Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/447

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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mere words of sympathy, but, ever resource- ful, a practical way out of difficulty was speedily conceived in his active brain, and vigorously followed. It would not have been humanly possible to continue longer than his active help was needed an intense personal interest in all the great numbers who felt the inspiration of his ready sym- pathy. His friendliness was for all who came his way, his friendship for but the few. Many mistook the charm of the friend- liness for the honor of the friendship, and charged him with insincerity when his mani- festation of interest passed on to some other in need of his help. In their disappointment they but forgot how slight was their claim, how heavy their obligation. His well won prosperity made him a shining mark for petty jealousies. He carried the guileless heart of a child into a world grown old in selfishness. W'hile he lived, his frank joy in accomplishment was often misjudged as ostentation, and his vital forcefulness count- ed as arrogance. Now, the years have car- ried from youth to maturity the men and women he helped with a kindness only he and they knew ; the ideals for which he stood have become the ideals of the many, and his world has come to realize how rare a spirit was his. His influence is to-day a living force, made manifest wherever the many, the few, the one alone, may work for community betterment and human happi- ness, with the love of God in their hearts.

Lyon Gardiner Tyler was born at "Sher- wood Forest," in Charles City county, Vir- ginia, in .\ugust, 1853, and is the son of John and Julia Gardiner Tyler. On his father's side, he is descended from Henry Tyler, who came from England and settled at Williams- burg about 1640, and was one of the justices of York county. Henry Tyler's eldest son was Henry, who served also as justice and high sheriff of the county. He married Eliz- abeth Chiles, granddaughter of Colonel Wal- ter Chiles, a member of the Virginia council in 1651. Next in descent was John Tyler, a justice of James City, who married Eliza- beth Jarrett. daughter of John Jarrett, and whose son John was marshal of the vice- admiralty court of the colony, and married Anne Contesse. daughter of Dr. Lewis Con- tesse, a French Huguenot.

Then came John Tyler, born February 28, 1747, who blended the best features of

his French ancestry with those of his Eng- lish. He was a man of warm feelings, high patriotism, and inspired with the broadest and noblest aspirations, chaste as an icicle, with a heart of fire. He filled a long roll of offices — was at the beginning of the revolu- tion a captain of the militia, afterwards member of the legislature and speaker of the house of delegates during most of the war, was judge of the admiralty, general and supreme courts of Virginia, vice-presi- dent of the Virginia convention of 1788, then governor of Virginia, and finally judge of the United States district court. As mem- ber of the house of delegates, he carried through the legislature a resolution to con- voke the assembly at Annapolis, which led to the Federal constitution. As judge he was one of the first in the celebrated case of Kamper vs. Hawkins to take position in favor of the overruling power of the ju- diciary, and, as governor, his message, in 1809, urging the general assembly to take some steps to promote education in the state, was the cause of the establishment of the "Literary Fund." He was the intimate friend of Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and Edmund Randolph — all of whom testified in the highest terms to his character and ability. Judge Tyler mar- ried Mary Marot Armistead,of York county, daughter of Robert Booth Armistead, who numbered among his ancestors Williams Armistead. who came to Virginia from Yorkshire about 1636; Robert Booth, clerk of York county, Virginia, in 1660; and Colo- nel James Bray, a member of the colonial council in 1676.

Judge Tyler's son John went through even a longer list of political offices. He was a member of the house of delegates, member of the house of representatives, governor of Virginia, United States senator, member of the convention of 1829-1830, president of the Virginia African Colonization Societv, vice- president and president of the United States, president of the peace conference in 1S61, commissioner to President Buchanan from the state of Virginia, member of the provi- sional congress of the Confederate States, and finally a member-elect of the house of representatives of the Confederate States.

On his mother's side, Lyon G. Tyler is descended from Lyon Gardiner, a lieutenant in the British army, who, in 1636, was sent over to Connecticut by Lord Say-and-Seal