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FRASIER’S FRIDAY FACT

Volume LXXI

7/6/2018

Happy Friday!

Welcome back to Frasier's Friday Fact, where we cherish knowledge and continually build our mental database of useless information to use at parties.

With the Fourth of July happening this past week (hope you all stayed safe and had fun), expect a slew of US-related facts coming up. The first in one to share with involves President John Tyler.

John Tyler (who may be mostly known for being the second half of the campaign slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too") became president after the death of William Henry Harrison only 31 days into his term. He was the first vice president to ascend to the Presidency, and caused a bit of a Constitutional crisis, as the Constitution was unclear as to whether the Vice President became the President, or merely assumed the roles and responsibilities of the President. This was not completely clarified until the Twenty-Fifth Amendment in 1967, but John Tyler asserted his right to the Presidency, establishing a precedent.

Perhaps more interesting, however, is that John Tyler - born in 1790 and President in the 1840s - has TWO living grandchildren today! How does that happen? Well, in the words of his grandson, Harrison Tyler:

"Well, he was a good man! Both my grandfather — the president — and my father, were married twice. And they had children by their first wives. And their first wives died, and they married again and had more children. And my father was 75 when I was born, his father was 63 when he was born. John Tyler had fifteen children — eight by his first wife, seven by his second wife."

Stay historic, my friends.

Fraish