author
Lyon Gardiner Tyler
1853–1935
Remembered as a historian, educator, and son of President John Tyler, he helped reshape William & Mary at a crucial moment in its history. His writing and public work kept Virginia’s colonial and political past in view for a wide readership.
1 Audiobook
England in America, 1580-1652
by Lyon Gardiner Tyler
About the author
Born at Sherwood Forest in Charles City County, Virginia, in 1853, Lyon Gardiner Tyler was the son of President John Tyler and Julia Gardiner Tyler. He studied at the University of Virginia, worked in law and education, and later built a public career that joined scholarship, politics, and school leadership.
Tyler is best known as the 17th president of the College of William & Mary, serving from 1888 to 1919. Accounts from William & Mary and Encyclopedia Virginia describe his presidency as a turning point for the institution, with Tyler helping to revive and strengthen the college after a difficult period. He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates and became widely known as a historian, genealogist, and editor.
His legacy is broad but also complicated. He wrote extensively on Virginia history and preservation, yet modern reference works note that he was also known for defending Lost Cause and other southern interpretations of history. He died in 1935, leaving behind a career that remains important to the story of William & Mary and to the study of how history was written and argued over in the early 20th century.