Lyon Gardiner Tyler

Born in Virginia in 1853, he was the son of John Tyler, the tenth president of the United States, and Julia Gardiner Tyler. He studied at the University of Virginia, later worked in education and law, and also served in the Virginia House of Delegates.

He is most closely associated with the College of William & Mary, where he became president in 1888 and served for more than three decades. Sources credit his administration with helping revive the institution, securing state support, opening it to women, and founding The William and Mary Quarterly, an important history journal.

Alongside his academic work, he wrote and edited books on history and genealogy. Modern reference works also note that his historical writing reflected strong Confederate sympathies, so he is remembered both for his influence on William & Mary and for the biases that shaped some of his interpretations of the past.