Grandson of President John Tyler, Who Left Office in 1845, Dies at Age 95 (Smithsonian)

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Born 14 years after the nation’s founding, the tenth commander-in-chief still has one living grandson


By Livia Gershon
smithsonianmag.com
October 6, 2020

In a reminder of just how young the United States is as a country, Mental Floss’ Michele Debczak reports that Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., grandson of tenth president John Tyler, died on September 26 at age 95. Lyon’s brother Harrison Ruffin Tyler—born in 1928—is still living.

John Tyler was born in 1790, just 14 years after the nation’s founding. He became president in 1841, after William Henry Harrison died in office, and served until 1845. His son Lyon Gardiner Tyler was born in 1853 (a full 12 years before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery), when John was 63. Lyon Gardiner Sr., in turn, was in his 70s when Lyon Gardiner Jr. and Harrison Ruffin were born.

Speaking with CBS News’ Chip Reid in 2018, Harrison Ruffin’s son William said many people are surprised by his close family connection to a president born in the 18th century.

“I find it hard to believe,” he said. “I think it had to do with second wives.”
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In addition to vetoing bills that Harrison had supported, John opposed the creation of a central bank—a priority of the Whig Party that had nominated him as vice president. The year after he succeeded Harrison, John faced an attempted impeachment by the Whig-dominated House of Representatives; Henry Wise, a Congressman from Virginia, accused him of lying “like a dog,” while fellow Virginia Representative John Minor Botts, who introduced the impeachment proposal in July 1842, charged him with “the high crime and misdemeanor of endeavoring to excite a disorganizing and revolutionary spirit in the country.”
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more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grandson-10th-president-john-tyler-dies-180975992/



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