Do the math

I'm a trivia buff. I have been for as long as I can remember. I can't explain it, I just love fascinating facts.

Here's one I learned of a couple of years ago, yet it still astounds me.

John Tyler, America’s tenth president, was born in 1790. He has two living grandchildren.

Yes, grandchildren. pic.twitter.com/ZHrXrEBJr1

— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) January 10, 2018

Being a numbers guy, I did the math. So if Tyler were 228 years old today and his grandchildren are, say, 100, that means he would have had kids in at least his 60s as would his own kids.

Sure enough:

1. John Tyler was 63 when his son Lyon was born (1853).

2. Lyon was 71 when Lyon Jr. was born (1924), and 75 when Harrison was born (1928).

3. Both sons are still alive.

— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) January 10, 2018

Utterly fascinating.

Another way to think about this: There are people who could look at you today, in 2018, and say: “Yeah, my dad was 8 years old when the war started.”

“World War 2?”

“Ha, nope.”

“Oh wow, World War 1?”

“The Civil War.”

— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) January 10, 2018

Ha! Love it.

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