Julia Tyler
Julia Tyler, President John Tyler’s second and considerably younger wife, entered the White House after a clandestine courtship in 1844, serving as first lady for a mere eight months. Julia’s value to the country garnered a modest score of 2.95 out of five, potentially influenced by Tyler’s Confederate allegiance in 1861. Mostly scoring in the low threes, her highest mark, at 3.12, reflects her value to the president. Notably, during her brief tenure, Julia reintroduced traditional formalities, including wearing plumes and coordinating attire for attendants, as noted by the White House Library. Following Tyler’s decision not to seek re-election, the couple retired to a Virginia plantation, where Julia managed around 90 enslaved individuals at the onset of the Civil War, contributing to the Tylers’ complex and nuanced historical legacy.
Image Credit: Edward Anthony, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons