I discovered from a piece on the Huff Post this morning that two grandsons of President John Tyler (1841-1845) are still alive. Their grandfather was born the year that George Washington gave the first State of the Union speech (1790), and their father was born before the Civil War. They're younger than two living ex-Presidents, Bush I and Carter. What is unnerving is that they are even younger--87 and 83--than some of my friends, including one of my regular tennis partners!

I love stories like that. I myself am the baby of a baby which means my grandparents were born in the 1880's - two centuries ago.

I love stories like that. I myself am the baby of a baby which means my grandparents were born in the 1880's - two centuries ago.

Well, they were actually born about one and a quarter centuries ago. I am the oldest son of an oldest son of an oldest son, yet my grandfather was born in 1870. They just married late and had children late.

Tyler was 63 when he fathered the father of the grandsons, who were born when their father was in his 70s.

We are just flush with statistical birth oddities here at MER.

My grandfather on my mother's side was born before the Civil War. He fathered my mother and two other siblings while in his early 70s. His father died in the Civil War.

That my grandfather's virility was long-lived, as was his amorous desires, was clearly demonstrated.

We are just flush with statistical birth oddities here at MER.

My grandfather on my mother's side was born before the Civil War. He fathered my mother and two other siblings while in his early 70s. His father died in the Civil War.

That my grandfather's virility was long-lived, as was his amorous desires, was clearly demonstrated.

Tyler's virility was also long-lived, since he had two wives and fifteen children, the most of any President. He also had the unusual distinctions of being the first V-P to succeed on the death of the President (Wm. Harrison), and the only former President to later serve in the Confederate House of Representatives.