[John Tyler, full-length portrait, seated at table,...

John Tyler was the 10th President of the United States, serving from April 4, 1841 - March 4, 1845. He was born to Mary Marot Armistead and John Tyler Sr. and had 2 brothers and 5 sisters. Interestingly, Sr (known as Judge Tyler) was a friend and college roommate of President Thomas Jefferson, a fellow Virginian. His mother Mary died of a stroke when he was 7 years old. John Tyler began his law career at the young age of 19 because the judge who swore him in failed to ask his age. (Maybe the fact that Judge Tyler was by then the governor of Virginia helped?) He went on to become a US Senator from VA, the 23rd Governor of VA, a member of the US House of Representatives from VA, Vice President to William Henry Harrison, and, when Harrison died (31 days into office from pneumonia or typhoid?), President of the United States.