Nancy

In 1851, Julia Gardiner Tyler mentioned Nancy in a letter describing Fanny Johnston’s death: 

“…She never spoke again, and when Fanny came directly to tell me that Fanny J. must either be a great deal better or worse from her request to be laid low at the head I immediately said - run back and call Nancy (who had taken Fanny's place) to raise her head whether she wishes it or not or else she will I fear suffocate. Fanny went back and found Nancy had endeavored to raise her again but she prevented her by shaking her head and pressing it back. Fanny however fulfilled my directions and as she raised her she expired…” [1]

Nancy was probably the mother of a girl born in November 1856 at Sherwood Forest. Her child’s name is not recorded, but the mother’s name is listed as Nancy. [2] In addition, Nancy may have had other children whose births were not recorded.

Julia mentioned Nancy again in 1859. Julia wrote, “One of the dresses was seized upon directly by Julia for Mammy Edy - of course. The other I shall give Nancy in the spring as best suited to her.” Julia refers to her daughter, Julia, in this letter. [3]

Finally, Nancy appears in Julia’s recollection of John Tyler’s last hours alive. Julia had a dream in which John Tyler looked “pale and ill. I remarked it to Nancy, the maidservant, who had come in to assist me in dressing...” Julia says that after this dream, she awoke very distressed and Nancy came into her room to tell her it was time to depart. Julia says that Nancy “knew I had looked forward with pleasure to making the visits to my friends, and begged I would not be influenced by my dream, saying: ‘You know, mistress, dreams always go by contraries;’ but none of the family could dissuade me from going direct to Richmond; and so, with old nurse, Fanny, and the baby, I arrived at the Exchange Hotel...” [4] Unfortunately, Julia does not mention Nancy’s last name in her correspondence, which makes it difficult to search for Nancy in records.

[1] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, Jul. 2, 1851, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary, copy.

[2] Transcript of Charles City County Birth Register, 1853-1861, Richard M. Bowman Center for Local History, Charles City County, Virginia.

[3] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, 8 Dec. 1859, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William & Mary.

[4] Julia Gardiner Tyler, in The Letters and Times of the Tylers, vol. 2, edited by Lyon G. Tyler, Whittet & Shepperson, 1884-96, pp. 670-671.