Mary Elizabeth Bliss

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Taylor Bliss Dandridge (née Taylor) was born on April 20, 1824, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the youngest of three surviving daughters of President Zachary Taylor and Margaret Smith, with two older sisters who did not survive past infancy, and a younger brother named Dick Taylor. Her family also included her parents' other children and extended relatives.

During her childhood, Betty Taylor's family alternated residence between their plantation in Louisville and various U.S. Army forts, where her father was stationed as a career military officer. Her mother primarily provided home education, supplemented by tutors and young army officers. In the late 1820s, the family moved to a plantation near Baton Rouge as her father acquired land there. In the early 1830s, the family resided at Fort Crawford during Zachary Taylor’s participation in the Black Hawk War. Subsequent relocations included periods in Florida during the Second Seminole War and in Texas.

On December 5, 1848, Betty Taylor married William Wallace Smith Bliss, an army officer who had served alongside her father. Following Zachary Taylor's election victory in 1848 and subsequent inauguration in 1849, William Bliss was appointed as Presidential Secretary by President Taylor. Betty, then 24 years old, served as First Lady during her father’s presidency because her mother declined the social responsibilities typically associated with the role. She became known as "Miss Betty," and assumed responsibilities as the official hostess at White House functions, effectively representing the Taylor administration in public appearances.

During her tenure as First Lady, Betty Bliss presided over White House social functions and was recognized for her natural demeanor, which contrasted with more formal social traditions. She attended the inaugural ball and was a prominent public figure, even inspiring a popular dance song in her honor. Her role included managing the family's interactions with the public and hosting official events.

President Zachary Taylor's term ended on July 9, 1850, when he died suddenly while in office. Betty and her husband accompanying her widowed mother, Peggy Taylor, who moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, where her daughter resided with other family members until her death in 1852. The following year, William Bliss died of yellow fever contracted in New Orleans, leaving Betty widowed at the age of 29.

Betty Taylor remarried on February 11, 1858, to Philip Pendleton Dandridge (1817–1881). She lived until July 25, 1909, when she died at the age of 85. She was interred at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia. At the time of her death, she was recognized as the last surviving child of Zachary Taylor.