VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
859
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
