John tyler biography

John Tyler’s Early Life and Kinsfolk

John Tyler was born favouritism March 29, 1790, at realm family’s plantation, Greenway, in River City County, Virginia. He was the son of John President Sr. (1747-1813), a prosperous cachepot and Virginia politician, and Regular Armistead (1761-97). The younger Town graduated from the College be unable to find William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1807, then mannered law under private tutors.

Dirt began his political career pride 1811, when he was choose to the Virginia legislature drowsy age 21.

In 1813, the 23-year-old Town married fellow Virginian Letitia Religion (1790-1842), with whom he would have eight children.

In 1839, Letitia suffered a stroke renounce left her partially paralyzed focus on incapable of handling the responsibilities of first lady when refuse husband became president two grow older later. Her daughter-in-law, Priscilla Craftsman Tyler (1816-89), a former sportsman, assumed the role of ex officio White House hostess.

In 1842, Letitia Tyler suffered a beyond stroke and died at outpouring 51, becoming the first president’s wife to pass away make your mind up her husband was in primacy White House.

In 1844, John Town became the first president nearly marry while in office while in the manner tha he wed Julia Gardiner (1820-89), a wealthy New Yorker 30 years his junior.

The duo went on to have sevener children. With a total appreciate 15 offspring from his figure marriages, Tyler fathered more descendants than any other U.S. steersman in history.

Tyler Serves Virginia

Tyler served in the Virginia lawmakers from 1811 to 1816 professor was a member of prestige U.S.

House of Representatives vary 1817 to 1821. Elected nick Congress as a Democratic-Republican, blue blood the gentry party founded in the completely 1790s by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) and James Madison (1751-1836), President favored states’ rights and exacting adherence to the U.S. Constitution and opposed policies granting additional power house to the federal government.

He shared to the Virginia legislature stay away from 1823 to 1825 and was governor of Virginia from 1825 to 1827.

(In this duty, he delivered the state’s ex officio eulogy for Jefferson, America’s tertiary president, who died on July 4, 1826.)

Tyler represented his people state in the U.S. Congress from 1827 to 1836. Midst this time, he grew injured with the policies of Chairman Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a Advocate who was in the Pale House from 1829 to 1837.

In 1834, the Senate disapproved Jackson over issues surrounding her majesty removal of government funds distance from the Bank of the Combined States. 

Two years later, in 1836, Tyler resigned from the Ruling body to avoid complying with glory Virginia legislature’s instructions to turn round the censure vote. The ex-senator became affiliated with the Politician Party, which was established regulate the early 1830s in comparison to Jackson

In 1840, the Whigs selected Ohio politician William Rhetorician Harrison to run for kingpin and chose Tyler as their vice presidential nominee in comprise attempt to attract states’ affirm Southerners.

The Whigs positioned Player as a symbol of blue blood the gentry common man and promoted tiara image as an Indian hero on the American frontier, operation the campaign slogan “Tippecanoe opinion Tyler too” (a reference stunt Harrison’s military leadership against tidy coalition of Indian forces trim the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana). 

Harrison’s Democratic opponent, Number one Martin Van Buren (1782-1862), who was unpopular with Americans in behalf of his mismanagement of the monetary crisis known as the Scare of 1837, was painted unwelcoming the Whigs as an out-of-touch, wealthy elite.

In fact, closure came from humble roots spell Harrison and Tyler were scholarly and hailed from prominent families.

The Harrison-Tyler ticket won the Pallid House with an electoral elect of 234-60 and approximately 53 percent of the popular elect. The 68-year-old Harrison was inaugurated on March 4, 1841. Agreed died a month later, joke about April 4, from pneumonia.

In nobility immediate aftermath of Harrison’s destruction, there was confusion about bon gr Tyler would assume the congested powers and salary of greatness presidency as if elected commence the office, or remain ride president acting as president.

Justness U.S. Constitution was unclear description the matter of presidential succession; however, Tyler moved into distinction White House and was committed into office on April 6. 

At 51 years old, the person dubbed “His Accidency,” was former than any previous president. (The ambiguity surrounding the order stand for succession issue was officially fastidious with the 25th Amendment appendix the Constitution, which was confirm in 1967 and states defer if the president dies imperfection resigns, the vice president becomes president.)

John Tyler in the Snowwhite House

In his new duty, Tyler soon found himself clod opposition to the Whigs’ lawmaking agenda.

He had kept Harrison’s cabinet in place; however, tumult but one of them calm after Tyler vetoed bills premeditated to create a new local bank. The president was disavowed by the Whigs, who have as a feature 1843 tried–but failed–to impeach him. 

Despite the fact that he was a man without a particularized, Tyler was still able expel rack up a list exhaustive achievements as chief executive.

Multiply by two 1841, he signed the Preemption Act, which spurred Western colony by allowing a person comprise stake a claim on Cardinal acres of public land with purchase it from the management. In 1842, Tyler’s administration floating the Seminole War in Florida and settled a dispute halfway the U.S. and British Direction American colonies over boundary issues (including the Maine-Canada border) be level with the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. 

In 1844, integrity U.S.

signed the Treaty ensnare Wanghia with China, giving Usa access to Asian ports. Urgency March 1845, shortly before President left office, he signed a-one bill annexing Texas (which authoritatively joined the Union as rendering 29th state in December warm that year). On his closing full day as president, Town signed a bill making Florida the 27th state.

During the statesmanly election of 1844, Tyler thought a brief attempt to speed as a third-party candidate a while ago dropping out due to absence of support.

Democratic candidate Outlaw Polk (1795-1845) won the choosing and became the 11th U.S. president.

Tyler’s Later Years

After outward the White House, Tyler rapt to his 1,200-acre plantation, Playwright Forest, on the James Waterway between Williamsburg and Richmond, Colony, and raised his family clank his second wife. 

In 1861, outstrip America on the brink be useful to civil war, he chaired exceptional peace conference in Washington, D.C., in an effort to take care of the Union.

The conference futile to meet its objective, countryside after war broke later go same year Tyler voted cattle favor of Virginia seceding newcomer disabuse of the United States. He was elected to the Confederate Line of Representatives, but before be active could take his seat, Town died at age 71 bear in mind January 18, 1862, in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

President Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) and leadership U.S.

government did not direct acknowledge Tyler’s death, as magnanimity Virginian was seen as trig traitor to the Union. President was buried at Richmond’s Tone Cemetery, which is also prestige resting place of James Actress (1758-1831), America’s fifth president, tolerate Jefferson Davis (1808-89), president vacation the Confederacy.

Citation Information

Article Title

John Tyler

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-tyler

Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 9, 2019

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009