Page 24 March 29, 2013
DAN’S PAPERS
danshamptons.com
Ladies (Continued from previous page) her father, was told by him that he would not give permission to marry Harrison because he would be taking her off to wars all over the place. In fact, he did not come to her wedding. Score: Julia and Jackie 4 ½, Anna Symmes ½.
When you consider that there are 50 states and only 43 Presidents with First Ladies, it is quite an honor that nine of them are from New York.
Julia Gardiner was comforted by her future husband when her father was killed. President John Tyler said he would never leave her as she cried.
Score: Julia and Jackie 2, Anna Symmes 0. Julia Gardiner bore John Tyler eight children. All were born after he became President. Jackie Bouvier bore Jack Kennedy two children before he became President. Anna Symmes bore William Henry Harrison 10 children. All were born BEFORE he became President. I call that a tie. Score: Julia and Jackie 2 ½, Anna Symmes ½. Julia Gardiner was educated as a young lady at a private school in Manhattan. But the family came out to East Hampton to their mansion here in the summertime. The same was true of Jackie Bouvier. Anna Symmes went to the Clinton Academy in East Hampton when she was old enough to go to school. It would not be possible back then for a young girl to live at home and get taken from Southold to East Hampton for school every day. She had to be boarded in East Hampton. Score Julia and Jackie 3 ½, Anna Symmes ½. Julia Gardiner was swept off her feet by her
Julia Gardiner came to East Hampton often.
future husband when a gun exploded on the ship they were on, killing her father. President John Tyler said he would never leave her as she cried. Jackie Bouvier married John Kennedy in one of the greatest weddings of the 1953 social season. Anna Symmes, when she presented her prospective husband, the Indian fighter, to
An oddity in this whole story is this. William Henry Harrison and John Tyler were friends, both born on plantations in Virginia, who ran together for the Presidency and Vice Presidency, respectively, in 1840 under the slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.” William Henry Harrison got sick after they won the election, but to show the country how healthy he was, he delivered his inauguration speech on a cold winter day without wearing an overcoat. He died 30 days later, the shortest Presidential term in history, his wife never having come to Washington. John Tyler, his Vice President, thus became President and served out the term, marrying Julia along the way. Of course, Southold has more vineyards and wineries than any other community on Long Island, including the Hamptons. In that regard, we give Southold 5 points.