John Tyler facts for kids
John Tyler Facts For Kids - social studies skills studied in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th grades.
10th President of the USA
John Tyler succeeded William Henry Harrison as the 10th President of the United States due to the death of William shortly after he became President in 1841. He was at that time the Vice President, elected along with Harrison on the Whig ticket. He thus became the first Vice President to succeed a President without being elected and also, the longest to serve as President without being elected, since William Harrison died just 31 days into the Presidency.
Early life
John Tyler was born on March 29, 1790 into an aristocratic and politically active family in Charles City County, Virginia just like Harrison. John Tyler Sr. was the college roommate of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. He served for four years in the House of Delegates as Speaker before becoming a state court judge and came to be called as Judge Tyler. His wife and John’s mother, Mary Marot passed away when John was just 7. John and his 7 siblings grew up in Greenway Plantation, a huge estate.
Formal education
He was home tutored early on and at twelve, he entered the preparatory branch of the elite College of William and Mary. He moved on to the collegiate branch and graduated from there in 1807, aged seventeen. After graduation, he studied law with his father who was a Judge and was admitted to the bar aged 19. He started his practice in Richmond, purchased Woodburn plantation and stayed there till 1821.
Family
Tyler had eight children with his first wife Letitia Christian, who passed away while in the White House in 1842. He got married again to Julia Gardiner with whom he had seven children.
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Career
Tyler’s political career started at the age of 21 in the year 1811 when he was elected to the House of Delegates. In 1816 he resigned from this post and served on the Governor's Council of State. In 1821 he left this office and started practicing law again, full time. He was re-elected to the House of Delegates in 1823 and became the Governor of Virginia in December 1825.
In March 1827 John Tyler was elected to the U.S. Senate. In 1834 he got affiliated to the Whig party and was made President pro tempore of the Senate in 1835. He was proposed as the Vice Presidential candidate for the 1836 election and after a few ups and downs, was finally sworn in as the Vice President in 1841. This was how he got elevated to the post of the President following William’s death.
Retired life
Post Presidency, Tyler retired to Sherwood Forest, his plantation in Virginia. He worked hard on the plantation, but remained aloof from politics. The Ordinance of Secession was signed by Tyler in June 1861 as a result of his efforts and was unanimously elected to the Provisional Confederate Congress by the convention. Tyler died in February 1862 just before the session opened after being elected to the Confederate House of Representatives. Tyler was buried in Hollywood cemetery. Owing to his role in the Texas annexation, the city of Tyler, Texas has been named after him. There are few other locations also in the United States that have been named after him.