Richard H. Bayard

Richard Henry Bayard (September 26, 1796–March 4, 1868) was a United States Senator representing Delaware in the 19th Century.

Bayard was born in Wilmington, Delaware and graduated from Princeton College in 1814. He studied law and admitted to the bar in New Castle, Delaware in 1818 and commenced practice in Wilmington, where he became the first mayor of Wilmington in 1832.

In 1836, Bayard was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian (Whig) to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Arnold Naudain and served from June 17, 1836, to September 19, 1839, when he resigned to become chief justice of Delaware. He served as chief justice of Delaware 1839–1841, when he resigned; elected again to the United States Senate, as a Whig, to fill the vacancy which had existed since his own resignation in 1839 and served from January 12, 1841, to March 3, 1845; From 1841 to 1843 Bayard served as chairman of the Committee on Private Land Claims as well as serving on the Committee on District of Columbia and Committee on Naval Affairs. From 1843 to 1845 he served only on the Naval Affairs committee and was not a candidate for reelection by the Delaware legislature in 1845.

Bayard was later charge d’affaires to Belgium 1850–1853. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 4, 1868. Richard H. Bayard was a son of James Asheton Bayard Sr., the brother of James Asheton Bayard Jr. and the grandson of Richard Bassett.

Five Bayards have served in the United States Senate.

Sources

http://bioguide.congress.gov [1]