Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-04-06
DURCHARD-H
HARRY OARriEI,D.

tied the blood Of the 'oldest family" II
England, II not in the world. There 4
clear tradition in the Islo Of Man tha
the first convert from Druidism wa
nicknamed 1.-THE Christian;" his numer
Gus descendants have that for family
name. Mr.. w. A. Christian now own
tho original family seat in the Isle ol
Man, which has passed regularly from
father to son for 470 years. The first
daughter Of the family baptized wa
Igiven the Latin name Of Letitia (''ioy.
fur The name has been preserved In
leach generation ever since, and tho first
wife Of John Tyler was Letitia Chris
titan. The family settled In Virginia In
tho days Of Cromwell, and has contrib.
luted many noted men to the service of
the state and nation. She died I'm the
white House while her husband was
president, leaving two sons.
Their son, Robert Tyler, was born In
1918 and died In Montgomery. Ala. , in
1877; he was man Of marked literary
ability, and his wife, Priscilla Cooper,
was perhaps the most brilliant lady in
wit, humor and vivacity that ever pre-
sided at the White House. Robert
Tyler was quite prominent at tho Phila.
delphia bar. but when tho civil war be-
gan the whole family "went south;" he
was register Of the treasury at Richmond
and went down with the Confederacy.
After Q brief period Of prostration he
became prominent as writer, and some
Of his work Is highly spoken of.
Maj" John Tyler, or John Tyler, Jr.,
the other son, had very curious and
variegated career as q soldier, politician
and writer, as to which the critics are
not yet agreed.
"Old Zach" Taylor was q curious sort
Of man. and his family were moro curl.
GUS still. His wife absolutely refused to
ever have a picture taken, and his
daughter, BETTY" Taylor, afterwards
Bliss, and still later cambridge, would
never allow hers to be published. But
his only son, Richard, was o man of
very great ability and unfaltering cour.
age.
He was born Jan 81, 1925, In New Or
leans and died II New York city April
10, 1879. He was educated In Scotland
and France; was In his fathers camp on
the Rio Grande and took part at PaIo
Alto and Resaca de II Palma; attained
civil prominence in louisiana, and en-
tered the war a. colonel OF the Ninth
louisiana. He took part in all the vir-
ginia campaigns TIL late I'm 1862, when
he was made major general Of the Trans
Mississippi, where as "Dick" Taylor he
surprised the country, especially several
Federal generals. In 1864 he was made
lieutenant general and given charge in
Mississippi; but 1t was too late for him
to accomplish anything,
The domestic history Of President
Pierce was unspeakably sad. Two sons
died IN early youth, and his wife became
q confirmed invalid. On the 9th OF jan
uary, between his election and Inaugural
tion, he and his wife, with their remain
ing child, Bennie. were on the Boston
and Maine railroad when the breaking of
an axle threw the car down an embank-
ment. They escaped with few bruises,
but the handsome little boy was instantly
killed. This completed the ruin Of the
mothers nervous system, and she lived
In almost complete retirement till her
death In 1868. Andrew johnson was
equally unfortunate, both his sons died
suddenly, and his wife was so helpless an
invalid that most of the American people
thought the president was a widower
during his term in Office. DIR. Charles
johnson was thrown from horse and
instantly killed. and Col. Robert johnson
lay down one evening in apparently per-
feet health, fell into an unexplainable
collapse and in few hours was dead.
OF all tho living sons Of presidents the
Hon. Robert Todd Lincoln is most inter
esting to the people, and next to him Is
Col. Frederick Dent Grant, both Of these
having received high recognition from
President Harrison--the former as min
lister to England. the latter as minister
TO Austria. The closes. scrutiny fails to
find in the face Of Robert Lincoln any
likeness to his great father; he is "all
Todd" His administration Of the war
department was successful. He was
born Aug. 1, 1s43, and il therefore in the
very prime Of life.
As to Col. Fred Grant the Republicans
Of the Empire state once put him ut the
shared its fate" Having held no office,
his executive abilities have not been
tested. The other two sons Of Gen.
Grant, Ulysses and Jesse, have managed
to maintain a pleasant and comfortable
obscurity. The same may be said Of
young Allan Arthur, who Is Of o some-
what "dudish" tendency, but has time
to outgrow that. OF the three sons Of
President Hayes one Is successful law
yer. another good business man. and