The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-12

His wife dying the next year, he mar
ried again in the last year of his pres
idency and became the father of seven
more. Elizabeth, his third daughter
was married in the blue room in 1872
but Tyfar's second marriage ceremony
was performed in New York. OF all the
large family that lived with him in the
White House one daughter alone sur
wives in the person of Mrs. Letitia Tyler
Semple. refined and beautiful old lady
now residing in the Louise home at
Washington.
President Polk had no children.
Zachary Taylor, thirty-nine years
married when elected president. select
ed his youngest daughter, Mrs. Bliss.
to preside in place of his wife, who de-
sired rest and scclusion. The lively
Miss Betty" as she was called by all,
is still alive and resides in Winchester.
Va President Fillmore had one son
and one daughter, both grown up. when
he was called to the executive mansion.
President Pierce had had three chill
dren, but all were dead when he re-
ceived his highest honors, his last child,
a bright boy of thirteen, having been
killed in a railway accident in January
preceding the Inauguration, and it was
in the shadow. of this great affiiction
that he and his wife took up their res
Buchanan was. a bachelor. and his
niece, the beautiful Harriet Lane-still
living in shington-presided with
grace and dignity during his official
term.
4 When abraham Lincoln entered the
White House, he and his wife had with
them three bright boys, but Willie, the
youngest, died in 1862, and after this
Mr.. Lincoln's affections centered in the
next son, Tad. a lovabIe affectionate
child. AS Bob was off most of the time
at college and later on Grants staff,
Tad and his father We're inseparable.
and many stories are related of the af-
lection existing between the two. The
White House was very gloomy to Mr..
Lincoln in those years of stress and par
ticularly so after the death of little
Willie. On the afternoon before he was
assassinated the president said while
out for a ride with his wife, 81 feel
happy, Mary, for 1 consider this day
the war has come to a close" And
then after pause he added We must
both be more cheerful in the future.
Between the war and the loss of darling
Willie we have been very miserable
Little Tad was almost his only conso-
Iation in those days previous to the
last terrible happening. The griefs of
the presidents family as well as the
pleasures are always shared Dy the
country, and it was with sincere sorrow
that the country later learned of the
death of this beloved son of the war
president.
Sorrow in larger measure than joy
seems to have fallen to the lot of many
White House occupants. One of Pres
ident Johnson's sons died there, and he
himself was burdened with great cares.
His children were all grown UP when
he assumed the presidential Office. but
those of his two daughters, Martha and
Mary with their happy young faces,
iightened the gloom that hung over the
White House after the assassination of
Lincoln. A large family of children
conduces to happiness even if one be
sad and downcast, and President John
son and his invalid wife derived great
pleasure from the presence of their
grandchildren. It was said soon after
he left Washington, mo president ever
before had in the White House so many
children or as youthful ones as the five.
grandchildren of President Johnson, nor
will there ever be a brighter band there
in