The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-11-29
PRESIDENTS WIVES.
SKETCHES OF FOREMOST LADIES
Mrs. Washington to Mrs. Gariield-Quaint
Fashionable and fious-Surviving
Widows and Dead Wives-Mrs.
Jacksou's Troubles.

They say the denial OF the report by the
Interested parties is only the customary
action in love matters, and assert the
match will be both eminent and proper.
President Arthur, they say, is in his
physical prime. He is just the ago of
President Tyler at the time of his second
marriage to Miss Julia Gardner during
the last year of Tyler's presidential
term, and Mr.. Arthur's marriage TO
Miss Frelnghuysen will be more in aG-
cordance with the fitnes of things than
Tyler's by reason that the difference ia
their ages is not so great. Presi lent Tyler
at the time of his second marriage was
81 years old aud Mis- Gardner was UNI
der20. President Arthur is now 81, Just
the age of Mark Antony when he was
enamored OF Cleopatra, who, strange to
say, was, when she killed herself, Just
the age Of Miss Frelinghuysen. LII IAN
nary next President Arthurs first wife
will have been buried i've yoars. Ty.
ler's first wife was not yet two years
dead when he took his second. Presi-
dent Arthur's wife was the daughter OF
Capt. Herndon. He married her, am
told, in Washington, in ST. Johns
church. where he now goes every Sun
day, and in which he has placed memo
rial window to her memory. The pew
10 sits in, il is said, is the same her
family used in tho latter days of the sos,
ana nave newspaper paragraph sta
ting that he keeps her room in his New
York mansion in tho same condition as
II was when she left it for her long Jour
ney of 1880.
Mrs. Arthur is by no means the first
Presidents wife who has died before her
husba ld has reached tho white house,
Martha SHELTON, the beautiful wiic of
the red-hea led and frectxled Jetferson
had hAnn Hpn1 mimi lnc 4.
husband was elected. Rachel Jackson
the wife of the hot-headed but courtly
jackson, had her dresses made TO take
her place az mistress of tho executive
mansion, but died three months before
"old Hickory" was inaugurated. Han-
nah Hoes, the consort of the foxy Miss
Nanny Van Buren,, lay in her grave
seventeen years before Jackson made
him his successor, and Pr, sident Harri-
son died in Office before his vito came To
Washington.
The presidents wives now living are
Mrs. Polk, at Nashville; Mrs. John
Tyler, at Richmond; Mrs. Grant, i'm
New Jersey; Mrs. Hayes, in Fremont,
and Mrs. Garfield, in Cleveland. OF
Tyler, and Mrs. Garfield, draw from tho
government pensions of IS 900 year.
Mrs. Zack Taylor died in Louisiana
during the same administration for
which her husband was elected. She
opposed her husbands being candi-
date, and would have nothing to do
with the ungodly social life of tie capi-
raj. Abigail Fillmore died at Wizards
notel here about month after her hus-
band finished his term. The hard work
OF the white house fastened her decease.
Mrs. Lincoln lay Ill at the white house
for long time after her husbands
death, and Andrew Johnson did much of
mis- first executive business at tho
treasury department, Mrs. Lihtia
Christian Tyleris the only presidents
vile who has died In tho white house
Martha Washington died two wears
after the death of her husband, at Mount
Vernon. where Washington died i'm 1893.
she shut herseifup in an attic cham
ber, and cut hole in the door for her
4 eat. She saw no one and lived without
IRE, and had she lived to-day she
would have been deemed slightly crazy.
Abigail Adams health failed her after
she had lived four months in the white
n9use. She lett IL and went back to
massachusetts,, and died there, aged "A.
Dolly Madison was driven from WASH
lngton when the Britt III burnt the capis
tol In 1911, but the shock did not Kill
her. She returned here to live after her
husbands death, and she died at II, in
Mrs. John Quincy Adams also lived TO
be n years of age. She was married nj
AZ, and was born, educated and marriod
IN London. John Quincy Adams was
engaged 10 her three years before he
married her, and her first tour after her
wedding was 60 Berlin, where MIR.
Adams went to serve as minister.
IL ~ ~ curious IA t that the first three
presidents married widows. The stories
o. their eourtships abound in romance,
george Wa hington was colonel ON
mis- way TO Williamsburg, the old cant
tai OF virginia, when he was stoppcd nv
an old planter friend aud asked To STAY
ever night II replied his business. \
was urgent, and oppage Of any kind
was impossible. His friend then cited
the virtues and beauties of "A
widow ~ years, who was stopping with
MIN, IN such glowing terms that Col.
washington decided 10 take dinner and
nee the paragon. Ho was so delighted
that he st9yed all night, aud on the way
stck hamme engaged 10 her. This was
NINE: GUSTS, whose maiden name was
Martha cambridge.
JetlersOn's wife hat been n widn,v fam,
yosrs when she married him, and She
was only ~ years old at that time. She
vas ten years Joifersou's wife, and i'm
that period had six chillren by him bo-
FORE she died, in l7S2 IL il said thar she
was much courtnd, and two OF Jeilsr-
sons rivals met on hor doorstep a day
or TWO before the latter's engagement.
rhey heard sounds of music within. and
soon found that Jefferson was singing n
rove song To the young widow while she
flayeu an accompaniment on the harp.
rhsy concluded not to press their SHIFTS.
and left with their love untold.
Doily Mddison's parents were yir-
sinit Quakers, who freed their
ases ana went to Philadel
fnla 10 I'VE Here at 10, Dolly,
= demure Quakeress, married ,Jnhn
Todd, Quaker lawyer, VINO died wh.n
she was ~, and left her a pretty widow.
III less than Il year sne married nvnin
aud this time n Mr.. Madison, who Was ~
member of congress. She was 81 wears
sld when her husband became president.
lnst Two years younger than Mrs Fle'
linghuysen Is now.
Andrew jackson is tho only other
president who married widow, Ills
wife's first husbands name WAS Ro.
nhruS, aud SHE WAS only 10 wears old
when she married him. Rohards was "A
jealous fellow and of an exceedingly
ugiy disposition. Rachael RObards sen.
sraied FROM him aud got what both
jackson and she thought wasa valid di-
vofce before she was married tn
Jackson. She was about 2l
years old at this time, and the cir
sunlstances OF their union created no
general remark over tho country. |
hevertheless, almost forty years later, |
suring the campaign for the presidency, |
sne matter Was aug up, aud IL was |
eharSed that Jackson had married her |
,, Tore she was legally divorced from |
Capt. Richards. The story IN too long tn |
reeat here. liiSenough TO say that Mis-.
jackson was cruelty slahd ere and tia,
tn's was oneo tue causes of her death.
she Was not anxious to come TO Washing.
son, aud once said 10 friend. ~ assure
you that wonid rather be doorkeepor
IN tho hon A. OF nv t.pl thnn d,..li H.. |