The Washington times., 1906-01-22
Youth Always Graced
Home of Presidents
Few Administrations Have Passed Without
ChIdren's Laughter or Young Folks Gayety
at the White House, and History Is Bright.
By MRS. JOHN A. LOGAN.

Since the days of 1889. when George I
and Martha Washington set up house
keeping in New York and established
d republican court. bright young faces
have been a feature OF the social atmos-
Dhere of all the administrations.
Although Washington was ehiIdless.
his early home in Virginia was made
merry by the youthful prattle Of Mrs
Washington's two children. Eleanor and
Parke Gusts. for whom Washington
manifested a paternal care and affec-
ton. the formation Of their minds and
manners being one Of tie dearest Cb-
iects Of his attention.
The grandchildren. Nellie and Wash
ington Parke Gusts. children Of Parke
Custis who were occupants OF the EX-
eeutive Mansion. were constant COM
panions Of General and Mrs Washing
ton. Nellie on all state occasions being
seated next TO her grandmother and
Joining in the conversation.
When the Executive Mansion was
moved 10 Philadelphia. John and abb
gail Adams were assisted in entertain
ing by their daughter. Mrs. Smith.
Mrs. Adams, who Is aIwAy5 mentioned
as the Durehearted patriot ard ne
&tItIN Edi ilet bA uFf uAEtAstti y cures
and honOrs" was rather harsh and
austere in her manner and did not at
tract around her young people.
Washington Then.
Thomas Jefferson entered the White
House as q widower but his .wo charm
ing daughters. Mrs. EDpes and Mre
Randolph. the former slnglarly beauti>
ful. high-toned. and generous, presided
over lis household assisted by the fas-
cinating Dolly Madison. wife of the then
Sec etary Of State.
Madison had no children. but Dolly
Madison, THE Queen OF the White
House" at whose receptions people
mingled with a cordially. freedom and
gayety seldom 10 be found in public as
sembliugs. was assisted in ,.oiug tEe
honors by Miss MAYO. Of Virginia. aft
erWards Mrs. Gen. Winfield scott and
by Miss Coles. Of the same STATE.
Dolly Madison was sixteen years
younger than her husband and when she
married him was a widow with one son.
Her maiden name was Payne. and her
father was q Eirginian. who became an
aboliUonist, emancipated his slaves
and moved 10 Philadelphia She must
have experienced a great contrast be
tween her stupid Quaker home and the
excitement and bFilliancy Of the Presi-
dental mansion. She must have thought
likewise there was "a great difference be
tween her first and second marriages.
First White House Wedding.
The White House during Monroe's ad-
ministratiOns was enlivened by his edu-
Gated and accomplished daughters. who
aided their mother materially in her So
ciaI duties. Maria was married in the
/ White House 10 Samuel !. Gouverneur,
her hrsJ cousin. This was the first we'd
/ ding in the Executive Mansion. Eliza
married Judge George Hay. Of Virginia,
ana HOrJensia was welded 10 Lloyd
/ Rogers. OF Baltimore
The elegance refinement, taste, purity
and beauty that Mrs. John Quincy
Adams drew around her III Washington
gave tone TO the whole country. She
4 was assisted in entertaining by some Of
/ the most charming women. whose Cul-
ture made them 6tting associates for
! such statesmen as Webster, Clay, Cal
/ houn, Randolph. and the other great
men of that day Never was the repubN.
{ can court more respIendeut with VII and
beauty than during the adminstrat tiOU
1 of John Quincy Adams. who was called
/ His Presidential Htghness and the
Andrew Jackson was a widUweT. but
the presiding genius of his household
was his niece, Mrs. Andrew J. Donel-
son. assisted by Miss Eustace, Of Ten
I nessec, d beautiful and accomplished
woman; also 10y the wife Of his adopted
son. II was Mrs. Donelson who braved
her unCle's wrath and refused TO Tecog-
niZe The notorious Mrs. Eaton, with
/ whose name that Of the President was
/ not coupled IN an enViable manner,
+ and for six months she absented her
/ self from the White House.
! The first child born In the Executive
! Mansion was the daughter Of Andrew
/ J. Donelscn. She afterWaTd became Mrs
/ NJ ry +. Wilcox Concerning her. il
| my be mentioned. Incidentally that
1 after the civil war, having like most
Southerners. lost everything, she applied
/ for and received a position in one OF
J the departments in Washington. The
/ office was satisfactorily filled until par
/ ttsan feeling ran so high that an order
( was issued tha none but Republicans
were 10 be retained.
/ Van Buren, was q widower with nc
/ daughter. and his sons wife did tht
/ honOrs OF the Presidential mansion, but
during his administration the society
I gathered in the Capital was elegant n
the extreme, brave men and beautiful
Z women vying with each other in the
endeaVOr 10 make the admlnistfatl tloI
! brilliant. The wife OF President William
Henry Harrison did not reach WaSninE
ton before his death, but his widowed
daughter-iu-law and Miss Clarke, O
/ Baltimore. presided over the household
during his brief occupancy, and tenderl!
cared for him in his last hours.
/ John Tyler, who succeeded Harrison
/ was unfortunate In losing his wife sOoI
after his Inauguration. but he married
again while in office. his second choict
being Miss Julia Gardiner the daughte
/ of Colonel David q. Gardiner. who wa
killed on the United States man-of-wa
Princeton by the explosion of the grea
gn known as the 'Peace-maker." II
lo44 Prior TO this date the ladies VIII
chiefly presided In the White Hous
were Mrs. Robert Tyler, the daughter-in
law of the President. and Eliza bet
Tyler. tho latter being known as 9TH
Young Princess" She was married il
the Executive Mansion to Mr.. Waller
q Young lawyer of Richmond. Va.
Mrs. Zachary TAYLOR was ably sec
onded in her social duties by her fw
daughters. Mrs. jefferson Davis. tn
first wife Of the Southern statesman
and Miss Betty, a beautiful girl who's
charming manners won all hearts Slt
/ subsequently, married Colonel Bliss, a
inmate OF General Taylors household
The Misses Peyton. of Louisiana, an
t Johnson. or Kentucky, were also resi-
. dent guests.
r Willard f-illmnIes daughter sha =
! the hOnors Of the White House Wit
her mother. who, being an invalid. Wa
: unable to attend to the social ordea
, . lone