John Tyler

John Tyler (March 29, 1790 - January 18, 1862), of Virginia, was the tenth (1841) Vice President of the United States, and the tenth (1841-1845) President of the United States. He was the second President born after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the first to assume the office of President following the death of his predecessor.

Confederate allegiances

Tyler had long been an advocate of states' rights, believing that the question of a state's "free" or "slave" status ought to be decided at the state level, with no input from the federal government. He was himself a slaveowner his entire life. In February 1861, Tyler re-entered public life to sponsor and chair the Washington Peace Convention. The convention sought a compromise to avoid civil war, while the Confederate Constitution was being drawn up at the Montgomery Convention. When the Senate rejected his plan, Tyler urged Virginia's immediate secession.

Related Topics:
States' rights - 1861 - Washington Peace Convention - Confederate Constitution - Montgomery Convention - Virginia - Secession

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Having served in the provisional Confederate Congress in 1861, he was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives but died of bronchitis and bilious fever before he could take office, which could mean he is the only American president to die on foreign soil, depending on if one considers the CSA foreign or not (see Texas v. White). He was 71 years and 295 days old.

Related Topics:
Confederate Congress - Confederate House of Representatives - Bronchitis - Bilious fever - Texas v. White

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Tyler is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The city of Tyler, Texas is named for him.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Cemetery - Richmond, Virginia - Tyler, Texas

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