Biography: First Lady Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820-1889)

Julia Gardiner Tyler was the second wife of John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States and the first President to marry while in office. She was born on May 4, 1820 to a wealthy New York family. Her parents, Senator David Gardiner and Juliana McLachlan, sent her to finishing school in New York City, but Julia, bored of that life, made a name for herself as "The Rose of Long Island" in advertisements for dry goods.

Fearing scandal from such publicity, Julia's parents took her on a European tour, where she was presented to royalty and gained the attention of many suitors. Julia was heavily impacted by her time spent in European high society, which would affect the way she approached her role as First Lady in the White House.

In 1841, the Gardiner family moved to Washington, where Julia attracted even more suitors, her charm and beauty gaining her the status of a celebrity. One of her suitors was President John Tyler, thirty years her senior, whose wife Letitia had recently passed away. Tyler's was one of the no fewer than four proposals which Julia received from Washington politicians.

Former First Lady Dolley Madison, conspiring to bring Julia and the President closer together, arranged a boating trip for Tyler, his Cabinet, and the Gardiner family on the gunship The Princeton. Unfortunately, the trip, which took place on February 28, 1844, ended in tragedy; one of the ship's guns exploded, killing David Gardiner and eight other passengers, including the Secretary of State. Tyler comforted Julia after the loss of her father, and the couple married secretly on June 26, 1844. They had seven children, the youngest born two years before Tyler's death in 1862.

Julia Tyler came to the White House with the sense of being more like a queen than a First Lady. She wore elaborate dresses (although still keeping with the customs of mourning) and never danced unless she was the one to open the ball. This did not always make her popular; she was unconcerned, however, noting that one can easily be forgiven if one is young (at 24, she was the youngest First Lady) and beautiful.

An ardent supporter of her husband, Julia lobbied for the annexation of Texas, defended States Rights, and praised the institution of slavery, calling it a "civilizing influence." John Tyler's death devastated her, and afterward she returned to New York to live with her family. She passed away on July 10, 1889 at the age of 69.

Sources

• Biography of Julia Tyler from the White House
• Julia Tyler from About Famous People
• Julia Tyler Biography from the National First Ladies' Library