The Portland daily press., 1896-04-15
PRESIDENTS FAMILIES.
How They Have Fared After Leaving
the White House.
Widows of Five Presidents Have Drawn
Pensions, and Some Former White
House Tenants Have Lived on Charity.

IA 0o4i VI % PIoSluenG OF Ul6 OQlG0Q
States died few days ago in this city,
says the Washingtons Star, where he had
lived In poverty and obscurity for a mum
Der of years. Once he lived in the White
House and went to the capitol with the
message OF the president, his father. His
name was John Tyler, and he was the son
OF the l0th president of he United States
He drew pension of IS a month for SER
vice in the Mexican war until his death.
For number of years in the latter part
of his life he held position in the de-
partment service in Washington, but the
changes of politics threw him out, and
he was unable to obtain reinstatement.
The problem. "What shall we do with
our -presidents?" is not nearly so i'm
portant as What shall we do with the
families of our ex-presidents?'' for of late
years the ex-presidents have taken care of
themselves, or have been cared for by
their friends, but this kindness has not
been extended always to their families
And the son of president of the United
States is handicapped for life. "My
of the PRESIDENT said the child of a
chief executive.
Presidents wives have been cared for
by Congress. Pensions of $4,000 year
have been granted to five of thein-Mrs
Tyler, Mrs. Polk, Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Lin
coin and Mrs. Garfield Mrs. Grant is
comparatively rich, the result of the sue
cess of her husbands memoirs, and Mrs
Garfield has very comfortable fortune.
contributed by some rich friends of her
late husband.
AS a rule, presidents sons have shown
themselves amply able to care for them
selves. John Adams left fortune of
$50, 900 to his son, John Quincy Adams,
but the younger Adams had been elected
president Of the United States before he
received his fathers bequest He was a
man of great mental capacity, and he
was amply able to make his own way in
the world.
Jefferson's children were not SO fortu-
nate. He was SO poor that he sold his
library to Congress for $23, 600 (about one
quarter OF Its yatue), and later he in
dorsed note for $4,000 for friend,
which he was compelled to pay. He was
in danger then Of losing MONTICELLO, but
Philip Hone, mayor Of New York, raised
$4,000 in that city in 1896, and the people
OF Philadelphia and Baltimore added
$4,000 and $4,000 respectively, to the sum,
SO that Jeffernson died solvent, His
daughter. Mrs. Randolph, and her child
rem, who had been with him during his
last years, were left pennilsss, and Mrs.
Randolph contemplated opening school
But South Carolina and Virginia voted
Sl0. QUO each to her support, and she lived
on the interest Of this money till her
death, in 1885, Madison left no children
to share his small estate. Monroe died
poor, but his two daughters had married
before his death, ono of them being the
wife of George Hay of Virginia. and the
other of Samuel Il. Gouveneur of New
York. John Quincy Adams left an estate
about as large as that of his father-$5O, :
600; but the Adams family was quite able
to take care of itself without inheritance,
and down to the present day it has earned
honors and wealth.
jackson left no children. His grand
niece is clerk in the government Depart
ments. Van Buren, was one O. the richest
of the presidents. Ii was said he drew
no salary till he left the White House.
and thai he received the 500, 600 which
had accumulated during his term IN one
lump. He had son, Abraham, WHIP
graduated at West Point and served with
distinction IN the army. He was breveted
for gailantry at Churubusco. Abraham
Van Buren, married a woman who was
we'll TODD. John Van Buren,, President
Van Buren's second son, graduated at
Yale, and became one of the leading
members OF the New York bar. He was
elected attorney general of the state.
William Henry Harrison left small
estate, which went eventually to his son,
the father of Benjamin Harrison, who
was u member of Congress from Indiana
for four years. Benjamin Harrison in
herited very little of his money, and he
had to make his own way from the be-
ginning of his career. But he showed
conspicuous ability as a lawyer, and his
practice since he left the White House has
been worth probably 800, 600 or $50, 600
year to him.
President Tyler's first wife died while
he was in the White Houe. One of his
sons, Robert, went to Philadelphia,
where he held several civil Offices Then
he went to Richmond, where he was ap-
pointed register of The treasury. At the
expiration of his term of office he moved
to Montgomery, Ala, where be edited
q newspaper until his death. John Tyler,
who has just died, was secretary to his
father, though he did not hold the title
Of private secretary, as that office was
created after he left the White House. He
drew no salary and he said not loug ago
that when he left the White House he
pawned his watch for $50 because he had
40 money. John Tyler would have been
one of the victims of the explosion on the
Princeton which killed his future step
mothers father, il he had not been es-
corting Mrs. Gilmore, the wife of the Sec
Rotary OF the navy, to the cabin at the
time the Peaoemaker blew up. MIR.
Gilmore was killed by the accident So
was Mr.. Gardiner of New York, whose
daughter became Mrs. Tyler not long af-
terward. President Tyler had a son nv
his second wife, who was conspicuous in
the politics of Virginia, and who became
president of William and Mary college.
the institution from which his father had
graduated. Mrs. Tyler was tho first
presidents wife to receive aid from Con
gress. A pension of 5000 was granted to
her.
Mrs. Polk also received peusion from
Congress. She had no children. Presi-
dent Taylor left several children who
we're quite competent to take care Of
themselves. His eldest daughter married
jefferson Davis; another married W. H.
Bliss, major In the army, and she was
mistress of the White House during part
of her fathers term. After the death Of
her father and her husband, she married
Philip DandridgQe of Virginia. who left