Grandsons are: Grandson Definition & Meaning — Merriam-Webster

Grandson Definition & Meaning — Merriam-Webster

grand·​son

ˈgran(d)-ˌsən 

: the son of one’s son or daughter

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Henry Adams, grandson of John Quincy, wrote a novel lampooning the democratic politics of the Gilded Age.

—H.w. Brands, WSJ, 20 Nov. 2020

Robertson’s grandson, Roy Arriola Jr., a captain in the New Orleans Fire Department, traced his devotion to community service to mornings spent with Robertson, his PawPaw, cutting lawns for elderly friends.

—Katy Reckdahl, NOLA.com, 4 Sep. 2020

Markey harnessed support from progressive leaders to overcome a challenge from his younger rival, a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy.

—Steve Leblanc, Star Tribune, 2 Sep. 2020

The grandson of Robert F. Kennedy took the stage at his campaign headquarters in Watertown shortly after 10 p.m. to address the press and thank campaign staff.

—Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 2 Sep. 2020

Blake said her family had initially been stonewalled by Kenosha authorities about her grandson’s condition until his father contacted noted civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.

—William Lee, chicagotribune.com, 28 Aug. 2020

The Cannons’ parents couldn’t be happier to welcome their grandson, according to Haley.

—Sonia Ramirez, Houston Chronicle, 28 Aug. 2020

Kennedy, the grandson of Robert Kennedy, was back in the Bay State, campaigning ahead of next Tuesday’s Democratic primary, where he is tied in the polls with incumbent Sen. Ed Markey.

—Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2020

On the second night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, a group of high-profile speakers delivered speeches from remote locations across the country—including President John F. Kennedy’s daughter and grandson, Caroline Kennedy and Jack Kennedy Schlossberg.

—Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, 19 Aug. 2020

See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘grandson. ‘ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of grandson was
in 1573

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near

grandson

grand slam

grandson

grandson-in-law

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

Style

MLAChicagoAPAMerriam-Webster

“Grandson.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandson. Accessed 18 Jul. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

grandson

noun

grand·​son

ˈgran(d)-ˌsən 

: a son of one’s son or daughter

More from Merriam-Webster on

grandson

Nglish: Translation of grandson for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of grandson for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated:
7 Jul 2023
— Updated example sentences

Subscribe to America’s largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Merriam-Webster unabridged

“White House Kids” Series – Harrison Ruffin Tyler, Grandson of 10th President John Tyler – The Reagan Library Education Blog

April 10, 2023April 10, 2023 by US National Archives, posted in American History, Constitutional Amendments, Election History, Presidential History, Student Resources, Teacher Resources

To many, the history of the United States can seem long – over two centuries of political discourse, social changes, and frequent fluctuations in just about everything else. The history of our nation, however, is relatively short, especially considering that a grandson of tenth President John Tyler is still alive today. Born in 1928, Harrison Ruffin Tyler is currently ninety-four years old, and resides in the enduring homeland of the Tyler clan – the state of Virginia.

President John Tyler (left) and his grandson Harrison Ruffin Tyler (right).

President John Tyler was born in 1790 during the Washington administration. Tyler was an originalist, meaning he was a vehement devotee of the Constitution, holding that it was the most supreme governing document in the land and should be adhered to with no hesitation or compromise. He held this belief during his entire life, but it was especially solidified during his collegiate years spent at the College of William and Mary where he studied law. Political upheaval was constant during the 19th century as the issues of states rights and slavery moved to the political forefront; as abolitionist groups augmented in number, so did the number of staunch supporters of the system of slavery. Tyler was a fervent supporter of states rights, including regarding slavery – when serving in the House of Representatives for the 23rd district of Virginia, he voted against the Missouri Compromise of 1820 because the federal legislation would make Missouri a slave state and Maine a free state in perpetuity. As the states were not obliged to decide on the issue of slavery for themselves, it was for this reason that Tyler voted against it. Tyler did own slaves though he was opposed to the institution.  

Staunch originalist Tyler ran into a wall within the first month of him becoming the Vice President of the United States in the 1840 election. Added to the Whig ticket alongside Presidential candidate William Henry Harrison to garner the support of Southerners, President Harrison died only a month into his term, leaving Tyler at the helm. However, there was some disagreement about his ascendancy; Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the Constitution states that “In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President”. The opinion of many was that the unfortunate passing of President Harrison on April 4th, 1841 combined with the text in the Constitution provided that Tyler should take on the duties and powers of the President, but not be established as the actual President. Rather, he would be the “vice president acting president”. Tyler disagreed with this interpretation, and had himself immediately sworn in as President to safeguard the security of the nation (or so he claimed).

Newspaper illustration of VP Tyler receiving the news of President Harrison’s death. Tyler was not in Washington at the time (though he knew Harrison was ill) to prevent looking overly-prepared to assume the Presidency.

Tyler’s first wife Letitia died while he was in office in 1842. She was the first presidential spouse out of three who would die in the White House. Two years later in 1844 when Tyler was 54 he married Julia Gardiner and had seven children with her, one of which being Lyon Gardiner Tyler (1853-1935). Lyon was born when Tyler was 63, his age being one of two reasons it can be true that the tenth President has a living grandchild. Lyon would go on to be the 17th President of the College of William and Mary, his father’s alma mater. The second reason it is possible for one of Tyler’s grandchildren to still be living is because Lyon also had a child at an unreasonably old age; after his first wife Anne died in 1921, Lyon married Sue Ruffin who was thirty-five years his junior. In 1928 when Lyon was 75, Sue gave birth to Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who lives to this day. Despite his successful heritage, Harrison would grow up poor during the Great Depression and was homeschooled by his mother for most of his life. When Harrison reached college-age, he was sent a $5,000 check to fund his education – historians believe this check came from Franklin Delano Roosevelt (who was a close friend of his father Lyon). A 1937 letter in the possession of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library attests to this suspicion – sent by Robert Barnhart, a colleague of then-deceased Lyon Tyler, asked for “some assistance in a financial way” for Lyon’s two sons who showed “real intellectual promise”.

Scanned copy of the letter from Mr. Robert Barnhart to President Roosevelt on behalf of the grandchildren of 10th President John Tyler, 1937.

 With this presidential endowment secured, Harrison attended his grandfather’s alma mater, the College of William and Mary, graduating with a degree in chemistry in 1949; he would also receive a Masters in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1951. In 1968 Harrison co-founded a water treatment company called “ChemTreat” that was headquartered in Virginia. In 1975, he purchased the Sherwood Forest Plantation where his grandfather John Tyler lived for the last twenty years of his life and oversaw its restoration. In 2012, Harrison began having a series of small strokes and has developed dementia. One of his sons, William, now oversees Sherwood Forest as it has become a historical landmark and tour site. In 2021, the College of William and Mary honored Harrison by dedicating the “Harrison Ruffin Tyler Department of History” to him after a lifetime of fiscal support and rare document donations on behalf of the Tyler family.

Letitia Christian Tyler, first wife of President Tyler. Painted by George Bagby Matthews, 1885.Julia Gardiner Tyler, second wife of President Tyler. Painted by Francesco Anelli, 1840s.

*Author’s Note: It is said that William Henry Harrison was the first victim of the “Tippecanoe Curse”. Also known as Tecumseh’s Curse, this urban legend is said to have emerged after the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 when then-Governor of the Indiana Territory (Harrison) defeated Tecumseh’s united Native American forces. The curse is said to affect United States Presidents voted into office in years that end with zero and can be divisible by twenty. So far, the curse has been very effective: 1840 – President Harrison died in office from illness, 1860 – President Lincoln was assassinated during his second term, 1880 – President Garfield was assassinated by an ex-Oneida madman, 1920 – President Harding died in office after suffering a heart attack, 1940 – President Roosevelt died while in his fourth term in office, 1960 – President Kennedy was assassinated while visiting Dallas, and 1980 – there was an attempted assassination on President Reagan, who thankfully survived and may have broken the curse. *

Artist’s illustration of Tecumseh cursing William Henry Harrison.

Written by Katie Costanzo, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum.

Tagged Presidential Library, Ronald Reagan

Grandmothers and grandchildren: 6 factors that affect relationships

Many children will spend their summer holidays with their grandparents. Some of the kids have been waiting for this all year, and some of them balk to the last: “Not to grandma!” Why are some close to grandchildren, while others are not?

According to social psychologists, this is influenced by many circumstances, but the pattern is still traceable. Scientists identify six main factors that affect the relationship between two generations.
1. Distance
It is easier for grandparents who live in the neighborhood to meet their grandchildren. Tactile contact is very important for a small child — hugs, touches. «Close» grandparents can actively participate in the care of the baby, his upbringing from the first days. They become a regular part of his life. Remote communication, although it does not completely replace live communication, is also an option to stay «in the same boat». Remember, ten years ago, no video chats were even dreamed of, and the only way to communicate was by phone.

2. Communication frequency
It happens that parents live with adult children on the next street, but they see their grandchildren a couple of times a year — on their birthdays and New Year holidays. This often happens after a middle generation divorce. As we know from literature, every unhappy family is unhappy in different ways, and not everyone manages to maintain good relations when parting. Children usually stay with their mother, dad turns into a «weekend parent», and grandparents in his line often have no place in the life of their grandchildren. Here, the calculation is only on the ability of the parties to negotiate and the understanding that depriving a child of the love of people close to him is an additional trauma.

3. The role of grandparents in the family
When mom and dad work or study 24/7, when a child is brought up in an incomplete family, the older generation often takes care of the baby. And now the six-year-old toddler is no longer «mama’s boy», but «grandmother’s and grandfather’s granddaughter» — he knows the names of television series, is well versed in fishing tackle and is indignant at store prices.

There is nothing wrong with this if all family members recognize this state of affairs, although forced, but normal. Mom and dad should not be tormented by constant guilt, and wisdom is required from the older generation. Their optimal line of conduct is to support a young family, increase its parental authority, show love not only for grandchildren, but also for their own children. It is very important to have your own interests and social circle, to observe the boundaries between your own life and the life of a young family.
4. Family units
Research shows that families who want strong intergenerational relationships have them. Children are taught from an early age that we are a family, one team. Then, first, the elders help the younger ones, and then help goes the other way without reminders. Traditions cement family relations well. For example, the habit of getting together for Sunday dinner, spending the New Year holidays together, regularly going out into nature.
5. Emotional connection
Emotionally, the closest parents for a child are his parents, brothers and sisters. Grandparents occupy the second row and this is normal, given the age difference. Children grow up, their social circle expands, and peers are becoming more and more important. But for the older generation, on the contrary, the social circle is narrowing, and therefore children and grandchildren are becoming more and more important.

According to psychologists, in the chain of emotional ties between parents-children-grandchildren, the middle generation plays the main role. If grandparents are close with adult children, they are more likely to be in close emotional contact with their grandchildren as well.

6. Similar values ​​
The child receives the first set of values ​​from parents and grandparents. Growing up, he forms his own world. For relationships, it is important that the older generation is ready to respectfully discuss the values ​​of grandchildren, even if they do not agree with everything. Professionally speaking, grandparents should be socially tolerant.

It turns out that grandchildren still do not automatically appreciate their «old people». The older generation has to make efforts to take and maintain close positions in the lives of younger family members. Your personal experience, wisdom and articles on our website will help to do this.

See also:

“Grandma knows best!” 3 reasons to argue

The best grandmother in the world: 20 things not to do for grandchildren

20 ideas for giving: what to do?

Photo: www. pexels.com

upbringing

Grandmothers and grandchildren — a bridge over the river of life

Which of the family relics do villagers keep? What are the ancient traditions and customs observed in families so far? the younger generation is interested in the secrets of what trades? You can find out the answers to these and other questions at creative meetings within the framework of the socially significant project of the Union of Rural Women of the Irkutsk Region “Grandmothers and grandchildren – a bridge over the river of life”. representatives of 84 settlements of the region have already taken part in it , although originally planned about 80. And only half of the events have been carried out. On one of them at Our correspondents visited the Bokhan region.

With an icon to Siberia

Young Vasily firmly holds an old icon in his hands. This is the true value of his Orthodox family, whose faith has stood the test of time. Some relatives of the boy’s direct ancestors were tonsured at the Pskov monastery. From this ancient city came his family.

In 1939 Vasya’s great-great-grandfather left there for a long business trip to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. And the wife and children stayed at home, the war began, and they ended up in fascist occupation. Mother was helped by the eldest daughter Nadezhda. Once she saw through the window how the Germans with machine guns approached the sisters and brother playing in the yard. Fortunately, they did not touch the guys and even treated them with sugar. But the horror she experienced made Nadezhda pack up and go with her children on a long journey to her father, in Siberia. With them they had a meager supply of food in a bundle and an old image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, wrapped in a shabby tablecloth.

The family believes that it was the miraculous image and prayers that helped them escape from Pskov, overcome the difficult, half-starved path in two months and find their father in Irkutsk, contact with whom was interrupted after the capture of his native city by the Nazis. In the Irkutsk region, Nadezhda Yakovlevna remained forever, preserved the icon for future generations. Her granddaughter Nadezhda Viktorovna Chirikova gave birth to five children and has already become a grandmother herself.

«Larks» as a treat

The story of saving a family and a family heirloom sounded on March 22 on the stage of the social and cultural center of the village of Taras, Bokhansky district. There was a competition «Grandmothers and grandchildren — a bridge over the river of life.» After holding events in the settlements, four finalists were chosen, one of which was Nadezhda Chirikova, who represented the settlement of Kamenka. The family has a large household. The youth help the elders. Someone likes to grow vegetables, someone likes a garden.

— Our grandson Vasya is very fond of animals , — said Nadezhda Viktorovna. – They themselves go to him. Try to catch a chicken, and she herself can sit in Vasya’s arms . I like to sew, embroider, do other needlework, I like to communicate with my relatives at the set table. At our family is very creative, we love to sing and dance. Our motto is «Who coming? We are going! Who sings? We eat by ! Friendly guys, guys — chi rich!”

Nadezhda Viktorovna’s granddaughters share her hobbies with pleasure. For example, in the evenings, a company sews dolls from unnecessary pieces of fabric, cuts old things into strips and knits «Chirikov» rugs, among which you will not find two identical ones. This craft was once taught to a woman by her grandmother.

The family competition was held on the Orthodox holiday of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste. Ritual buns in the form of birds have long been baked on this day. Nadezhda Chirikova presented the jury with baked «larks», one of which contained a «secret» for happiness.

The old clock is still running

Tamara Glinkina arrived from the village of Aleksandrovskoe with her treat. According to her confession, most of all grandchildren like her pastries. Therefore, every week, when the grandchildren come to visit, she starts cooking. At the competition, Tamara Sergeevna presented a cake on kefir and a charlotte with a sugar crust, made according to a recipe brought from the Urals, where the contestant once studied.

– Our grandmother is an activist, an athlete and just a beauty! — grandson Maxim fervently introduced the participant. – And she is also in lonter, chairman of the Women’s Council and member of the vocal ensemble. Granny has been working in the road service for 42 years and has thanks. In our family we celebrate as many as 16 days of birth and the most significant days when grandparents can come to celebrate them with us.

This family also has its own relic — an old wall clock. Tamara Sergeevna brought them with her, only the pendulum had to be removed so as not to damage it on the road. Watches are inherited by the eldest grandchildren. The woman hopes that they will show the time for new generations and remind them of their ancestors for many more years.

Chest of drawers and modular origami

Olga Tyapkina, a resident of Tikhonovka village, has an old chest of drawers handmade among her relics. No one really knows how old this furniture is, but judging by the condition, it will last for more than a dozen years. In the chest of drawers, the hostess keeps everything related to her favorite pastime — needlework. The woman mastered a rather complex technique called «modular origami». White and colored paper, napkins, candy wrappers and other materials are used by the craftswoman to make vases, artificial flowers, trees and other handicrafts.

— First, I fold the pieces of paper , then insert the modules into each other and connect into a single figure. Of course, it takes a very long time to assemble modules themselves. But , if desired, can be done overnight. Not a long time ago I assembled a batch of seven nesting dolls. They took about 15 thousand of these blanks, — this comment of the participant caused applause in the hall, because such painstaking work is not subject to everyone. As well as the ability to cook seemingly simple, but in this case especially sweet cookies — brushwood. For him, Olga Alexandrovna kneaded the dough, and the grandchildren fried it. The audience not only watched the video of this joint cooking, but also tried this dessert. And then the grandchildren Mark and Daniel sang the song «Grandma, bake pancakes!».

The district authorities supported the idea of ​​social activists

– The image of the grandmother is associated with something warm – something warm – pies and buns kami, mittens and socks, with on 900 54 childhood. I myself am already a grandmother of six grandchildren, and there is nothing sweeter than this mutual love , — Antonina Astashkinova , head of the district department of culture , said at the opening of the event.

The theme of the next socially significant project of the Irkutsk regional public organization «Russian Union of Rural Women» turned out to be close and in demand for many. According to the Deputy Mayor of the Bokhan District, Chimita Fedorova, as soon as the public activists came up with the initiative to implement this project on the territory, they immediately found understanding with the municipal administration. She acted as the founder of the competition, prepared valuable prizes for the participants, employees of cultural institutions were assigned to each family that participated in the event. After all, few people are used to performing on stage.

– Yes, sometimes they are shy, they think that their family history is not interesting for others . But this is absolutely not the case , — the head of the Bokhan branch of the Union of Rural Women Inna Nikiforova is sure . – We are supported by the district administration , for which we are very grateful. This is ve a personal matter when there is support, shoulder. We received wonderful emotions from the project. So much mu goodness, kindness, experience transfer! In this story, I especially like children, how emotionally they are involved in the process. Grandmothers will teach them everything they need — kindness and work.

Granddaughter, following the example of her elders, became a volunteer

– Of course, my grandmother influenced me , because she is a person with an active life position. This zeal to help people, de good deeds were passed on to me from her, — shared the granddaughter of the project participant Tatyana Atrikovna Bolikhaeva Alina Markhanova . Her grandmother lives in the village of Khokhorsk, Bokhansky district, and the girl herself lives in Novonukutsk. The granddaughter, like her older relative, is also not indifferent to the problems of fellow countrymen. Alina heads the municipal representative office of the Irkutsk Regional Volunteer Center in the Nukutsk region.

– We hold forums, gatherings, after all, as it turned out, many people on do not quite understand what volunteering is, — the girl continues. – During the prolonged period of the pandemic, we helped grandmothers, bought food for them. We also build playgrounds for inclusive clubs where classes are held with children who have limited health opportunities. We also fill ecological litter bins , organize eco-quests and in general we help with the organization of regional and district events ti. And now we are sewing nets and clothes for the participants of CBO .

Alina’s younger brother Evgeny told the audience the story of his family, the boy reminded that every Buryat should know the genealogy and names of ancestors in the male line up to the seventh or tenth generation. The very name of the settlement Khokhorsk comes from the nickname of a representative of their clan Darhi, who went blind while hunting. And in the Buryat language, the word «blind» sounds like «sohor».

According to grandmother’s precepts

By the way, both adults and small members of the family are fluent in their native Buryat language, as the audience could see. They also know the secrets of housekeeping, crafts and needlework. Grandmother taught the youth how to properly care for the sheep and cut the wool without damaging the fleece. She knits with a special technique of socks and mittens. And together with his grandchildren, he makes paintings from colored strands of wool — the so-called woolen watercolor. Alina, Zhenya and the youngest granddaughter Karina made such products right during the competition.

– I have worked as a primary school teacher at Ho Ho High School for over 30 years. This is the first time we are participating in a competition like this family . And we are very glad that such events are being held in the region. They introduce everyone to culture, to the preservation of the traditions of peoples. My grandchildren live in districts. But only grandma said, they «flew» to me prepare for the competition. They are creative guys , they participate everywhere. If they ask me, I also do not refuse anything , — says Tatyana Atrikovna.

The competition consisted of three stages: «Business Card», «What I can pass on to my grandchildren» and «Gatherings». The works of the participants were evaluated by the jury on a ten-point system. The decision was discussed for a long time. As a result, the victory was awarded to the family of Tatiana Bolikhayeva. But no matter how trite it may sound, there were no losers in such competitions.

Bokhan District Administration intends to make the event a tradition.

And the wishes of the winner of the competition, which sounded like a wise testament from the stage: “Learn good things, be skillful, do any work with your soul!” , — relevant at all times and for all generations.

Comment values ​​of the traditional family. In our project, this is all traceable. It is being implemented under a grant from the Provincial Assembly of the Irkutsk Region, for which we are very grateful to the leadership of the region. And our social activists contribute to this work not only their time and effort, but also a piece of their soul. For which they are also very grateful!

This year I want to note the great activity of the territories. In many districts, events are held with great enthusiasm, and with the obligatory preservation of the main theme, but in a free format. For example, in Nizhneudinsk there was a Pie Festival.

In the 18th year of operation, the recognition and popularity of our organization has acquired a special significance among the population and authorities. This time, a large number of regional events are held in the presence of mayors and their deputies. Heads of settlements, heads of subdivisions of administrations, deputies, chairmen of dumas are widely involved. It is very nice. When the government and society are so united, many issues are resolved. In our difficult time, such a ray of happiness, kindness, which is felt at events, is very significant.

Initially, the participation of 16 districts was announced in the project «Grandmothers and grandchildren — a bridge over the river of life», but two more territories joined it. It was planned that residents of at least 80 settlements would take part, but even now, when the events have not yet taken place in half of the territories, there are 84 of them.