In 1844, John Tyler had no party willing to back him for reelection. He went ahead and organized his own party called the Democratic-Republican party to fight for the annexation of Texas. Henry Clay of the Whig party opposed him and the measure. When the Democrats nominated James K. Polk, who also believed in the annexation of Texas, Tyler decided to step aside to help ensure that Clay would be defeated and that Polk would win. He and his family retired to his farm in Virginia, and Tyler eventually became chancellor of the College of William and Mary.

Tyler died on January 18, 1862. He was preparing to attend the first session of the Confederate Congress in Richmond, Virginia. Tyler was denounced as a traitor by the Union and his death went unrecognized by the federal government for sixty-three years. In 1915, a memorial stone was erected for his grave by Congress.