Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler dies at 96

The past surviving grandson of the 10th U.S. President John Tyler has died astatine 96 years aged — the extremity of a nexus to a bygone epoch of American history. 

Harrison Ruffin Tyler died connected Sunday evening, May 25, his household said successful a connection to CBS News. His grandfather, who was calved successful 1790, near the Oval Office much than 179 years ago, aft serving from 1841 to 1845, good earlier the Civil War. His contiguous descendants lived into the modern property due to the fact that of 2 generations of precocious 2nd marriages to overmuch younger wives.

John Tyler, a Virginian enslaved proprietor and lifelong Democrat, served arsenic the vice president to William Henry Harrison and became president rather unexpectedly aft Harrison died suddenly three weeks aft his inauguration — the archetypal president to dice portion successful office. 

At the time, succession plans weren't afloat established and Tyler was initially hesitant astir taking over, according to the National Constitution Center. He took the oath of bureau successful nationalist connected April 6, 1841, saying, "I americium the President, and I shall beryllium held liable for my administration."

John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States, from a coating by Alonzo Chappel. / Getty Images

John Tyler was joined doubly and had 15 children — 8 children with his archetypal wife, Letitia, who died from a stroke, and past 7 much with his 2nd wife, Julia Gardiner Tyler, who was 24 erstwhile they married. He fathered astir of the 2nd acceptable of children successful his 50s and 60s; his past child, a girl named Pearl, was calved erstwhile helium was 70 years old, according to the University of Virginia's Miller Center.

Tyler's 13th child, Lyon, was calved erstwhile his begetter was 63 years old. Lyon Gardiner Tyler, who served arsenic president of William and Mary College, besides joined twice. With his 2nd wife, Sue Ruffin Tyler, helium had 2 sons calved successful the 1920s, erstwhile Lyon was successful his 70s, according to Encyclopedia Virginia. 

One of those children was Harrison Ruffin Tyler. 

Harrison Ruffin Tyler lived successful Virginia and co-founded ChemTreat, an concern h2o attraction company, successful 1968. He loved past and his birthplace, Charles City County, Virginia, his household said, which led to his enactment preserving some Sherwood Forest, President Tyler's home, and Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War fortification nearby

"He volition beryllium remembered for his sizeable charm, generosity and unfailing bully wit by each who knew him," Annique Dunning, enforcement manager of Sherwood Forest, said successful a statement. 

In:
• Civil War
• Virginia