Priscilla Cooper Tyler
| Priscilla Tyler | |
|---|---|
 |
|
|
First Lady of the United States Acting |
|
|
In role September 10, 1842 – June 26, 1844 |
|
| President | John Tyler |
| Preceded by | Letitia Tyler |
| Succeeded by | Julia Tyler |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 14, 1816 New York City, New York, United States |
| Died | December 29, 1889 (aged 73) Montgomery, Alabama, United States |
| Spouse(s) | Robert Tyler (1839–1877) |
Elizabeth Priscilla Cooper Tyler (June 14, 1816 – December 29, 1889) was the daughter-in-law of John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States. She served as official White House hostess and de facto First Lady of the United States from September 10, 1842 to June 26, 1844.
Priscilla Cooper was born in New York City in 1816. Her father Thomas Apthorpe Cooper was a successful stage actor and producer. Her mother Mary Fairlee Cooper was a New York socialite. Priscilla began to work as an actress at the age of 17. Thomas Apthorpe Cooper achieved great success in the theater business and they lived in a grand house on Broadway. The family's fortunes were reversed during the Panic of 1837. The family lost their house and at one point were reduced to subsisting on radishes and strawberries.
While playing Desdemona in a production of Othello in Richmond, Virginia, she met Robert Tyler, the eldest son of wealthy plantation owner and former US Senator John Tyler. In Victorian America, acting was considered a scandalous profession and actresses had little social standing. The addition of the Cooper's financial woes seemed to conspire to make any match between the two unlikely. Despite their social differences, the couple wed in Bristol, Pennsylvania on September 12, 1839. After their marriage, the couple moved to Williamsburg, Virginia to live with Robert's family. John and Letitia Tyler warmly welcomed her into the Tyler family. Priscilla became close to her father-in-law and their fondness for each other grew quickly. John Tyler even allowed her to open an account in every store in Williamsburg.
...
Wikipedia