3. Julia was made a widow before her 60th birthday, and from then on insisted on being called ‘Mrs Ex-President Tyler’
President John Tyler died just after midnight on 17 January 1862. Julia was by his side. Notably, due to his allegiance to the Confederate States of America, his death was not officially recognized in Washington – the first and only time this has happened. At his funeral, the former President’s coffin was covered in the Confederate flag – a clear symbol of his allegiance in the civil strife that was to tear America apart. Julia also remained staunchly pro-Confederacy. Despite this, she managed to obtain special dispensation, allowing her to travel across the lines separating the warring North and South.
Julia spent much of the Civil War far away from the fighting. Using her wealth and connections, she managed to travel to Bermuda. And she stayed, enjoying the Caribbean sunshine and the company of other exiled Confederates. Before the war was over, she returned to America, taking up residence in Staten Island. While some Confederacy supporters laid low, Julia was not one of them. Instead, in the immediate aftermath of the war, she threw herself into her social life – and she insisted on being called ‘Mrs Ex-President Tyler’!