John Tyler (1790-1862)
10th President of the United States (1841-1845)
He was preceded in the Presidency by William Henry Harrison and after serving one term in office for the Whigs he was succeeded in 1845 by James K. Polk. He was the first Vice-President to be elevated to the Presidency after Harrison's record-breaking demise, and he served longer than any other President not elected to office. By his two wives he was the father of fifteen children and amazingly - despite being born in 1790 - in 2018 President Tyler still had two grandsons living, Lyon and Harrison.
Similarly to his predecessor, Tyler came from a prominent Virginian family, his father also having served as Governor of Virginia. He too became a lawyer and planter, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates, as Governor of Virginia, and in both the U.S. House and Senate. Initially a Democrat, Tyler joined the Whig Party due to his opposition to Andrew Jackson's policies. However, his presidency was marked by constant conflict with Whig leadership. Tyler vetoed key Whig legislation, including bills to recharter the National Bank, leading his entire cabinet except Secretary of State Daniel Webster to resign. The Whigs expelled him from the party, earning him the nickname "His Accidency."
Similarly to his predecessor, Tyler came from a prominent Virginian family, his father also having served as Governor of Virginia. He too became a lawyer and planter, serving in the Virginia House of Delegates, as Governor of Virginia, and in both the U.S. House and Senate. Initially a Democrat, Tyler joined the Whig Party due to his opposition to Andrew Jackson's policies. However, his presidency was marked by constant conflict with Whig leadership. Tyler vetoed key Whig legislation, including bills to recharter the National Bank, leading his entire cabinet except Secretary of State Daniel Webster to resign. The Whigs expelled him from the party, earning him the nickname "His Accidency."
Despite political isolation, Tyler achieved significant accomplishments. He successfully negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty with Britain, resolving border disputes between the U.S. and Canada. His most consequential act was signing the joint resolution annexing Texas in 1845, just days before leaving office. Tyler's presidency established important precedents for vice presidential succession, as he insisted on full presidential powers rather than serving as acting president. He retired to his plantation home in Virginia, Sherwood Forest, which is the only historic presidential house that is still occupied by a president's descendants. He briefly attempted a comeback in 1860 and later served in the Confederate Congress during the Civil War before his death in 1862.
Parents (2)
Spouses (2)
Children (15)
Letitia (Tyler) Semple
Mrs Letitia Christian (Tyler) Semple; Founder of the Eclectic Institute, Baltimore
1821-1907
David Gardiner Tyler
"Gardie" Tyler, of "Sherwood Forest" U.S. Representative from Virginia
1846-1927
