LetiTia, Priscilla, and Julia Tyler

Letitia and Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Cookies

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First Ladies - 1800 to 1850

Letitia and President John Tyler

Letitia Christian Tyler
First Lady 1941 -1842
Factoid - Letitia was the 1st First Lady to die in the White House.

Bio - Letitia was not formally educated, but she grew up on a large plantation and gained skills of land management and family care.  During their married life, Letitia and John Tyler raised seven children, but her life took a turn when she suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair.  Vice President John Tyler became president after President Harrison died after only a month in office.  Letitia moved into the White House, bit sadly, after about 10 months, had another stroke and died.

Priscilla Cooper Tyler*
Acting First Lady - 1841 - 1843
Priscilla was the daughter-in-law of Letitia and John. Because of Letitia's stroke, Priscilla helped her father-in-law with his presidential campaign and then assumed First Lady hosting duties during the first three years that John was President.  Priscilla grew up with a famous father actor and an heiress mother.  They suffered major financial losses and made money from acting in plays. At one play, an audience member, Robert Tyler (son of John and Letitia), came backstage to meet Priscilla.  They soon married and Priscilla was a favorite of her in-laws and of Washington. Priscilla hosted famous guests such as Charles Dickens.  She also started the tradition of Marine Band Concerts in the summer on the White House lawn.  

Letty Tyler Semple*
Acting First Lady - March - June 1844 
When Priscilla and her husband moved to Philadelphia in 1844, Letitia and John's daughter, "Letty" took over First Lady hosting duties.  She helped Priscilla with hosting, so she was able to step right into the role, including two dinners a week for about forty guests! 
Letty did not approve of her father's marriage to Julia Gardiner, a woman her own age.   She moved from the White House.

Julia Gardnier Tyler*

First Lady Julia Gardnier Tyler
First Lady from - June 26, 1844 - March 4, 1845
Quotes from Julia -

• "I very well know every eye is upon me, my dear mother, and I will behave accordingly."
• "This winter I intend to do something in the way of entertaining that shall be the admiration and talk of the Washington world."

Factoids -

• Julia Tyler became the first wife of a president to be photographed. 
• Julia was the first to encourage "Hail to the Chief" to be played for the President.

President John Tyler*

Bio -

• Julia was born to a wealthy New York family.  She always marched to her own drummer, shocking some by posing as a model for a department store ad.  Her parents took her to Europe to avoid scandal, where she proceeded to have romantic affairs with members of nobility in several countries!
• Initially, Julia was interested in John's son, John Jr.  However, that changed and at 20 years younger than the President, Julia became First Lady.
• Julia's bold and self confident attitude was different.  Julia was very popular and a celebrity with the public. She believed that women were not the weaker sex and refused to behave as such.  Although she was only First Lady for a short time, she made was not shy.  She called herself "Queen Julia" and if anyone was critical of her, she retaliated by writing articles against them with a pen name!  Her popularity even helped President Tyler annex Texas.
• John and Julia had seven children and a happy marriage.  After John's death, she was able to convince Congress to  give her a Widow's Pension, which would help future First Ladies, as well.

About John - John Tyler became President upon William Harrison's death, setting the precedent that vice presidents fully assume the Presidency. He often argued with his own Whig Party and was eventually expelled from it. John signed the Treaty with China that opened trade in the Far East and supported the annexation of Texas, which set the stage for the Mexican-American War.

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Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Cookies

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When Benjamin Harrison and John Tyler ran against Martin Van Buren, their campaign slogan was "Tippecanoe and Tyler too".  Tippecanoe was the nickname for Harrison after he helped seure the Northwest Territory.  Their campaign also had symbols such as hard cider, to get the working-class votes. Harrison Cakes, made with cider, became very popular and recipes appeared in newspapers.   These cookies are like the Harrison Cake, but in cookie form.

Ingredients
2 dozen cookies
2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar (divided)
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon water

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Prepare cookie sheets by greasing of lining with parchment paper.
2. Put 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucer and put aside.
3. In a bowl, sift or whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  Set aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, mix butter and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy.  Mix in egg, molasses, and water.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. 
6. With clean hands dusted with flour or greased with butter, make 24 dough balls (walnut-sized).  Roll dough balls in the saucer of sugar and place 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  With the back of a spoon, flatten dough balls just a little bit.
7. Bake at 350° F for 8 -10 minutes.  When done, cool cookies on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.

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Recipe Card

Portrait Credits*
Letitia Tyler - George Bagby Matthews, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; gift of Letitia C. Arant, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Julia Tyler - Portrait - Francesco Anelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Priscilla Tyler - Artist Unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
John Tyler - George Peter Alexander Healy painting, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons