This Official White House Ornament Features a First Lady

Julia Gardiner Tyler’s image commemorates her husband’s tumultuous presidency.

This image of the 1993 White House Christmas Ornament honors John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States from 1841 to 1845. Tyler was the first president to marry while serving as president. Julia Gardiner Tyler's portrait — the first of a comprehensive White House collection of portraits of the first ladies — has for this ornament been reduced to resemble a miniature portrait of the sort given as gifts to special friends and loved ones at the time. (Credit: White House Historical Association)

Sharon Williams Leahy keeps the White House Historical Association’s (WHHA) 1993 collector’s Christmas ornament of First Lady Julia Gardiner Tyler in her home, where she and her husband, Christopher, will always be reminded of it. But not because Christmas is days away; rather, because this author duo is rapidly approaching the closing chapter of their biography of Julia Gardiner Tyler, the second wife of America’s 10th president, John Tyler.

“I like to inspire myself around the house,” Sh…