Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who passed away at the age of 96, was the last living grandson of President John Tyler, who served from 1841 to 1845. Despite his historical lineage, Tyler initially focused on his career as a chemical engineer and did not pay much attention to his family’s past during his youth. As he matured, he developed a deep pride in his ancestry, particularly fostering a commitment to preserve historical sites such as Sherwood Forest and Fort Pocahontas. He is remembered fondly for his charm, generosity, and humor by those who knew him.
"His love of history and his birthplace, Charles City County, VA, led him to preserve both Sherwood Forest, President Tyler's home, and Fort Pocahontas, a Civil War fortification nearby," Dunning told NPR over email.
"When you talk about my grandfather born in the 1700s, there is a disconnect there," he told a Richmond CBS affiliate in 2012, during a wave of media coverage.
"I grew up during World War II, and surviving the war and the shortages was what was on everybody's mind," he told Subaru Drive Magazine in 2002.
"He will be remembered for his considerable charm, generosity and unfailing good humor by all who knew him."
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