President Tyler is the Only President to Not Be Buried Under an American Flag

The funeral is frequently a major event when a president passes away. People will travel from all over the nation to a state funeral to pay their respects. 2018 saw the passing of George H. W. Bush, and a day of mourning was observed. Throughout the ceremony, the American flag-draped coffin of President Bush was on display. With one major exception, it was much like every other presidential funeral that had come before it.

John Tyler was the first president in history whose remains were draped with a flag that didn't belong to the nation he served. He was instead laid to rest beneath the Confederate flag. Tyler is regarded as one of the worst presidents in history for a reason.

Tyler is interred at the Hollywood Cemetery, which is really in Richmond, Virginia despite its name. The only funeral held in Washington, DC, that was not recognized by the city was his. Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, turned the funeral into a show by placing the Confederate flag over the coffin.

• 10th President of the United States

Born: March 29, 1790Greenway Plantation, Charles City County, Virginia, U.S.
Died: January 18, 1862 (aged 71)Ballard House, Richmond, Virginia