Julia Tyler was among the most lively, spirited, and public of all the first ladies. She clearly enjoyed her role as hostess at numerous White House parties during her brief period in the White House, from late June 1844 until March the following year. Accustomed to the life of a debutante (a young woman entering social circles) in New York, Julia made White House social occasions formal affairs. Guests were announced and received, orchestras played, and dancing—particularly waltzes—was encouraged. She also actively defended the political positions she shared with her husband, John Tyler (1790-1862; see entry in volume 2).

Julia Gardiner Tyler was born to a prominent New York family on May 4, 1820. Her father, David Gardiner, was a lawyer and state senator, and her mother, Juliana McLachlan, was an heiress to the fortune of a Scottish brewer. The Gardiners owned an island home in...