By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the last surviving grandson of President John Tyler, passed away at age 96 from natural causes. A successful chemical engineer, he later dedicated his time and resources to preserving historical sites, notably Sherwood Forest, his family’s ancestral home, and Fort Pocahontas. His philanthropic efforts included a significant donation to the College of William & Mary, establishing an endowment for its history department. He is survived by three children and eight grandchildren, and Sherwood Forest will remain in the family’s possession.
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Harrison Ruffin Tyler, the last living grandson of John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States, passed away at the age of 96. This marks the end of an incredible lineage, a direct link to a pivotal era in American history. His death undeniably concludes a chapter stretching back to the early 19th century, a family story spanning generations and encompassing remarkable longevity.
Harrison’s own life reflects a fascinating contrast to the tumultuous political legacy of his famous ancestor. While John Tyler, president from 1841 to 1845, is remembered for his controversial stance on slavery and his role in the secession of the South, Harrison forged a different path. His quiet life, dedicated to family and business, stands in stark contrast to the turbulent political career of his great-great-grandfather.
The sheer longevity of the Tyler family line is astonishing. John Tyler, born in 1790, fathered Lyon Gardiner Tyler at the age of 63. Lyon, in turn, had Harrison at an equally remarkable age of 75. This incredible feat of late-in-life fatherhood produced a familial narrative that has long captivated the public imagination.
John Tyler’s extensive family—fifteen children with two wives—further adds to the narrative’s complexity. His first wife’s death in 1842, followed by his marriage to a woman 30 years his junior two years later, created a large, sprawling family, a legacy that extended through multiple generations. Lyon, following a similar pattern, had six children with two wives, with his second wife being significantly younger.
Harrison, however, deviated from the family trend. He had only three children and remained unmarried after the death of his wife in 2019, a decision likely influenced by his advanced age and declining health due to dementia. Even so, his life reflected a different kind of success, one built on entrepreneurship and employee loyalty.
Details of Harrison’s career reveal a man focused on building a successful and ethical business. He co-founded a company where he and his partner prioritized employee well-being. Their commitment to their workers led them to establish an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 1989, ultimately transferring controlling interest to their employees upon retirement in 2000. This demonstrates a business philosophy prioritizing people over profit, a sharp contrast to the often cutthroat politics of his ancestor’s era.
The passing of Harrison Ruffin Tyler not only marks the end of a remarkable life but also brings a close to a unique and enduring piece of American history. His death signals the end of a direct line to one of America’s most controversial presidents, John Tyler. The fact that a grandson of a president who served nearly two hundred years ago lived into the 21st century is a testament to the unusual longevity of the Tyler family and their historical significance.
The news of his passing has unsurprisingly sparked renewed interest in the Tyler family history and prompted reflection on the incredible span of time covered by three generations of this family. It also reignites conversations about the unique position of the Tyler family in American history and the contrast between the public image of John Tyler and the quiet life led by his grandson. The lasting legacy of Harrison Ruffin Tyler lies not just in his connection to a significant historical figure, but also in the quiet life he led and the values he embodied. His life stands as a testament to both the enduring nature of family and the diverse paths individuals can take, even within a legacy as extraordinary as his.
The passing of Harrison marks the end of an era, removing a living link to a president from a vastly different America. The legacy of his grandfather, John Tyler, remains complex and debated, but Harrison’s life offers a quieter, less dramatic, yet equally compelling narrative—a testament to the complexities and unexpected turns of history and the unpredictable passage of time itself. Now, the question of which president has the oldest living grandchild shifts to a new answer, a detail that subtly underscores the ever-changing nature of historical records and the continuous unfolding of time. The death of Harrison Ruffin Tyler concludes a chapter, but the story of the Tyler family, and its place in American history, continues to fascinate and intrigue.