10. John Tyler
The sixth of eight children, John Tyler was born on March 29, 1790, to another prominent and respected Virginian family similar to those of previous Virginia-born presidents. Judge John Tyler, the patriarch of the family, was a well-known Virginian judicator and political figure who served as the state’s governor from 1808 to 1811. Tyler’s mother died when he was only seven years old. Tyler’s birthplace is located in Charles City County, Virginia, and was named Greenway because “its grass doth grow so green.” A quintessential colonial structure, the Greenway house was fashioned with many typical architectural qualities of the period: a symmetrical beaded clapboard façade, a gabled roof, dormers, and matching exterior chimneys.
-Andrew B. Leiter
The Tyler birth home is one of several that are currently occupied. There is a marker along the road at the head of a long gravel driveway leading to the home. Unable to contact the occupants before my trip, I was faced with a cold-call. I photographed what I could from the road, then drove up to the house and knocked on the door. Luckily, the gentleman who answered was friendly and walked me around the compound, allowing me to photograph just about anywhere. I was struck by the original clapboard siding, the root cellar, and other outhouses reaching back to the days of the Tyler family.
-Matthew Albritton