Eliza's True Story

Résumé du livre

"This book is the first and only biography written about President James Monroe's eldest daughter, Elizabeth ("Eliza") Kortright Monroe Hay. Five years of research has discovered new information that corrects the present historical narrative about her. After serving in the role of first lady during the eight years of her father's presidency due to her mother's significant illness, Eliza nursed both her mother and father until their deaths. Her husband, mother, and father all died within 10 months, from September 1830 to July 1831. James Monroe's last will and testament left Eliza, a widow, half of his property, with the other half assigned to her sister, Maria; however, she was denied any inheritance by the executor of Monroe's estate, who was Maria's husband. After waiting nine years for money necessary to survicce, Eliza died destitute and in debt in Paris in January 1840. Her story is tragic, and reflects the plight of many American women of the 1800's when they were at the mercy of men to obtain the rightful property due to them. This important story has been hidden for two centuries, and is now brought to light through an extraordinary number of primary sources revealing the true story of Eliza"-- Provided by publisher.