unornamented period of mourning.^[5]

Legacy

Tyler had around influence on her husband's berth, confined to the White Demonstrate living quarters.

She also stilted no public role, but she maintained a positive reputation disdain her husband's embattled political situation.^[2]: 60 Priscilla Cooper Tyler remembered spurn as "the most entirely giving person you can imagine. Yet her very delicate health, indolence attends to and regulates categorize the household affairs and resistance so quietly that you can't tell when she does it."^[3]: 62

The first historian's appraisal of Tyler's tenure as first lady was that of Laura Holloway shamble 1870.^[9]: 145 Few primary sources begin regarding Tyler's life, with bossy surviving mentions of her grow those in letters between helpers of the Tyler family.^[9]: 148 Nobody of Tyler's own letters survive.^[3]: 62 Due to her inability proffer serve as first lady, Town has been overshadowed in virgin historical analysis by her characterization, Priscilla Cooper Tyler,^[9]: 148 and her walking papers husband's second wife, Julia Historiographer Tyler.^[9]: 149

Tyler was a descendant pan Manx settlers of Virginia^[15] endure she appears on a 28p (£0.28) commemorative postage stamp stay away from the Isle of Man Pole Office, issued May 23, 2006, as part of a additional room honoring Manx-Americans.^[16] She also appears on a one-half-ounce gold and a bronze medal fall by the United States Heap on July 2, 2009, orang-utan part of a series pencil in commemorative first spouse coins.^[17]

Since 1982, Siena College Research Institute has periodically conducted surveys asking historians to assess American first gentlemen according to a cumulative quantity on the independent criteria conclusion their background, value to significance country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, veracity, leadership, being their own unit, public image, and value accomplish the president.^[18] Historians were be seen to know "almost nothing about" Tyler.^[9]: 144 Consistently, she has bent ranked in the bottom quartile of first ladies by historians in these surveys.

In status of cumulative assessment, Tyler has been ranked:

In the 2014 survey, Tyler and her hubby were ranked the 36th nuisance of 39 first couples smile terms of being a "power couple".^[21]

See also

References

External links