The Washington times., 1918-08-07

in the immediate encourage OF the
White House
white House Romance.
The marriage of the President and
Mrs. Norman Gait, the charming wi
dow whom he made his bride during
the Christmas season of 1915, was not
strictly speaking a White House we'd
ding, since the ceremony took place at
the home OF the bride; but it was in
dubitantly q White House romance.
So, too. may be reckoned the marriage
of the Presidents physician, Rear Ad-
miral Cary T. Grayson, and Miss Alice
Gertrude Gordon, and OF Miss Isabelle
Hagner, social secretary at the White
House in the early days of the Wilson
regime, and Norman James. OF Balti-
more.
Mrs. Howe cothran, niece of Presi-
dent Wilson. who married Frank
Z. Compton, of Chicago. last July,
was the fourth member OF the Wilson
family to be SHARED by the little blind
god. She has been q frequent visitor
at the White House since first Presi-
dent Wilson was elected, and her
small daughter, Miss Josephine Goth
ran, was known as the white House
baby" until the Presidents grand
children came along to wrest the hon.
or from her small hands.
Mrs. Lucy Payne Washington, sister
of the famous Dolly Madison, who
married Judge Todd on March IL.
1911. was the first White House bride;
and Miss Maria Monroe, youngest
daughter of President Monroe. the
first to wed in the present Execu-
tive Mansion. Her marriage to her
cousin, Lawrence Gouveneur, of New
York, who had for two years been
private secretary to President Mon
roe. took place on March 9. 1920.
Mrs. Gouveneur lived out her long
life in Washington. passing away .
few years ago.
TJlers Daughter Weds.
President Tylers daughter. Miss
Elizabeth Tyler. was married to her
cousin. William Waller, Congressman
from Virginia, at the White House in
1912. The wedding was a festive o.
casion. and was one of the few func-
tions at the White House at which
the brides mother was able TO ap-
pear. The third daughter OF a Presi-
dent to be married in the White
House was Miss Nellie Grant. daugh-
ter OF President Grant, who became
the bride of Algernon Sartoris. of
England, in the east room on May "a.
1874.
This marriage marked the culmina-
tion of a romantic courtship. Miss
Grant met Mr.. Sartoris on a steamer
bound from England to New York
when she was but seventeen. and II
was some years before he could win
her fathers consent to the marriage.
The wedding ceremony was most
elaborate. with many attendants,
beautiful music and decorations OF
real orange blossoms sent from the
South. The most brilliant wedding
ever held at the White House was.
however. the marriage of Miss Alice
Lee Roosevelt, daughter of President
Theodore Roosevelt, and Congress
man Nicholas Longworth. which took
place in the east room on February
II, 1906.
Over 1000 guests were present.
among them representatives OF the
sovereigns of European countries.
The bride received magnificent gifts
from all over the world. and the story
Of the wedding and the courtship
which led up to it figured on the
front page OF the newspapers for
weeks before the ceremony.
President Andrew Jackson's admin
istration. which boasted three we'd
dings. ranks next to the present ad-
ministration for the number Of the
White House romances. The brides
were Miss Mary Lewis, daughter OF
an intimate friend OF the president.
who married Alphopse Joseph Yves
Pagelot, Of Paris. in 1880; Miss Mary
Easten, niece of the President, whose
choice fell on Mr.. Polk, a young
kindsman OF President Polk, 1882:
and Miss Emily Martin. kinswoman OF
| the Chief Executive. who married
| Lewis Randolph about 1883.
Grover Cleveland. the only man be
| fore woodrow Wilson TO wed while
he was President OF the United States.
was married at the White House with
little pomp and ceremony, but with a
/ distinguished official company to wit
ness the service. His bride, Miss
Florence Folsom. was also his ward