Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-04-29
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Some Historical "Reminiscences - II
Drama of Life Enacted There.

Some Historical "Reminiscences - The
Drama of Life Enacted There.
The presidents house is like all the
other mansions in America, from the
humblest to the greatest. Within its
portals the drama of life has been en-.
acted as in the millions of other homes
in the land. It had been built, how.
ever, nearly half century before a
president brought his bride home there
John Tyler, the fifteenth president OF
the United States, was the first who
brought a bride to the White House.
He had been married in 1918, and
brought his wife, who had been Miss
Semple, with him to the presidential
mansion when in 1871 he succeeded
President Harrison, but she sickened
apd died at the White House, and in
1874 he brought Miss Gardiner, of New
York, as his bride. He had married
her at her home, on Staten Island, N.
Y. President Cleveland was the only
president that married his wife at the
White House. On the 22d of June,
1886, he was married there to Miss
Frances Folsom, of Buffalo, N. Y.
Mrs. Washington never entered the
White House as its mistress. Mrs. John
Adams came first In the line of eminent
ladies who breathed the Potomac ma
laria within its precincts. Mr.. Jeffer-
son, Gen. jackson, Mr.. Van Buren, were
widowers, Mr.. Buchanan an old bach
elor, and Mr.. Cleveland a young one.
Mr.. Jefferson's daughter did the honors
for him. Mrs. A. j. Donelson and
Mrs. Andrew jackson the younger
were the leading ladies of Gen. Jack
ren's daughters and daughters-in-law
made the White House gay in his time,
and Miss Harriet Lane, who did the
honors of the White House for her
uncle, President Buchanan, is still re-
membered in Washington by hosts OF
friends whom she entertained. Miss
Elizabeth Cleveland presided over her
brothers household at the executive
mansion until Miss Frances Folsom be-
came the presidents bride, and the only
lady who was ever married to presi-
dent in the White House. The wives OF
all the other presidents have enjoyed
the triumphs and troubles which attend
what is called the ''first lady of the
land" nobody having discovered the
second lady. 1t is said that Gen. Jack.
sons wife died of excitement at his
election to the presidency, and she
never entered the White House. On the
other hand, Mrs. Willard Fillmore, hav-
ing spent nearly three years as the hon.
ored lady of the White House, died q
few days after she left it.
The first funeral that ever came from
the White House portals was that o;
Gen. William Henry Harrison, who
served his country one month as presi
dent. The presidents mansion wit
messed the funerals of Abel p. Upshur,
secretary of state, and Thomas w. Gil
mer, secretary of the navy, both killed
by the explosion of a great gun on the
United States steamer Princeton, il
1914. Gen. Zachary Taylor, president
of the United States, was also buried
from the White House. President Lin
coins funeral came forth from the same
portals. President Garfield was brought
forth on mems shoulders to die at Ell
boron by the seaside, and later the vic
Tins of the burning of the mansion o.
Secretary Tracy were laid in state il
the east room, and their funerals too
place from the presidents house. y Sai