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Harrison Ruffin Tyler | |
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| Born | November 9, 1928 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | College of William & Mary Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
| Occupation(s) | Chemical engineer, businessperson, preservationist |
| Spouse | Frances Bouknight (m. 1957;died 2019) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Lyon Gardiner Tyler Susan Ruffin Tyler |
| Relatives | Edmund Ruffin (great-grandfather) John Tyler (grandfather) Julia Gardiner Tyler (grandmother) |
Harrison Ruffin Tyler (born November 9, 1928) is an American chemical engineer, businessman, and preservationist who co-founded ChemTreat, Inc., a water treatment company. As a grandson of the tenth U.S. President John Tyler, he has played a role in preserving historical sites such as Sherwood Forest Plantation and Fort Pocahontas, while also donating historical materials to the College of William & Mary.
Tyler was born on November 9, 1928, to Susan Ruffin and Lyon Gardiner Tyler. [1] His paternal grandparents were Julia Gardiner and the tenth President of the United States, John Tyler. Through his mother, he is a great-grandson of Edmund Ruffin, [2] and a descendant of Benjamin Harrison IV, Robert Carter I and Pocahontas. [3] His mother was a teacher and caretaker of the family's historical documents. [4] Despite his familial connections, Tyler grew up poor during the Great Depression. [5]
Tyler, whose father died when he was a boy, was homeschooled by his mother and then attended Charles City County public schools. He briefly attended St. Christopher's School. [6] He had an older brother, Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Jr. [5] Likely through his father's friendship with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tyler's education at College of William & Mary was funded by Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor with a $5,000 check. [5] He graduated with a degree in chemistry in 1949. [6] Due to a shortage of employment opportunities in chemistry, Tyler continued his education at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he received a second bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1951. [7]
After graduating from Virginia Tech, Tyler worked as a project manager for Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corporation, where he led a plant in Charleston, South Carolina. Tyler became familiar with soft water and learned how to treat hard water when he worked as a start-up engineer for a plant in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received a patent in water treatment pertaining to shiny aluminium. In 1963, Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corporation was acquired by Mobil. [6] The change in corporate culture prompted Tyler to leave the company and found ChemTreat, Inc., with partner William P. Simmons. The water treatment company was headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia. [8] He used chemistry to address problems with industrial water cooling systems. [9] The company worked with hospitals and the paper and pulp sector. [10] In 2000, Tyler led an employee stock ownership program at his company. [11] [5] ChemTreat was acquired by the Danaher Corporation in 2007. [12]
Tyler and Frances Payne Bouknight of Mulberry Hill Plantation, Johnston, South Carolina announced their engagement in 1957. [13] [2] The couple was married from July 1957 until her death on February 8, 2019, and had three children: Julia Gardiner Tyler Samaniego (born 1958), Harrison Ruffin Tyler Jr. (born 1960), and William Bouknight Tyler (born 1961). [10] [14] They resided in Richmond, Virginia. [2]
Tyler is a preservationist. His family purchased the Sherwood Forest Plantation from relatives in 1975 and oversaw its restoration. [4] [5] Tyler has spoken publicly of his family's history. [9] [15] In 1996, he purchased and financially supported the preservation of Fort Pocahontas. [10] [16] Beginning in 1997, Tyler sponsored annual American Civil War reenactments at Wilson's Wharf. [17] In 1997, he collaborated with the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research to assess and research Fort Pocahontas. [10] In 2001, he donated $5 million and 22,000 books and documents from his father to the College of William & Mary department of history. [11] In 2021, the college renamed the department the Harrison Ruffin Tyler Department of History in his honor. [11]
Tyler had a series of mini-strokes starting in 2012 and has dementia as of 2020. [5] As of 2021, he lives in a Virginia nursing home, and his son William oversees the Sherwood Forest Plantation. [11] His grandfather is the earliest former president of the United States with a living grandchild. [5]
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