Random Facts About Julia Tyler, Most Controversial First Lady of the 1800s (16 items)

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  (#12) She Arranged For The Newspaper To Write Only Nice Things About Her

  Gardiner was so determined to make a name for herself that in addition to selling engraved copies of her face to the public, she basically ghost-wrote newspaper articles about how pretty she was.

  Gardiner struck a deal with reporter FW Thompson of The New York Herald, promising him full access to all of her social events so long as he wrote rave reviews of her looks, style, and parties. Thompson did just that, referring to Gardiner as the "Presidentress" or "The President's Bride" and writing mainly about her glowing features rather than her social affairs. These pieces were so over-the-top it's possible some of the articles were actually written by Gardiner's brother, Thompson's close friend, as pro-Julia propaganda. 
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  (#15) She Was A Staunch Confederate

  Despite her Northern origins, Gardiner had grown up in the lap of luxury. So after her stint in the White House, she had no problem adjusting to life on Tyler's Virginia plantation as a Southern belle. While Julia wasn't heavily involved in politics, she arguably had more of an influence on the president than any First Lady before her. She was a big proponent of the annexation of Texas, and her sway over Tyler (and others) in this matter made her the first First Lady to appear in a political cartoon. 

  Gardiner fiercely supported the confederacy, even after her husband's death in 1862. Unfortunately, she also spoke in favor of slavery, publishing an article in response to British abolitionist women in 1853. The article was not a defense of slavery, but rather a criticism of Britain's hypocrisy on the practice and involvement in American affairs. But growing up with slave labor as she did, Gardiner likely didn't view slavery as morally wrong.
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  (#7) She Secretly Eloped With The President

  Imagine the scandal today if a recently widowed sitting president up and eloped in secret with a woman 30 years his junior. That's exactly what happened in 1844 and people (reasonably) went nuts. Tyler and his new missus rationalized their secret nuptials by saying they were mourning Gardiner's recently deceased father. Only 12 guests attended the ceremony at the Church of the Ascension in New York, but news broke almost immediately. Huge crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds, and reactions were understandably mixed.
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  (#4) She Refused To Marry John Tyler For Years

  President John Tyler became infatuated with Gardiner almost immediately upon meeting her. He even chased her around the living room furniture in an attempt to kiss her. He first proposed at the White House Masquerade Ball in 1843, only five months after his previous wife had passed away. 

  Gardiner enjoyed flirting with the President, but found him to be too old for her (he was 30 years her senior.) Despite his position, Tyler was an unpopular president who had only took on the role after the death of William Henry Harrison. He was not especially rich, either, so her parents did not push her into the union. Tyler was undeterred, however, and continued to propose to Gardiner and publicly woo her for the next year. 
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  (#16) She Temporarily Went Broke

  After years of living in the clouds, Gardiner abruptly faced reality with the Civil War and the death of her husband. She moved back to the Staten Island home of her mother, and with mounting debts was forced to sell her Virginia estate. 

  Despite financial hardship she kept up relationships in Washington and continued to bolster her public image, labeling herself "Mrs. Ex-President Tyler." Ever a force to be reckoned with, she eventually managed to lobby for federal jobs for her two sons and a widow's pension for herself and future First Ladies, allowing her to live comfortably for the decade preceding her death in 1889.
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  (#14) Polka Dances Were Named After Her

  Gardiner was well known for her love of dancing. She frequently held lavish White House soirees where guests would dance the polka and pop bottles and bottles of champagne. Gardiner was of course known for dancing a bit too closely with people who weren't her husband, the president. And when she was asked for permission to use her name on sheet music known as "The Julia Waltzes" she of course agreed and set about publicizing this information.

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