Thanks for the ping, Larry.
Posted on 05/28/2025 2:59:09 PM PDT by DFG
The grandson of the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler, has died at 96 — 180 years after his grandfather was last in the White House.
Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the son of President Tyler’s 13th child, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, died on Sunday evening at a Virginia nursing home, ending the last living link to an 18th-century presidential administration.
When he was born on Nov. 9, 1928, his father was 75 years old.
Having children into old age was a family trait, as President Tyler was 63 when Lyon was born.
President Tyler would go on to have two more children before he died in 1862 age 71.
Born into a prominent slaveholding Virginia family in 1790, John Tyler served as President William Henry Harrison’s vice president on the Whig ticket in 1840.
He became president after Harrison died just 31 days into his term.
While in office, Tyler was a believer in manifest destiny, and signed a bill offering Texas statehood shortly before leaving office.
But he fell out with the Whig Party, who chose not to nominate him for reelection, instead opting for Henry Clay, who lost to the Democrat James K. Polk.
He fathered more children than any other American president, including eight with his first wife, Letitia Christian, and seven with his second, Julia Gardiner, whom he married in 1844 — two years after Letitia died of a stroke.
Harrison Ruffin Tyler was a feature of curiosity from a young age due to his ties to America’s past.
At age 8, he was invited to the White House to meet FDR, and Lady Nancy Astor paid his $5,000 tuition fees at William & Mary College even though the two had never met.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Where in Maine? There’s a book series written by a Ralph Moody who went to live on his grandfather’s farm in Lisbon Falls, Maine. His Grandfather faught at Gettysburg and was named Thomas Gould.
The article forgot to mention that once Virginia left the union, Tyler became very pro Confederate and was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before he could take office.
My Revolutionary War ancestor died at the age of 78. The youngest of his 21 children was about 5 years old at the time. (Only 18 of his children were still alive when he died--better than normal survival rate for that period, I think.)
His first name is possibly after President William Henry Harrison (or possibly the President’s father, Benjamin Harrison, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence). His middle name could be in honor of Edmund Ruffin, Southern “fire-eater” who committed suicide in 1865 after the South lost, rather than live under Yankee rule...supposedly fired the first shot at Fort Sumter.
Do I recall correctly that this guys father fought at Gettysburg on the 3rd day. Was in Picketts Charge. (Killer Angels, event mentioned by Arminstead to British observer)
I hope he kept up the tradition and had a young child.
Nah, Rep. Hank Johnson saved the day.
He was a Van Buren boy. Martin Van Buren himself taught him the sign.
Tippy Canoe and Tyler too. Campaign song from 1840 Presidential Election
Only because he was talking with his hands while holding a salt shaker. That’s when MVB spilled the beans.
Thanks for the ping, Larry.
Doesn't anyone else know FACTUAL history on Fr anymore?
I learned about this in the 5th grade and still remember it.
so it’s weird they say he was last living link to President.
Wow. Thanks for posting.
(Alma mater: College of William & Mary)
Oh no ... Won’t do ...
My grandfather died in 1981 at the age of 87. There are 7 generations that separate me from my Revolutionary War ancestors.
It looks like we are roughly the same age but you may be making the point that there are fewer generations between yourself and your revolutionary war ancestor. I can’t tell. Can you clarify?
Was your family around philadelphia. I have revolutioary war ancestor who had 21 kids. They lived near Valley Forge. Nobody has ever had that many kids since.
Houlton, although he lived in Woodstock, NB.
My grandfather was born when Millard Fillmore was president.
Polk, the last great Democrat.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
