Community Chat

[Oznell]

OK, this is what is amazing.  John Tyler was the 10th president of the United States, his tenure being from 1841-1845.  

He was born in 1790.   Nothing remarkable so far, you say.

BUT,  he has a LIVING GRANDCHILD (not a distant descendent, as you might think) in Virginia this very moment--  Harrison Ruffin Tyler, 94, a former chemical engineer and preservationist, who is unfortunately, ailing, but still living.

John Tyler on the left,  Harrison Tyler on the right-- not sure what age he is in this photo.

Until recently, there were two living grandsons.

Somebody born in 1790,  who was president in the early 1840's has a relative as close as a living grandchild now.

How could that happen?  Well apparently both President Tyler and his son were widowed, and later remarried and had younger families at a fairly advanced age.  Thus, living relatives as close as grandchildren, in the 21st century.

Of course, Harrison Tyler, having been born in 1928, never met his grandfather, who died in 1862.

Another interesting fact of Harrison Tyler-- on his mother's side, much earlier, he's descended from Pocahontas.

[Sooner]

Actually my family is an off mix too.  One of my great grandfathers was born in 1825. And we have some crazy relatives that astound me from research an aunt did. I suppose we all would if we knew!  

Maybe best NOT to know sometimes!  

[hckynutjohn]

I learned all I want to know about my Mother's family. They were well off and disowned my mother when she married my sperm donor. Guess they had pegged, and thus my history of born and raised in Public Housing Projects. 

As for my sperm donor? Why would I want to know anymore other than he was Irish, and he was a no good drunk. Left his family of 4 kids for my mother to raise. Her family(read above)? 

Flunked world history 3 times, and quit high school the semester that included American History. Far from a historian, but I did read a lot about the WWII era, and its politics.

Genetic interest! Zero

hckynut 🇺🇸

[chrystaltree]

Am I the only one who doesn't think this is weird or strange at all. Unusual but not weird. Of course, I might be missing something.

[Desert Lily]

Vice President Tyler became President Tyler because President Harrison died 1 month after taking office. He served 1841-1845.

Historians give Tyler's presidency a low ranking.

His Cabinet resigned shortly after Tyler took office, he was expelled from the Whig party, & he was the 1st President to have Congress override his veto of legislation.

Tyler sided with the Confederates when the Civil War started. He was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died before taking that office.

However, he did sign a bill that offered Texas annexation to the United States.

[Oznell]

@hckynutjohn,  at least you are well-versed in World War II,  which many of us aren't.  That is such a rich period, that I should know more about.  My knowledge of history is very spotty, yet I love certain periods, find them fascinating, etc.   Quirky little things like this that I stumble upon, tend to leap out at me!  

I don't find what I posted about the two generations "weird",  @chrystaltree .    Just very unusual--  and it is--  that someone living in the 21st century,  has as 'near' a relative as a grandfather, not a "great" or "great-great", but just a grandfather --  who was born in the 18th century (1790).

That's a huge span of time, for two people who are separated by so few generations.  That's why historians are fascinated and have written about it extensively. 

[ValuSkr]

I've long been interested in the Tyler family too.  Here's a fun interview that Mo Rocca did ten years ago for CBS Sunday Morning with Harrison Tyler and his wife.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svwg0j19KGI 

[Oznell]

Thanks, @ValuSkr ,  for thoughtfully posting that interview.  Very interesting, and cute, when Tyler's wife thought his comments were a little too candid!

[Oznell]

Found the other grandson, brother of Harrison Tyler, a second remarkable "21st century-surviving" grandson of President Tyler--   Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Jr.   He was a lawyer and history professor who died in 2020, at the age of 95.

 

[jubilant]

@ValuSkr   I enjoyed the  you tube video very much.  Interesting and "quite" entertaining.  What  a cute couple! Thanks for posting it!