Priscilla Cooper Tyler

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Elizabeth Priscilla Cooper Tyler (née Cooper; June 14, 1816 – December 29, 1889) was the official White House hostess and first lady of the United States from 1841 to 1844. She was a daughter-in-law of then-president John Tyler through her marriage to his son Robert Tyler. She assumed the first lady's responsibilities at the beginning of the Tyler administration, working in the stead of her mother-in-law, first lady Letitia Christian Tyler, who was too ill to do so herself. After Letitia Tyler's death in September 1842, Priscilla Tyler was effectively the first lady, overseeing social affairs in the White House. Tyler was previously an unsuccessful actress. Her marriage inserted her into the political life of the Tyler family. Balancing the national spotlight with new motherhood, Tyler was widely celebrated as a hostess and recognized as a highlight of what was otherwise a controversial presidency. She managed several receptions, dinners, and other events each week, sometimes bringing her...

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