Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr. (August 24, 1853 – February 12, 1935) was an American educator, genealogist, and historian. He was a son of John Tyler, the tenth president of the United States. Tyler was the 17th president of the College of William & Mary, an advocate of historical research and preservation, and a prominent critic of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Early life and education Tyler was the fourth son of President John Tyler and First Lady Julia Gardiner Tyler, and was born at his father's Sherwood Forest Plantation in Charles City County. The former president, a prominent slaveholder and secessionist, died in January 1862, when Lyon was eight years old. Since the American Civil War had begun, Union troops would occupy the plantation several months later during the Peninsular Campaign, as well as during the Overland Campaign of 1864. Meanwhile, Julia Tyler moved with her children north to Staten Island, where she had relatives. Tyler returned to Virginia in 1869 to complete his studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in law from the University of Virginia, and graduated in 1875. While at the university he was a member of Kappa Sigma and the Jefferson Literary Society, and contributed to the school's literary magazine. Early teaching, legal and political careers After graduation, Tyler spent a year teaching philosophy and literature at the College of William & Mary, near his family's Sherwood Forest plantation (his father had served as the institution's 15th President during this John's infancy). Since the college was struggling financially, it stopped paying his salary. Tyler then resigned and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he spent several years as principal of a private school. In 1882 Tyler returned to Virginia to practice law in Richmond, where his mother had moved. With his mother's support, Tyler he began work on The Letters and Times of the Tylers, a three-volume study of the careers of his father and paternal grandfather, John Tyler Sr. This would be published between 1884 and 1896. Tyler also advocated reforming public education during his time in Richmond. He helped revive the Virginia Mechanics Institute, both as a board member and as an instructor. In 1887 Richmond voters elected Tyler as one of their four representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served alongside A.S. Buford, Henry L. Carter and John A. Curtis.