Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/114

 84 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS him to his home in Charles City County. When he became president she accompanied him to Wash ington; but her health was delicate, and she died shortly afterward. Mrs. Tyler was unable to as sume any social cares, and the duties of mistress of the White House devolved upon her daughter-in- law, Mrs. Robert Tyler. She possessed great beauty of person and of character, and, before the failure of her health, was especially fitted for a social life. Their son, ROBERT, born in New Kent County, Va., in 1818; died in Montgomery, Ala., Decem ber 3, 1877, was educated at William and Mary, and adopted the profession of law. He married Priscilla, a daughter of Thomas Apthorpe Cooper, the tragedian, in 1839, and when his father became president his wife assumed the duties of mistress of the White House till after Mrs. John Tyler s death, when they devolved upon her daughter, Mrs. Letitia Semple. Mr. Tyler removed to Phila delphia in 1843, practised law there, and held sev eral civil offices. In 1844 he was elected president of the Irish repeal association. A little later he became prothonotary of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, and in 1858 he was chairman of the Democratic executive committee of the state. He removed to Richmond at the beginning of the civil war, and was appointed register of the treasury.