Official Report of the Fourth American Tyler Family Reunion Sept 13, 1899. Downloaded from archive.org
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The earliest settlers of Maryland were Roman Catholics; but as early as 1650 the Puritans were "Supreme on the Severn River" (vide Ridgely's Old Brick Churches of Maryland), and built a meeting house near "Magothy'' River. Within this settlement we find Robert Tyler, whose first two grants of land, of 50 and 100 acres respectively, were situated, the former upon the north side of "Severn River," and the latter upon the south side of "Maggoty"' River, both being in Ann Arundel County, not far from and to the northwards of the present city of Annapolis. These grants were both surveyed October 20, 1663. and patented to Tyler August 11, 1664. His third grant of 100 acres (being in consideration of having transported himself and "Abraham Dawson" into that colony from England) bears date September 20, 1665. and is also located upon the "north side of Seaverne" River. But his largest (a noteworthy) grant was surveyed August 30, 1670, being an estate called "Brough," some 750 acres in extent, a part of "Patuxent Manor," and lying on the "west side of the north fork of Patuxent River," and in Calvert County. Here Robert Tyler took up his residence, and this estate continued, at least in part, in Tyler ownership down to about: 1827, a period of 150 years, during which time it had passed through no less than five distinct Robert Tylers' possession in a direct line, all but one having been eldest sons.*
Robert, the Immigrant, is called in a deed of grant "planter"; but he himself, in 1671, signed himself "Carpenter of the River of Patuxent."** His will was proved in Calvert County April 9. 1674. his widow, "Jean," being executrix, who inherits, with two minor children, "Robert" and "Elizabeth," who are nominated to come into their patrimonies at the respective ages of 17 and 16 years. He devised between 1.200 and 1.500 acres of real estate.
Here let me call attention to a volume of Marriage Licenses of the Vicar-Generak i66o-'68. published by the English Harleian Society, wherein we find: "29 June, 1663. Robt. Tyler of Deptford, Kent, Carpenter, Batchr., about 26. married Joanna Ravens."
This suggests "Robert" of the Patuxent River. Maryland. For we find: (1) The same given name. "Robert." (2) The same trade, that of "carpenter." (3) Practically the same wife's given name, "Joanna" or "Jean." (4) The dates follow logically, to-wit.. the marriage occurs "26 June. 1663"— this would allow about four months for his passage to America up to the time of his first land survey, "20 October. 1663" (and this view is strengthened by the fact that patent did not issue until the following year). (5) Furthermore, the ages are corroberative. For if Robert Tyler was "about 26" when he married in ''June. 1663," he would have been about 37 at the time of the probate of Robert Tyler's will in Maryland. "April, 1674": and we know that Robert of Maryland was young, because he has but two chi Iren, and they not well into their teens, as shown by the wil.Lf Robert Tyler, Junior, continued residence upon the paternal acres of "Brough" until his death and probation of his estate August 24, 1738. though
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* That portion of the grant upon which was situated the dwelling - later known as "La Grange"—followed closely the law of primogeniture and remained In Tyler possession down to 1866—or over 200 years—descending- thus: Robert, Robert. Edward, Samuel. Samuel and Grafton Tyler.
**The probate records of Calvert County were destroyed by fire in 1882. But for the copy of Robert's will, preserved at Annapolis, we could never have had this information.
X A recent letter from Rev. Alfred T. Wallis, Curate of the old Parish Church of Deptford (i. e.. St. Nicholas), says: "I have searched 1636, '37. '38 for baptism of Robert Tyler, also 1839, '40. '41 for that of Joanna Ravens, but without surcess. If you are coming; to England and will come to St. Nicholas, I will do all I can to assist you with our old registers."
Still more recent investigations seem to disprove hope of thus identifying Robert. From the Maryland List of Immigrants (recorded at Annapolis), running from 1630 to 1680. we learn that ''Henry Catlin" enters rights for himself and others (among them Robert Tyler), all transported in 1649.
(The only other Tyler upon said "List" is Edward, for whose transportation, in 1057. one "John Waghop" demands land.)
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his will bears date December 29, 1735. He married Susanna DuVal, daughter of Mareen DuVal, a French Huguenot, believed to have come from near Nantes to Maryland, about 1650. where he died in 1694.
It is entirely proper that a passing tribute be paid to the family of DuVal. since all the Tylers of the Patuxent line bear the DuVal blood. The form of this patronymic would suggest that the family was of noble origin; howbeit. they have nobly tilled their duties in this country from time immemorial, and that is what most concerns us. The name DuVal is often found upon the archives of Maryland, and other states, and is synonym for integrity and honor. Many have been eminent: one such was the iate Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, Gabriel DuVal, whose illustrious career extended through the remarkable period from 1752 to 1844. His mother was Susanna Tyler, a daughter of Edward, son of Robert Tyler, Jr. Justice DuVal had two brothers, officers in the American Revolution, and both killed in battle: he had a son. Edmund, a Colonel in the War of 1812; a niece married Governor Butler of South Carolina. Justice DuVal was deeply interested in the history of his family, to which fact the present Avriter acknowledges his debt, in as much as the records of the Justice (by a relative kindly thrown open), have saved much arduous labor: and, not unlikely, some important data, otherwise lost to us. is now certain of temporal salvation. The intermarriages between the DuVal s and Tylers were both frequent and curious, arising probably from two causes: a sincere mutual regard, coupled with a limited number of early intermarriageable families. To illustrate: Robert Tyler, Jr.. married Susanna DuVal (daughter of the immigrant. Mareen). and they had a son. Edward, who married Elizabeth DuVal (a daughter of Samuel, son of Mareen); and they had a son, Samuel Tyler, who married Susanna DuVal, also a daughter. Susanna Tyler, who married Benjamin DuVal, it being a case of brother and sister marrying a brother and sister of another family (the said DuVals being children of Benjamin DuVal, son of Mareen). The said Samuel -Tyler and Susanna DuVal had a son named Samuel Tyler, who married Susanna DuVal fa daughter of John, son of Mareen, Jr.). But interesting and remarkable as are these instances, we must; return to the direct line of our present labors.
Robert Tyler, Junior, by his wife. Susanna DuVal, had five daughters: (1) Mary, who married, first, James Baldwin, and second. Samuel Whitehead, and died leaving issue: (2) Susanna, who married John Lamar and had a family; (3) Elizabeth, who married Samuel Pottinger, by whom she had children; (4) Priscilla. who married Nathaniel Wickham. who had a posterity: (5) Jane Tyler, who died young. Robert Tyler. Jr., also had three sons: (1) Mareen, who died unmarried: (2) Edward Tyler, who married Elizabeth DuVal, and had three sons. Edward. Jr.. Samuel and Robert: (3) Robert. 3d. who married Mary Wade, and had two sons. Robert. 4th, and William Tyler, which last is not known to have left any posterity. We thus see that as late as the fourth generation, which represents the greatgrandsons of the immigrant, there are but four male Tylers to perpetuate the house. With that generation begins an era of larger families, so the results are (altogether) quite prolific. Now let us follow some descendants of these greatgrandsons of the immigrant.
First The above Samuel Tyler (son of Edward, Robert, Robert) had three sons. William (who left no issue). Edward ('who migrated to the Carolinas. where he had a family), and Samuel Tyler, Jr., who had five sons. Dr. John. Samuel. Trueman, Dr. William and Grafton. (1) Dr. John Tyler was a fellow student with the celebrated Abernathy in England, and thereafter long a leading physician of Frederick, Md., where he died childless. (2) Samuel Tyler settled at Winchester, Virginia, where he died an old bachelor. (3) Trueman Tyler succeeded his father as Register of Wills for Prince George County, and has descendants in Virginia and Memphis, Tenn. Trueman's daughter Mary married M'r. John Johnson, a brother of the Honorable Reverdy Johnson; and her sister Grace had a daughter, who is the present Mrs. Commodore Semmes of this city. (4) Dr. William Tyler of Frederick was for a period of sixty years a prominent practitioner in western Maryland, a member of the State Legislature, and a founder of the
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Frederick's Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank, of which last he was President 54 years, from the date of its foundation to his death. The bank has a, magnificent full-length portrait of Dr. Tyler. Two sons, both of them physicians, died before their lather, their names being William, Jr., and Samuel. (5) Grafton Tyler was a large tobacco planter of Prince George, and had two distinguished sons, Samuel and Grafton, Jr. Samuel Tyler,. LL.D., an honored resident of Georgetown, D. C., was long Senior Professor of Law in Columbia University, this city. In 1857, he was a member of the Maryland State Commission to revise the laws: a versatile as well as a profound writer. One of his best known efforts is a Memoir of the late Chief Justice Taney. His legal works include a volume upon Partnership, an edition of Stephen on Pleading, and (in connection with Mr. Mitford) a treatise upon Equity Pleading. Grafton Tyler, Junior, was long a resident of Georgetown, D. C, in whose vicinity he has left a numerous progeny. He became a very eminent physician; for 36 years was Physician, of Georgetown College, was long a professor in the medical department of Columbia University and the Washington Infirmary, a member of the original Board of Visitors of the Georgetown Hospital for the Insane, a. Vice-President of the American Medical Association, President of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia, consulting physician to Provident Hospital and President, of its medical board from its organization: an incorporator, director and on the consulting staff of the Children's Hospital of the District of Columbia and St. Ann's Infant Asylum, also a President of the Common Council of Georgetown, as well as of its Board of Health. Pie made valuable contributions to medical literature.
Second. Let us take up the descendants of Edward Tyler, Jr. (son of Edward. Robert. Robert), greatgrandson of the immigrant. Born at "Brough" in 1719, he married Anne Langley and moved to Virginia, where, he continued to reside many years, and reared a large family of ten children. Tradition reports that he was with Braddock upon his ill-fated campaign; that he spent some time in the vicinity of Fort Duquesne. and. after the survey of Kentucky by William and Mary College, went down the Ohio with Clark's Expedition and settled at "The Falls." where for a time he kept store; but, being burned out, moved to the vicinity of what is now Jeffersontown, about eighteen miles east of Louisville, where lie began "Tylers Settlement." He had 1.000 acres from Virginia, founded a conspicuous line, in 1802 died at past eighty years of age, and. with his wife, now rests in the sacred spot which his act forever set apart upon the old homestead, which is still owned in the family, and wherein have since been buried many of his descendants. Speaking of his children: (1) Robert Tyler is reported to have gone to Shelby or Mercer County, Ky., and later to have gone to the southwards, taking a son and seven daughters. (2) Moses Tyler lived and died at '"Tyler Settlement"; his family consisted of ten sons, all but one of whom (Absolom) reared descendants, which are scattered over the states of Kentucky and adjoining Indiana and Missouri. (3) Betsey Tyler married in Virginia a Mr. Korbley. who moved to the Monongahela country, where his wife and small children were surprised, scalped and killed by the savag< Her only surviving child. Delilah, married Mr. Martin, resided near 1). ton, Ohio, and had a son. Rev. Korbley Martin. (4) Nancy Tyler married Captain Peter Sturgis. who was killed in an Indian raid upon Boone Station, to the aid of which men went from Sturgis' Settlement. He left children, and his widow married Mr. James Denny, by whom she had other children, one of whom. James Denny, became sheriff of Jefferson County, Ky., and was killed while on duty. Nancy married, third, a Mr. Humbles, and moved to Mercer County. Ky. (5) Delilah Tyler married Charles Polk, who settled at Burnt Station, about six miles from Shelbyville. lie had nine children, one of whom (Christiana) married Rev. Isaac McCoy, a missionary to the Indians, who. in October. 1825. preached the first sermon ever delivered upon the present site of Chicago. Delilah Tyler Polk's children intermarried for the most part with Scotch settlers in the vicinity of Bruceville and Vincennes. Indiana, and there were numerous (some noted) descendants. (6) * William Tyler, better known to his contempora-
*Frorn the Pension Office I learned that this William Tyler was born 25, 1755, "near Shephenlstown, Barclay Co., Va
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tries as "Walking Billy," had ten children, three of whom died unmarried. One. Joseph, was killed in the Battle of New Orleans. 1815. in which another brother. James, participated as a Colonel. (7) Nelly Tyler married Captain William Allison ana died young, leaving two daughters, both of whom lived to maturity and married Tyler husbands. (8) Edward Tyler, Jr., lived at "Tyler Settlement" and had a family of ten children, most of whom removed to Louisville, where the family has been very prominent. Of these, Levi Tyler was long a leading citizen or that city and the owner •of "Tyler Block;" a grandson. Hon. Henry S. Tyler, late deceased, was .some time Mayor of Louisville. Levi's brother, Robert Tyler, was a Louisville lawyer, and had large landed interests both there and in St. Louis; he left a large family. Another brother. John W. Tyler, was long a leading practitioner of law in Louisville, where he died in 1854, leaving conspicuous •descendants. (9) Mary Tyler married Mr. James McHatten of "Tyler Settlement" and Louisville, and had ten children. (10) The youngest child of Edward Tyler, migrant to Kentucky, was Priscilla, who married Captain Abner Dunn, who served in the Revolution, and was the first actual postmaster and lawyer of Cincinnati, Ohio. , He had two lawyer sons, who died childless. His only daughter. Amelia, lived to be over ninety years old; her husband was Col. Amos Goodwin (said to have been with Clark's Expedition), by whom she had a large family.
We now return to the fourth generation, to Robert Tyler (son of Edward, Robert. Robert), who was born at "Brough" in 1722. He married Mary Butt and had nine children, Thomas. Robert, Edward, Elizabeth, Mary, John, Samuel. Esther and Sarah. Of these Elizabeth. John and Esther died unmarried. Edward married, but died childless, near Washington, Virginia. Thomas married Mary Riddle and had a family, which is not yet traced. Mary married and moved to Ohio. Samuel married a Miss Webb from Prince George County, by whom he is reported to have had a large family, which is yet unt raced. Sarah married Mr. Ray, from near Washington. D. C, and had a family. Robert Tyler. Jr.. moved to Kentucky, where he was a Captain, and by his wife Elizabeth had six sons and two daughters, one of which, Austin, was the father of the present Hon. Richard T. Tyler of Hickman, Ky.. a recent nominee for Lieutenant-Governor. This line has not been further traced out.
Lastly, we come to the fourth greatgrandson of the immigrant, namely. Robert Tyler (son of Robert. Robert. Robert). He came of the line which had continued to inherit and live upon the original homestead of "Brough," where he was. in 1776, a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Upper Battalion of Prince George County Militia. By his wife. Eleanor Bradley, he had a son. William, who died young: a William Henderson Tyler and an Eleanor, who passed away, both childless.
Millicent, who married Dr. Coleman Beanes (believed to have been the grandmother of Frank Scott Key. author of the "Star Spangled Banner"), and Robert Bradley Tyler, born in 1759. who became "'Lieutenant" and was a "Representative" from Prince George. By his wife. Dryden Belt (a daughter of Captain Tobias), he had five sons and one daughter, of whom ihe daughter and two sons died young. Of the survivors (1) Tobias Tyler, married Violetta DuVal and had an only daughter. Sally, who married Colonel Watkins. (2) George Tyler married Mary Claggett, and had children. Harriet. Robert. William Dryden, George and Mary. Of these Har-
footnotes:
under Capt. John Bailey. Col. Geo. Rogers Clark of the Va. Line (called "the Illinois Regiment"), about Dec. 1, 1777, and received his discharge from Clark just before Christmas. 1779. He then resided on the Monongahela River, about 30 miles above Redstone Fort, Va. He was at the taking of Post Vincent (now Vincennes, Ind.), where they had fighting with the British. French and Indians, and took some prisoners. He was also at the taking of Fort Kaskaskia, which surrendered without fighting. The regiment went down the Ohio to the mouth of Saline Creek and marched through the (present) states. Indiana and Illinois. His discharge was burned with his father's house (at Louisville) soon after he left the service.
His brother, Edward Tyler, makes affidavit at the same time (January 7, 1833). being then 66, and resident of Jefferson Co., Ky., to the effect that he recalls his brother's enlistment and objected to it at the time, as he was the only brother left at home, and his father was very old, that his father and family moved from the Monongahela to The Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) "in the spring of 1780."
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riet and Dryden died unmarried. William married his cousin, the widow Elinor (Tyler) Johnson, and had a son George, at present residing with hisfamily in St. Louis. Mo. (3) The other brother. Dr. William Bradley lyier. was early a resident ot Frederick, where he was a conspicuous citizen, once nominee on the Democratic ticket for State Governor. By his first wife, Harriet Murdock. he had Eleanor, William, George, Harriet. Robert, Mary and Anna. By his second wife, the widow Mrs. Maria (Davis) Mc- Pherson, lie had Maria and Robert. Of these (1) the first Robert died young. (2) Eleanor married Dr. Charles Johnson, by whom he had one daughter, Harriet, who married Mr. Charles Schley, an early settler of Milwaukee. Wis., and who is reported to possess the original patent to "Brough" estate dating back over two centuries. The son. Bradley Tyler Johnson, is a graduate of Princeton and the Dane Law School, became a Brigadier C. S. A., now a celebrated lawyer of Amelia Court House. Ya. (3) William Tyler married his cousin, Harriet Johnson, and had a daughter, Eleanor (who became a Sister of Charity), and a son, George, who moved to St. Louis. (4) George Tyler was a leading citizen of Frederick, where he had ten children, of whom Captain George and Major Ira served in the Federal Army. (5) Harriet Tyler married Robert Stokes of Baltimore and had a family of seven children. (6) Mary Tyler married Dr. William H. Stokes, by whom she was the mother of eight children, of whom four died young. Mrs. Stokes is living in Baltimore at an advanced age. (7) Anna Tyler married John T. Willson. (8) Maria Tyler married Thomas Belt, a Baltimore merchant, and had a son. William Bradley Tyler Belt who resides at Omaha, Neb. (9) Dr. Robert Bradley Tyler, who died in 1896. left two daughters and a son. This is all concerning the Maryland line of Robert Tyler that time and space allow.
Turning now to Virginia, we NOT OUR LINE