Timeline: John Tyler-10th President (1841-1845)

Mar 29, 1790

Born

Born on March 29, 1790, in Charles City County, Virginia. Raised by parents John and Mary Armistead Tyler, he grew up with eight siblings.

Mar 29, 1813

Married Letitia Christian

They were married on March 29, 1813--his twenty-third birthday. Of the eight children she bore, seven survived.

Dec 1, 1816

Member of the House of Representatives

Tyler was a member of the national House of Representatives as a Republican.

Mar 4, 1841

in office as Vice President

William henry Harrison ran for Presidency and John Tyler Vice President, under the Whig Party.The campaign slogan was "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" (a reference to Harrison's military leadership against a coalition of Indian forces at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana).

Apr 6, 1841

Sworn in as President

Harrison died on April 4, from pneumonia.on April 6. At 51 years old, the man dubbed "His Accidency," was younger than any previous president. The president was disavowed by the Whigs, who in 1843 tried--but failed--to impeach him

Sep 10, 1842

Wife Letitia Christian Dies

She suffered a second stroke and died at age 51, becoming the first president's wife to pass away while her husband was in the White House.

Jun 26, 1844

Married Julia Gardiner

In 1844, John Tyler became the first president to marry while in office when he wed Julia Gardiner (1820-89), a wealthy New Yorker 30 years his junior. The couple went on to have seven children. With a total of 15 offspring from his two marriages, Tyler fathered more children than any other U.S. president in history. John was also the first President to have married while in office.

Mar 4, 1845

Last Day of Presidency

On his final full day as president, Tyler signed a bill making Florida the 27th state.

Nov 3, 1845

Veto Overridden by Congress

John Tyler was the first president to have his veto overridden by Congress on March 3, 1845. The original bill prohibited the President from authorizing the building of Revenue Marine Service (Coast Guard) ships without approved appropriations from Congress. President Tyler vetoed the bill to protect existing contracts and to retain presidential prerogative

Jan 18, 1862

Death

He was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives, but before he could take his seat, Tyler died at age 71 on January 18, 1862, in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

Jan 19, 1862