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Richard H. Bayard

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Richard H. Bayard
United States Senator
from Delaware
In office
June 17, 1836 – September 19, 1839
Preceded byArnold Naudain
Succeeded byVacant[a]
In office
January 12, 1841 – March 3, 1845
Preceded byVacant[a]
Succeeded byJohn M. Clayton
Chief Justice of Delaware
In office
September 19, 1839 – March 12, 1841
Preceded byJohn M. Clayton
Succeeded byJames Booth Jr.
Personal details
Born
Richard Henry Bayard

(1796-09-26)September 26, 1796
Wilmington, Delaware
DiedMarch 4, 1868(1868-03-04) (aged 71)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Political partyWhig
Spouse
Mary Sophia Carroll
(m. 1820; died 1868)
RelationsHenry Bayard Rich (grandson)
Children7
Parent
RelativesRichard Bassett (grandfather)
ResidenceWilmington, Delaware
Alma materPrinceton College
ProfessionLawyer

Richard Henry Bayard (September 26, 1796 – March 4, 1868) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, who served as the first Mayor of Wilmington, Chief Justice of the Delaware Superior Court, and as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life

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Bayard was born in Wilmington, Delaware on September 26, 1796. He was the son of James A. Bayard Sr. and Nancy (née Bassett) Bayard. His father was a member of the Federalist Party, who served as U.S. Representative from Delaware and U.S. Senator from Delaware.[1] His mother was the daughter of another U.S. Senator from Delaware, Richard Bassett. His younger brother, James A. Bayard Jr., was also a U.S. Senator from Delaware.[2]

Career

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Portrait of Bayard, by Thomas Sully, 1822

Bayard graduated from Princeton College in 1814, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1818. His practice was in Wilmington, where he became the first mayor of the newly incorporated city in 1832.[3]

In 1836, Bayard was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the United States Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of U.S. Senator Arnold Naudain. He served from June 17, 1836, to September 19, 1839, when he resigned to become Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. He served in that capacity for two years, from 1839 to 1841, when he resigned, being once again elected to the United States Senate, this time as a Whig.[3]

The position had been vacant since his own resignation in 1839. This time, he served from January 12, 1841, until March 3, 1845. While in the United States Senate, he was chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims in the 27th Congress, a member of the Committee on District of Columbia in the 27th Congress, and a member of the Committee on Naval Affairs in the 27th Congress and 28th Congress.[3]

Later life

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He did not seek reelection in 1844. He was appointed by President Millard Fillmore to serve as chargé d'affaires to Belgium from 1850 to 1853.

Personal life

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Portrait of his wife, Mary Sophia Carroll Bayard, by Thomas Sully, 1822

In 1820, Bayard was married to Mary Sophia Carroll (1804–1886) by the Rt. Rev. Henry Conwell, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Philadelphia.[4] She was the daughter of Charles Carroll of Homewood (only surviving son of U.S. Senator Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Harriett (née Chew) Carroll (a daughter of Judge Benjamin Chew).[5] Together, they were the parents of seven children, including:[6]

Bayard died on March 4, 1868 at Philadelphia and is buried in the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery at Wilmington. He was the second of five Bayards to serve in the United States Senate.[11]

Almanac

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The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators, who took office March 4 for a six-year term. In this case, he was initially completing the existing term, the vacancy caused by the resignation of Arnold Naudain. However, he resigned the position before the term ended only to accept appointment over a year later in a new term which he completed. Between his resignation and appointment, the position was vacant.


Public offices
Office Type Location Began office Ended office Notes
U.S. Senator Legislature Washington June 17, 1836 September 19, 1839
U.S. Senator Legislature Washington January 12, 1841 March 3, 1845
United States congressional service
Dates Congress Chamber Majority President Committees Class/District
1836–1837 24th U.S. Senate Democratic Andrew Jackson class 1
1837–1839 25th U.S. Senate Democratic Martin Van Buren class 1
1839–1841 26th U.S. Senate Democratic Martin Van Buren class 1
1841–1843 27th U.S. Senate Whig William Henry Harrison
John Tyler
Private Land Claims
District of Columbia
class 1
1843–1845 28th U.S. Senate Whig John Tyler Naval Affairs class 1

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The seat was vacant from September 19, 1839, until January 11, 1841.

References

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  1. ^ Martin, Roger A. (2003). Delawareans in Congress: The House of Representatives. Roger A. Martin, Newark. ISBN 0-924117-26-5.
  2. ^ Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Cedar Tree Books, Wilmington. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
  3. ^ a b c "BAYARD, Richard Henry 1796 – 1868". bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  4. ^ Philadelphia, American Catholic Historical Society of (1909). Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia. American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia. p. 168. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Leonard, Lewis Alexander (1918). Life of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. Moffat, Yard. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-7950-0944-0. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Clark, Bayard (1999). John Snowden Henry Clark: Descendant from Early Colonial Planters. Gateway Press. pp. 103, 124. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  7. ^ "Reappearance in Tuscany of one of Napoleon's Neckerchiefs". napoleon.org. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Bulloch, Joseph Gaston Baillie (1895). A History and Genealogy of the Families of Bellinger and De Veaux and Other Families. Morning News Print. p. 3. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Browning, Charles Henry (1891). Americans of Royal Descent: A Collection of Genealogies of American Families Whose Lineage is Traced to the Legimate Issue of Kings. Porter & Costes. p. 674. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Browning, Charles Henry (1969). Americans of Royal Descent: Collection of Genealogies Showing the Lineal Descent from Kings of Some American Families ... Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 305. ISBN 978-0-8063-0054-2. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  11. ^ Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
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Places with more information

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U.S. Senate
Preceded by Senator from Delaware
1836–1839
Vacant
Title next held by
Himself
Vacant
Title last held by
Himself
Senator from Delaware
1841–1845
Succeeded by