John Tyler Sr. | |
|---|---|
 Posthumous portrait,c. 1873 | |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Virginia | |
| In office January 7, 1811 – January 6, 1813 | |
| Appointed by | James Madison |
| Preceded by | Cyrus Griffin |
| Succeeded by | St. George Tucker |
| 15th Governor of Virginia | |
| In office December 1, 1808 – January 15, 1811 | |
| Preceded by | William H. Cabell |
| Succeeded by | James Monroe |
| Speaker of theVirginia House of Delegates | |
| In office 1781–1785 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Harrison V |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Harrison V |
| Member of theVirginia House of Delegates fromCharles City County | |
| In office May 4, 1778 – October 15, 1786 Serving with Benjamin Harrison, William Green Munford, Henry Southall | |
| Preceded by | William Acrill |
| Succeeded by | William Christian |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Tyler (1747-02-28)February 28, 1747 James City County, Virginia, British America |
| Died | January 6, 1813(1813-01-06) (aged 65) Charles City County, Virginia, United States |
| Spouse | Mary Marot Armistead (m. 1777; death 1797) |
| Children | 8, including:
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| Education | College of William & Mary |
| Profession |
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John Tyler Sr. (February 28, 1747 – January 6, 1813) was an American lawyer,planter, politician and judge who served in theVirginia House of Delegates and became15th Governor of Virginia and laterUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Virginia.[1][2][3] He was the father of U.S. PresidentJohn Tyler.
Born on February 28, 1747, inJames City County, Colony of Virginia, British America, to the former Anne Contesse, the wife of John Tyler, the marshal of the Colony's vice-admiralty court. His maternal grandfather wasHuguenot physician Dr. Louis Contesse.[3] Beginning in 1754, Tyler attended first the grammar school at theCollege of William & Mary in the colony's capitol,Williamsburg, then the college itself. When he was nineteen, Tyler stood in the lobby of the colony's assembly, theHouse of Burgesses, and listened toPatrick Henry's speech concerning theStamp Act 1765, which caused him both to become hostile to the British government, as well as toread law with eminent attorneyRobert Carter Nicholas.[1][3]
Tyler was admitted to the Virginia bar and had a private legal practice.[2] Around 1770, Tyler moved toCharles City County. There, in addition to his private legal practice, Tyler operated plantations using enslaved labor. By his marriage in 1776, discussed below, Tyler builtGreenway Plantation, where he would raise his family and later die. In the 1787 Virginia tax census, Tyler owned 20 enslaved adults and 14 enslaved children, as well as 12 horses and 75 cattle, and was also taxed for his carriages (which had a total of six wheels).[4]Meanwhile, as relations with Britain became strained, Tyler became a member of the Charles City CountyCommittee of Safety. In 1775, he raised a company of troops. He joined his forces with those led byPatrick Henry to demand the restoration of the gunpowder Virginia's governor Lord Dunmore had removed from the government magazine in Williamsburg, or else compensation. In 1776 Tyler accepted a one-year appointment as commissioner in admiralty.[citation needed]
Tyler's statewide political career began in 1778, as he first won election as one of Charles City County's delegates to theVirginia House of Delegates. Charles City County voters re-elected him annually until 1788.[5] Furthermore, fellow delegates elected Tyler as their Speaker in 1781, when he succeededBenjamin Harrison (who legislators had elected the Governor), and re-elected Tyler until 1785, when Benjamin Harrison again became the Speaker).[1][3][6]
In addition to his legislative service, Tyler served as a Judge of the Virginia High Court of Admiralty from 1776 to 1788.[2] He was a member of theVirginia Council of State (now theVirginia Governor's Council) from 1780 to 1781.[2] Legislators elected Tyler a Judge of theGeneral Court of Virginia starting in 1788.[2]
Charles City County voters elected Tyler as one of their representatives to theVirginia Ratifying Convention that ultimately ratified theUnited States Constitution in 1788.[7] During that convocation, fellow delegates elected Tyler the convention's vice-president.[2] In the debates over ratification of theUnited States Constitution, likeGeorge Mason andPatrick Henry, Tyler was anAnti-Federalist, ultimately voting against the document, although a narrow margin ratified it. Tyler explained his opposition stating, "It has been often observed ... that liberty ought not to be given up without knowing the terms. The gentlemen themselves cannot agree in the construction of various clauses of [the Constitution]; and so long as this is the case, so long shall liberty be in danger."[8]
Legislators elected Tyler the 15thGovernor of Virginia from 1808 to 1811.[2]
PresidentJames Madison on January 2, 1811, appointed Tyler to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Virginia vacated by JudgeCyrus Griffin.[2] TheUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on January 3, 1811. Tyler received his commission on January 7, 1811.[2] Thus, Tyler judged some cases on his circuit with U.S. Supreme Court Chief JusticeJohn Marshall, who had resided in Richmond and who had been a Federalist both during that Ratifying Convention years earlier, and in later elections.
Tyler died on January 6, 1813, atGreenway Plantation in Charles City County.[2] His official papers as Governor are held by theLibrary of Virginia.[9]
Tyler County, West Virginia, is named in Tyler's honor.[10]
Tyler married Mary Marot Armistead in 1776.[9] His wife was the only child of Robert Booth and Ann (Shields) Armistead ofKings Creek Plantation in York County, Virginia (her ancestor, another Robert Booth, had served as a burgess representing the county in 1653 and 1654–1655.) They had eight children, including future PresidentJohn Tyler.[3]
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| Preceded by | 15thGovernor of Virginia 1808–1811 | Succeeded by |
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Virginia 1811–1813 | Succeeded by |
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