Letitia Tyler Letitia Tyler Letitia Christian was born on a beautiful Tidewater Virginia plantation on November 12, 1790, to Mary and Colonel Robert Christian. Although she didn't have a formal education, Letitia mastered all the skills needed to manage a plantation, oversee enslaved people, raise a family, and run a home that would become John Tyler's sanctuary throughout his bustling political career. They tied the knot on March 29, 1813—his 23rd birthday. From then on, whether he served in Congress or as the governor of Virginia, she diligently attended to domestic responsibilities and preferred to stay out of the limelight. Only once did she join him for the winter social season in Washington. Letitia gave birth to nine children, and fortunately, seven of them thrived into adulthood. Letitia Tyler had limited influence over her husband's presidency, as she was mainly confined to the living quarters of the White House. Despite playing no public role, she managed to main...