The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-17
A DAUGHTER OF TYLER
MRS. SIMPLE RECALLS STATES
 MEN OF THE PAST.
Nwhen Henry Clay. Daniel webster, when Henry Clay, Daniel Webster Villain n. King and Others
 Were Making History.
Advertiser Bureau.
 Colorado Building.

AQVeTtiSeF buIedu, =
 Colorado Building.
 Washington, May 16.
 Mrs, Louise Letitia semple. second daughter of President John Tyler. whose kinsmen have lived in Alabama and other Southern States, Tuesday her S4th birthday at the Louise Home. in this city. an instftu- ton founded and endowed by Ranker William Corcoran for the care of gem tie women. Mrs. Semple has lived at the home for more than twenty-f1ve years Fifty years ago she was the admired friend of some of the most illustrious men of the republic. Her mind is still clear and vigorous and vividly does she recall the statesmen of half century gone. She recalls many notable incidents and events of her fathers administration when she was the mistress of the White House sixty years before Mrs. Roosevelt went to live in the Executive Mansion.
 Mrs Semple, at the death of her mother which occurred at the White House in 1s42. early in President Ty- ler's administration, was the head of the Presidents household, and upon her devolved the duty of presiding as the mistress of the White House. She was then a young woman and regard ed as one of the most beautiful in the social life of Washington. Although past four score years traces of her early charms are yet visible, and the highbred comeliness of features for which the Tylers were noted is to be seen in the deep set eyes and yet we'll poised snow-crowned head.
 Mrs. Semple was born at the Tyler homestead, Greenway Charles City County, Virginia May il, 1921, in the same house in which her father was born. When years old her family moved to Gloucester. on the York river, and resided there until she was a bride of 1S and she became the mistress of the estates. of her husband, James A. Semple, at Cedar Hill. New Kent Coun- ty, on the headwaters of the York. She lived there until her father. John Ty- Ter, was elected Vice. President of the United States on the Whig ticket with William Henry Harrison.
 ' One month after the inauguration of President Harrison his death occurred and Mir. Tayler succeeded to the Pres idency. It was then that Mrs. Semple first came to Washington to live.
 President Tyler appointed MT. Sem pie paSmaster in the United States navy. Miss Mary Tyler, the Presi dents eldest daughter, had married Henry Lightfoot Jones of Virginia. and she could not share with her sister the social honors of the administration.
 "Of all the famous men I knew in those days" said Mrs. Semple, when friends called to congratulate her upon her birthday, "I liked best of all Dam iel Webster, Secretary of State under President Harrison. Mir. Webster con tinued to hold the position for some time under my father. was well ac- quainted with Henry Clay. John c, Cal hound and all the members of the House and Senate and the diplomatic corps"
 John Tyler as Vice President. did not preside over the Senate, on account of the early accession to the Presi- dency. The presiding officer was Will lie P Mangum of North Carolina. The Speaker of this Congress. the twenty seventh, was John White of Kentucky. Alabama was represented in the Senate by Arthur P. Pagby. who succeeded the first Clement c. Clay of Huntsville. served seven years as a Senator and was then appointed Minister to Russia: William R. King of Selma. who had been in the Senate since the admission | of Alabama, resigned after twenty five | years continuous service to become 1 Minister to France was appointed Sen | ator to succeed Bagby, who resigned to | go into the diplomatic service: he was i elected Senator at the expiration or the Bagby term and became Vice -Presi- dent in 1852, took the oath of office at Havana. Cuba and died there April IS, | 1S53.
 The Alabama House members whom Mrs. Semple knew were Reuben Chap man, afterwards Governor of the State; George S. Houston, who became Gov ernor and Senator; Dixon H. Lewis. who died a young man while Senator. noted for his ability and immense physical weight; William w. Payne of 1 Gainesville. who served three terms in Congress and then moved to Virginia. where he died. and Benjamin c. Shields | of Demopolis who served a term as a Whig and was charge d'affaires in Ven | ezuela. In the next Congress; which was the twenty-eighth, and during the | Tyler administration, two of the most brilliant men who ever represented any State served their first terms in the | House They were William l.. Yan- cey and Felix Grundy Mcconnell. Mo Cornell served through this Congress and died in Washington in September,