▁Born ▁in ▁Cal vert ▁County , ▁Maryland , ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 7 8 8 , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Walter ▁Smith , ▁a ▁prosper ous ▁Maryland ▁plan ter ▁and ▁veter an ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution , ▁and ▁the ▁former ▁Ann ▁Mack all , ▁" P eg gy " ▁was ▁raised ▁amid ▁ref in ement ▁and ▁wealth . ▁ ▁While ▁visit ing ▁her ▁sister ▁in ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 9 , ▁she ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁Lieutenant ▁Zach ary ▁Taylor , ▁then ▁home ▁on ▁leave , ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Alexander ▁Duke . ▁ ▁L t . ▁Taylor , ▁aged ▁ 2 5 , ▁married ▁Peg gy ▁Smith , ▁aged ▁ 2 1 , ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 8 1 0 , ▁at ▁the ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁b ride ' s ▁sister , ▁Mrs . ▁Mary ▁Che w , ▁near ▁Louis ville , ▁Kentucky . ▁Their ▁marriage ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁happy ▁one . ▁A ▁dev out ▁Epis cop al ian , ▁Mrs . ▁Taylor ▁pray ed ▁regularly ▁for ▁her ▁soldier ▁husband . ▁She ▁became ▁somewhat ▁re clus ive ▁because , ▁it ▁is ▁said , ▁she ▁had ▁promised ▁God ▁to ▁give ▁up ▁the ▁ple asures ▁of ▁society ▁if ▁her ▁husband ▁returned ▁safely ▁from ▁war . ▁While ▁he ▁was ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War , ▁she ▁lived ▁at ▁their ▁Cy press ▁Gro ve ▁Plant ation ▁near ▁Rod ney ▁in ▁Jefferson ▁County , ▁Mississippi . ▁ ▁First ▁Lady ▁With ▁the ▁rise ▁in ▁Zach ary