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John Tyler- 10th President
Party: Whig
Term: April 4, 1841 - March 3, 1845
Age at Inauguration: 51
Life Span: Mar 29, 1790 - Jan 18, 1862 [71]
Spouse: Letitia Christian - Age at Marriage: 23
Spouse: Julia Gardiner - Age at Marriage: 54
Vice President: None

  • John Tyler was the first vice president elevated to the presidency upon the death of the incumbent
    Vice President John Tyler
  • Following the death of William Henry Harrison many debates arose over the wording of the constitution as to the meaning of the vice president assuming the presidency.
  • Some felt the VP should only act as president until a new election, but Tyler insisted that he was now the president and took the Oath of office over little objection from Congress
  • He was the first president whose wife died while he was in office, and thus became the first president to marry while in office
  • Tyler joined the confederacy following his term of office and was elected to the Confederate House. He died suddenly in Richmond before his term began
  • At his request his coffin was draped with the confederate flag
  • No public eulogy was offered for the former Chief Executive since most considered his behavior un-American