Encore: The Peacemaker and the Cradle Robber

Encore: The Peacemaker and the Cradle Robber

From Plodding Through The Presidents by Howard & Jessica Dorre

June 8, 2026 · 1h 8m · Season 7 · Episode 3

About this episode

The episode discusses the USS Princeton disaster and its impact on President John Tyler and his cabinet.

Howard’s coming to Houston Saturday, June 13th for a public history talk about the Founding Frenemies at the Houston History Research Center. For more details check out https://calendar.houstonlibrary.org/event/16693436 In the spirit of Texas, we’re sharing this episode from the archives where we took on the single deadliest disaster to befall a presidential cabinet – the explosion aboard the USS Princeton in 1844. We look at four of the key players aboard and how they got there - President John Tyler, Secretary of State Abel Upshur, Captain Robert Stockton, and Julia Gardiner, "The Rose of Long Island" – and how this tragedy shook up Tyler's plans for love and Texas. Find out more at plodpod.com. Join our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents for exclusive bonus content! Check out our merch shop at https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294 Houston Event June 13th, 2026 Details: https://calendar.houstonlibrary.org/event/16693436 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Howard Dorre, Jessica Dorre

Topics covered

  • presidential history
  • disasters
  • Texas
  • 19th century
  • political relationships

Keywords

  • USS Princeton
  • John Tyler
  • historical disaster
  • Texas history
  • presidential cabinet

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Houston History Research Center

Books & works: The Peacemaker and the Cradle Robber, Founding Frenemies

Places: Houston, Texas, Long Island

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