Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, dies at 96
Share and Follow

CHARLES CITY, Va. (AP) — Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the last living grandson of U.S. President John Tyler born 83 years after his grandfather left the White House in 1845, died. He was 96.

The cause of Tyler’s death on Sunday was not immediately released. John Tyler was 63 years old when Harrison Tyler’s father, Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr., was born. And Harrison Ruffin Tyler was born in 1928 when that father was 75 years old and the presidential grandfather had been dead for more than 60 years.

This undated photo provided by Annique Dunning, executive director of Sherwood Forest Plantation, shows Harrison Ruffin Tyler, grandson of U.S. President John Tyler, who died on May 25, 2025, at 96 years old. (Sherwood Forest Plantation via AP)

The grandson was known for preserving his grandfather’s plantation and nearby Civil War fort. In a statement, Annique Dunning, the executive director of Sherwood Forest, a national landmark of President Tyler’s residence, said the president’s grandson, whose brother died in 2020, was a “beloved father and grandfather, he will be missed immeasurably by those who survive him.”

“He will be remembered for his considerable charm, generosity and unfailing good humor by all who knew him,” Dunning said.

Over the course of his life, Tyler preserved Sherwood Forest, his grandfather’s plantation that enslaved dozens of people, including 43 people in 1860, just before the Civil War began. The grandson also helped restore and maintain Fort Pocahontas, a Union fort during the Civil War.

Tyler’s grandfather was a Democrat nicknamed the “Accidental President” after unexpectedly assuming the presidency when President William Henry Harrison died in office. President Tyler was the first vice president to gain control of the White House in the wake of a death.

The University of Virginia’s Miller Center described the president as “the last gasp of the Old Virginia aristocracy in the White House.” He had married twice and had 15 children, including Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr.

The time between the president’s birth and his grandson’s death spans 235 years.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Ex-Judge Poised to Become Leader of 17 Million-Strong Mormon Church

SALT LAKE CITY – Dallin H. Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court…

“Van Gogh Museum Hosts Unexpected Reunion: A Postman, His Family, and a Chair”

AMSTERDAM – The Van Gogh museum is bringing a scattered family back…

Gold Prices Hit All-Time Highs Due to US Government Shutdown

NEW YORK – As uncertainty deepens amid the U.S. government’s first shutdown…

Residents of Burnettown and Gloverville Respond to Major Allegations Against Local Homeless Ministry

GLOVERVILLE, S.C. () – Some living in Burnettown and Gloverville are speaking…

5 more homes collapse into the sea on North Carolina's Outer Banks

BUXTON, N.C. (WAVY) — A pair of offshore hurricanes produced large swells…

Using Goats and Sheep to Maintain Ski Slopes: How Vermont Resorts Are Employing Livestock for Landscaping

JAY, Vt. – Months before the first snow beckons skiers, sheep and…

Illinois’ Justin Bowick is Altmyer’s Go-To Target in the Red Zone

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois wide receiver Justin Bowick doesn’t lead the…

Walmart Plans to Eliminate Artificial Colors and Additives from Store Brand Foods by 2027

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart said Wednesday that it plans to remove synthetic food dyes and…