That’s Old School! U.S. President John Tyler, Born in 1790, Has Two Living Grandsons
- Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:25pm by
Dave Urbanski
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Yes, you read the headline correctly.
The grandsons of John Tyler—born in 1790, who took office as America’s 10th president in 1841, and died in 1862 before the end of the Civil War—are still kickin’. (Kickin’ it old school, you might say, but surely with enough spunk that one Tyler grandson slammed Newt Gingrich as a “big jerk.” More on that later.)
President John Tyler
So how is it that two grandsons were born almost 140 years after their grandfather? Two successive generations of men who fathered children at advanced ages—even by today’s standards—with much younger wives.
In 1853, when President Tyler was 63, his second wife Julia Gardiner (30 years his junior) gave birth to Lyon Gardiner Tyler, one of 15 Tyler children—the most born to a U.S. president.
Lyon Gardiner Tyler
Lyon became an attorney, historian, author, and president of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. He died in 1935, but not before fathering two sons when he was in his 70s—Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. (b. 1924) and Harrison Ruffin Tyler (b. 1928)—with Sue Ruffin, his 36-years-younger second wife.
Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Jr., 88, graduated from William & Mary, attended the University of Virginia Law School, then practiced law, according to a profile by the Lion’s Club of Franklin, Tenn., where he resides. He was director of the Virginia Civil War Centennial Commission from 1959-1963 and lectured about history, later earning his history Ph.D. from Duke University.
Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Jr.
Harrison Tyler, 84, also graduated from William & Mary (chemistry degree) and attended Virginia Tech for graduate-level engineering, according to a 2007 profile in Virginia Tech magazine. He worked with Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corp. and cofounded an industrial water treatment firm, ChemTreat Inc., in 1968. He lives on Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, a national historic landmark in Charles City, Va. and his grandfather’s home.
Harrison Ruffin Tyler
Harrison told Politico that he hasn’t decided which 2012 presidential candidate will get his vote. In fact, he doesn’t “really like any of them,” particularly Newt Gingrich, whom he called a “big jerk.”
The former speaker of the house “needs to stick with the same wife, that’s what my mother taught me,” Harrison said regarding Gingrich’s three marriages. “But that doesn’t seem to happen much today.”
Harrison, who considers himself a conservative, said Mitt Romney’s business experience is an important factor. President Obama, however, lacks the right pro-business policies to get his vote.
“I think he’s a charming man,” Harrison said, “but he grew up in the society where he believes in running the show and changing the apple cart and taking it away from those that have.”
William & Mary president Timothy J. Sullivan introduces Harrison Ruffin Tyler, right, at 2004 dedication of a garden honoring former college president Lyon Gardiner Tyler.
President Tyler—who also attended William & Mary—was elected vice president with William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president. Their campaign slogan, “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too,” is one of the most enduring in American history. After only a month in office, Harrison died of pneumonia, and Tyler became the first vice president to rise to commander in chief due to the death of his predecessor.
Once in office Tyler stood against his Whig Party’s platform and vetoed several pieces of legislation. Most of his cabinet resigned, and the Whigs—dubbing Tyler “His Accidency”—expelled him from the party. Talk about vicious politics.
Still, Tyler got a few things accomplished, including the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas.
(h/t: Daily Mail, Fox News)
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Comments (67)
the gray lensman
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:35amCool trivia.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 7:03amVery cool indeed.
Report Post »grandma7
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 11:37pmYes, cool. Great story!!
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:46pmSo cool, some women like older guys who know how to treat them right!
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 3:16amIt’s true some women like older men, especially if the older man has lots of money…
Now, don’t jump on me. I think in todays world it goes both ways.
Report Post »IvanK
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:33pmHey Blaze… Don’t you guys monitor/moderate your comments section? Come on fellas, Guerilla marketing like this makes your site look like amateur hour!
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:31pmTheres somethin to be said about hot young chicks !!!!! Natures Viagra !!!
SquirrelNYC
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:10pmFascinating story! To think that these two men have just one generation between them and someone who was born in 1790 is incredible. It’s such a long gap, but yet seems closer.
Report Post »Silent_Majority
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:18pmI know Mr. Tyler in Franklin – Very good man – When I was first told that he was the grandson of President Tyler I thought that it was impossible, but it is not…
Report Post »Macman1138
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 7:39amAbe Lincoln still has plenty of living relatives in Kentucky (I know because I am one) and nobody is clambering to cover that story.
Report Post »vic108
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 12:26pmMy family were good friends with David Tyler who is probably close to or into his 70′s now. He is either a grand-child or great grand-child of President Tyler. David and family are wonderful folks…
Report Post »WilkowonGBTV
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 11:23pm@Macman1138 The Enloe family in NC says their related to Abe. Nobody covers that story either.
Report Post »Birddog
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:37pmThis just goes to show we have a long standing tradition of presidents being dirty old men.
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:21pmthis is why i will never understand why people get so upset about Newts second marriages, or Cains friendships and sexual harrasment stuff, because these guys aint got nothing on the canidates back in the day, i mean really!
Report Post »Patrick Henry II
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:56pmOld Tyler sure had some young stuff on the side much like David, Solomon, Newt and many others…
Report Post »Your right big deal, CONTEXT.
Chuck Stein
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:09pm@ Patrick
Report Post »Having a woman “on the side” is a way of describing an extra-marital relationship. Are you saying that either of the younger women in the Tyler family tree were not married to the Tyler for whom they bore a child? You may want to be careful with that: Virginia has a history of dueling for a family’s honor.
cdavis2009
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 11:24pmIn most instances second and third wives were not because of adultery and divorce. This wasn’t common until the twentieth century. Many men and women and more than one spouse in their lifetime because illness and death were more prevalent.
Report Post »Patrick Henry II
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 7:08pm@CDAVIS 2009,
Report Post »Yes back then often women died giving birth. Like always the rich and powerful had young good looking wives. Patrick Henry (the original) for example. Many in my family line too, David, Solomon etc… People get on this high horse. Even Ronald Reagan had a second wife and I love Reagan.
COFemale
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:54pmHmmm. That is interesting, My mom‘s side of the family also married Ruffin’s. They migrated from VA to NC. Harrison Ruffin Tyler could be a 2nd cousin 4 or 5 times removed. LOL.
Report Post »gemmeri
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:47pmInteresting history. Back when people still had manners, I see. More gracious towards Obama than he would be towards them, I’m sure.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:16pmHis comment that Newt is a ‘big jerk’ does not sound very gracious and polite to me. Time to ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’……and rein in that nastiness.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 6:08am@ restorehope
Newt is a big jerk.
Report Post »FreeManWalking
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 9:48am@ Buck Shame on you..
Have some more beckaid so you can see a progressive behind every tree. Amazing how a mirror blocks the effects, it will make blood shoot out of the eyes when a progressive is seen or heard.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 10:44am@ FreeManWalking
Newt is a progressive. He is a big government globalist.
If Newt is the Rep. candidate, then I must not be a Rep.
If his wife can’t trust him, how can you?
Report Post »DD313
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:35pmAnd still sharp enough to see through Newt.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:35pmYawn…
Report Post »MAULEMALL
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 8:19pmFirst pres to have impeachment hearings…
He was probably as big if not a whole lot bigger jerk than Newt..
Report Post »4227
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:34pmWish I could have been educated by just one of those men!! What an education I would have. Too learn the real truth about history, and life. Not the crap that they’er teaching our young people to day! Just think about it to learn real history, real facts, real life, not just names and dates. This is a story that GB should do on his network before it’s to late.
Report Post »JustPeachy
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:15pmInterestiing piece!
Report Post »CBKC
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:15pm@JackieRogers, Jr.
Good for you. Biggest point for me is that my ancestors didn’t abort because they were “accidentally” pregnant. In fact, mine had another baby so “the accident” had someone to play with. I tried to continue the tradition but lost a baby at 41. Just not to be. My 25 year old daughter is planning on waiting until at least 30, so the tradition may continue. She’ll inherit that bed and have some stories to tell her kids…..
Kids having kids is ruining this country, IMHO.
Report Post »Moozmom
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:41pmAnd just this week, I found out I was born 17 years after Wyatt Earp died. I feel very old. When I tell my sons their grandmother was 4 years old when the Titanic sunk, they just stare at me. And when I tell them that my grandmothers were both Indians, they stare harder. It’s delightful to be old!
Report Post »netmail
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:53pmMy mother was born the year the Titanic sank and my father on the day that it sank. Now I understand the ‘sinking feeling’ I have when I read about the politics of today. Really enjoyed this interesting story tho.
Report Post »BBEV
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:13pmOK I have to ask,, why did you not post my post with the link to a book about the History of Essex County from the 1800′s?
Report Post »Pontiac
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:26pmSometimes there is a delay BBEV.
Report Post »From Virginia
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 9:48pmYour linky is right below this post.
Report Post »BBEV
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:03pmI have a link to a book that may Interest some. Check it out if your family has been here a while.
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofessexco02hurd#page/n3/mode/2up
Report Post »CBKC
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:03pmAs a 54 year old whose grandfather was born in 1878, I’d rather have it that way than being the product of multiple generations who started breeding at 15. A family heirloom to me is a bed his dad made during the Civil War. A family heirloom to the other end of the spectrum is an 8-track tape player.
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:42pmGot your spread beat. I’m 53. Maternal grandfather born 1875. Plus I got to know him as he lived until 1974. My heirloom? Land loaded with coal. On the other end of the spectrum, land, not so much coal.
Report Post »knoxvkid
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 9:53pmMy grandfather on my father‘s side was born in 1865 and grandmother in 1873 and I’m 54 years old.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:31pmGenealogy is relatively interesting.
Report Post »What if your family’s coat of arms ties in the back?
Only a genealogist considers a step backwards as progress.
I’m always late; my ancestors arrived on the Juneflower.
…
if you were looking at at full genealogy chart going back to your 12th greatgrandparents, that would mean 16,384 people had sex just to get YOU here.
Countrygirl1362
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:05pmAnd if you go far enough back we are all related. Either though Noah and his family or Adam and Eve.
Report Post »WilkowonGBTV
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:24pmFor many people some names will show up more than once before you get back 12 generations.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 1:30amThanks, Burthills, I will be sure to get a bunch of groans from the pun-haters in my life, now!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on January 29, 2012 at 9:07amI did my family tree, and I have a lot of brothers who married sisters (small town), meaning the trees connect through the parents I even have one who married his dead brother’s wife…makes you wonder how the brother died?
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:28pmInteresting!
Report Post »Ditto Head
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:06pmWell, at least no one will ever be able to accuse TheBlaze of being on the “cutting edge”. I read about this days ago.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:22pmWhere did you find it ditto???
Report Post »aragona
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:33pmNot saying that isn’t true, but I usually find it to be the opposite – I see stuff on the Blaze days or weeks ahead of when I see it on other websites.
Report Post »Ditto Head
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 5:48pm@STOIC
Read it here.
Report Post »Toxic Pirate
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:11pmStrange and im sure im probably wrong but the date on that article is 1-28-2012
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 6:19pmI’m w/ aragona…
Report Post »I constantly read stuff on http://www.TheBlaze.com that show up on Fox and other networks DAYS later. Both the hard news / serious stuff, and, the warm fuzzy stuff.
Ditto Head
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 7:53pmI find TheBlaze, in general, to be about two days behind Rush.
Report Post »WilkowonGBTV
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 10:43pmI don‘t think this site was made to have articles you can’t get anywhere else. They just bring us interesting articles from other places. Why do you come here if it‘s never anything but a recap of Rush’s show from two days ago?
Report Post »girlnurse
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:55pmInteresting….These days it would be a scandal to marry someone 30 years your junior and then the leftists, tree hugging, environmentalist, human haters would really get their panties in a wad for the fact that they had 15 children! Population control you know!
Report Post »jblaze
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:49pmHm interesting!
Report Post »phillipwgirard
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:43pmWow,,,
Report Post »Master_and_Commander
Posted on January 28, 2012 at 4:38pmwow… now THAT is cool
Report Post »