How two of President John Tyler's grandsons are still alive, 174 years later

[RKP5637]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-two-of-president-john-tylers-grandsons-are-still-alive/

CHARLES CITY, Va. -- John Tyler was the first vice president elevated to the presidency on the death of the chief executive and the first president to marry in the White House. Nearly 175 years later, two of his grandchildren are still around.

Harrison Ruffin Tyler, 89, is one of two living grandsons of President John Tyler, who was born in 1790, one year after George Washington was sworn in as president.

Just three generations -- President Tyler, his son Lyon Tyler, and grandson Harrison -- span almost the entire history of the United States.

Here's how it happened. John Tyler became president in 1841. He had eight children with his first wife, who died while he was in office. At 52, he married 22-year-old Julia Gardiner. They had seven children, for a total of 15 -- the most of any president. He was 63 when son Lyon Tyler was born, whose first wife also died. Lyon also had a very young second wife, and was 75 years old when Harrison Tyler was born in 1928.

William showed us around Sherwood Forest Plantation, a home President Tyler renovated with his wife Julia in mind. She was 30 years younger and liked to party. William says the house is also haunted. He showed us a spot on a wall where you can see what looks like a young woman.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I've read this story before, and it never fails to astonish me!

The men were extremely healthy, lived very long lives, were fertile as well..........and there you have it.

[RKP5637]

2. And they look good too, far different than what I expected before I saw the photo. n/t

[Dennis Donovan]

3. I have a somewhat similar experience...

I was born in 1965, and my dad was 42. Dad was born in 1923, and his dad was 28.

My grandfather was born in 1895 and his dad was 50.

My great-grandfather was born in 1846 and when his father was 50.

So, my great-great-grandfather, only 4 gens away from me, was born in 1794 (during the Washington Admin) and fought in the war of 1812 (his unit was present on the outskirts of Washington when the British burned the White House and the Capitol down).

My great-grandfather was old enough to serve in the Civil War, but I've never found and records that showed him serving.

[Cirque du So-What]

4. My father was also 42 when I was born (1955)

I have a great-grandfather who was in the Civil War. He was injured at Gettysburg and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He lived until 1938, however, and served as a living link to that era.

[Dennis Donovan]

6. Cool stuff, isn't it?

My great-great-grandfather fought with the NY 111th at Gettysburg, was wounded, but her made it back to fight again and was badly wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. Here he is after enlistment:

[kwassa]

10. My great-grandfather was also at Gettysburg .....

Born in 1840, served in the First Maine Cavalry, was detailed to a Pennsylvania infantry as a courier, was part of the defensive retreat on the first day of the battle that gave time for the Union army to seize the high ground. He was reported to be the last man on a horse in a unit that suffered 60-70% casualties.

He was wounded at the siege of Petersburg late in the war, but survived the wound, or I would not be here.

He died of an apparent heart attack at the 50th reunion of the battle of Gettysburg in 1913, at age 70. Your great-grandfather must have been very old in 1938, close to 100 years old.

[Cirque du So-What]

11. He was born in 1846

so, yeah, he was 91 or 92 when he died.

[BobTheSubgenius]

13. Not really the same thing, but...

...my wife has a picture of her mother, and they are in that picture with a total of 5 living generations. That doesn't happen to often.

When I was in Grade 11, a friend of mine's oldest sibling was in his 40s.

[safeinOhio]

5. Makes me feel old knowing my mother

took a class in college from Dr. James Naismith, the man that invented the game of basketball.

[DesertRat]

7. That's very cool! nt

[oswaldactedalone]

14. I attended a basketball coaching clinic

in 1994 which was run by John McLendon. If you don't know who John McLendon is, he has a fascinating history as a college and pro basketball coach. Interestingly enough, he's a Kansas native and attended the University of Kansas in the 30s. He wasn't allowed to play basketball there due to segregation but worked as an assistant to the athletic director there, none other than James Naismith himself. I was expecting to see a very old person who would need help conducting the clinic, but he looked about 30 years younger than his age and moved around like a much younger man.

McLendon is one of the most important figures in the development of modern day basketball strategy but is largely overlooked. There are many places on the web to learn more about him.

Now, back to the amazing story about the Tyler grandchildren. That's simply amazing.

[IronLionZion]

8. "She was 30 years younger and liked to party."

[yuiyoshida]

9. wow, indeed!

[Orange Free State]

12. We have a series of men in my paternal line

Fathering children in their 40s and 50s, not as old as the Tylers. My grandfather was born in 1881,the year of the gunfight at the OK Corral. His father, my great-grandfather, was born in 1838, a subject of the King of Prussia. My dad’s mother was born a subject of Queen Victoria in 1882. I am 60 and my son is a Junior at University.