John Tyler was born in Charles City County, Virginia on March 29, 1790.. He was one of seven Presidents from Virginia.
John attended William and Mary College.
Tyler served in the military during the War of 1812.
John Tyler was a member of the Whig Party.
He was on his knees playing marbles when informed that he had become president upon the death of Harrison.
He had 15 children. The most of any president.
President Tyler was never elected President.
John Tyler didn't have a Vice President. He had been William Henry Harrison's VP, and the position was not filled when Tyler assumed the presidency. He was the first Vice President to replace a President due to death.
John Tyler was the first President whose wife died while he was holding the office of the President.
Tyler was the first president to marry while in office. No U.S. president had more children. With 2 wives, Tyler had15 children.
John was the first President to get married on his birthday.
His family had two Italian wolfhounds and a greyhound dog during the time they lived in the White House.
President Tyler was the first president to have his veto overridden by Congress (March 3, 1845).
John Tyler was President during Second Seminole War - ended 1842
Tyler's second wife started the tradition of having "Hail to the Chief" when he appeared at state functions.
He joined the Confederacy when the Civil War started. Tyler was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives.
John Tyler died in 1862 and was buried in Richmond, pointedly ignored by the federal government as a sworn enemy of the U.S. He was 71 years and 295 days old.
Sources:
The Presidents of the United States. 22 September 2004 <http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/>
Davis, Gibbs and Ilus. David A. Johnson. Wackiest White House Pets. New York: Scholastic Press, October 2004
James, Barber and Amy Pastan. Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies. New York: DK Publishing, 2002
Kane, Joseph Natan. Facts about the Presidents from Washington to Johnson. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1964.
