Cornelia Tyler

On January 3, 1878, she married Augustus Cleveland Tyler.

Aberdeen Daily News Saturday, May 28, 1904 Aberdeen, South Dakota The Theater Mrs. C.O. Tyler, Author of A Venetian Romance, Is a Society Leader [From Our New York Dramatic Correspondent.] Principal of the novel features attached to the presentation of A Venetian Romance at the Knickerbocker theater is the fact that the author of the book and libretto is the first woman who has ever written a comic opera for Broadway hearing. She is Cornelia Osgood Tyler, a woman of enviable social standing in Washington, New York and New London, Connecticut, but withal too modest to allow her photographs to be used for the public prints. Mrs. Tyler has all the horror of newspaper publicity that was once a distinguishing mark of a well born, well-bred gentleman and she is convinced it would cause her the acutest annoyance to see her picture in the papers.

She is a remarkably handsome woman, a daughter of the gods, divinely tall and most divinely fair. She looks as a duchess should, but so seldom does look. She has two charming daughters, a son at Yale and an income of fabulous amount. In New London, Connecticut, her summer home, the Elm, located in the aristocratic Pequot colony, is the scene of the most splendid social entertainments. Mrs. Tyler is known there as Lady Bountiful on account of her many charitable deeds. Her husband, Colonel Augustus C. Tyler, is a retired army officer who spends most of his time during the winter on his tea plantation in the south.

In connection with the musical composer of the opera, Frederic Coit Wright, there is a romantic story. One afternoon several years ago Mrs. Tyler’s daughters, wishing to entertain some young friends at dancing, sent into town for a pianist. Frederic Coit Wright, then only a boy, appeared at the Elm. His playing attracted more than passing attention and Mrs. Tyler learned that it was his father who taught her dancing in Norwich when, as a Cornelia Osgood, she was a little girl. Young Wight was instated as the official musician of the Tyler household and Mrs. Tyler gave him every opportunity and advantage to improve his talent. He taught her children piano playing and conducted the music for Mrs. Tyler’s entertainments. As a matter of amusement, they collaborated in writing A Venetian Romance. Richard Mansfield, who is a frequent guest at the Tyler home, encouraged them to serious effort and it was he who called the attention of Frank L. Perley, the comic opera impresario, to the piece. Mr. Perley, who has had extensive experience in the production of musical pieces while manager of the Bostonians, the Alice Nielsen Opera Company and The Chaperons in its original form, had such confidence in the merits of A Venetian Romance that he organized a company for its presentation.