Thomas Francis Bayard Jr. (June 4, 1868 – July 12, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Delaware in the 1920s.
Thomas F. Bayard Jr. | |
---|---|
United States Senator from Delaware | |
In office November 8, 1922 – March 3, 1929 | |
Preceded by | T. Coleman du Pont |
Succeeded by | John G. Townsend Jr. |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Francis Bayard Jr. June 4, 1868 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
Died | July 12, 1942 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. | (aged 74)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Elizabeth Bradford du Pont
(m. 1908) |
Children | 5, including Alexis I. du Pont Bayard |
Parent |
|
Residence(s) | Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
Alma mater | Yale University |
Profession | lawyer |
Early life
editBayard was born in Wilmington, Delaware, the son of U.S. Senator Thomas F. Bayard Sr. and grandson of U.S. Senator James A. Bayard Jr.
Bayard graduated from Yale University in 1890, where he was a member of Skull and Bones[1]: 29 and served as secretary of his class.[2] He attended Yale Law School and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1893.
Personal life
editHe married Elizabeth Bradford du Pont on October 3, 1908.[3] Together, they had five children:[citation needed]
- Alexis I. du Pont Bayard (Feb. 10, 1918 in Wilmington, Delaware - Sep. 2, 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a graduate of Yale University, politician and 13th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware. He married Jane Buckley Hildreth (Nov. 14, 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Dec. 12, 2008 in Palm Beach, Florida) in 1944. He died following heart surgery.
- Elizabeth
- Ellen
- James
- Thomas Francis Bayard III (Oct. 12, 1902 in Greenville, Delaware - Dec. 17, 1983 in Middleburg, Virginia) was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and an executive at the DuPont Company. Married to Ruth Broadbent Castor (Mar. 27, 1906 - Jun. 21, 1994) in 1928 in Paris, divorced in 1944.
Career
editAfter living in New York City for four years and working as assistant corporation counsel, he returned to his Delaware law practice in 1901. He served as chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party's state committee from 1906 to 1916, and as solicitor for the city of Wilmington from 1917 until 1919.
Bayard was elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election on November 7, 1922, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of U.S. Senator Josiah O. Wolcott. On the same day, he was also elected for the full term to follow, in both instances defeating incumbent Republican U.S. Senator T. Coleman du Pont (a cousin of Bayard's wife), who had been appointed. During this term, he served in the Democratic minority in the last session of the 67th Congress, and in the 68th, 69th, and 70th Congresses.
Bayard lost his bid for a second full term in 1928 to Republican John G. Townsend Jr., the former governor. He then lost another bid for a second full term in 1930 to incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Daniel O. Hastings. In all, Bayard served one term and part of another, from November 7, 1922, to March 3, 1929, during the administrations of U.S. presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge. Subsequently, he resumed his law practice in Wilmington.
Death and legacy
editBayard died in Wilmington and is buried there in the Old Swedes Episcopal Church Cemetery. His son, Alexis I. du Pont Bayard, served as Lieutenant Governor of Delaware from 1949 to 1953.
He is the namesake of the town of Bayard, West Virginia.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Obituary Record Of Graduates Of Yale University Deceased During The Year, 1942-1943" (PDF). Yale University. January 1, 1944. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
- ^ Bayard, Thomas Francis; Yale University; Class of 1890 (1911). Vicennial record of the Class of 1890, Yale College. Wilmington, Del.: Geo. A. Wolf. OCLC 38178379.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Bayard - du Pont" (PDF). New York Times. October 4, 1908. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
At Rencourt, near Greenville, to-day, Miss Elizabeth B. Du Pont, daughter of Alexis Irene Du Pont and the late Dr. Alexis I. Du Pont, was married to Thomas F. Bayard, son of the late Ambassador Bayard. ...
- ^ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 98.
Public offices | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Office | Type | Location | Began office | Ended office | Notes | |
U.S. Senator | Legislature | Washington | November 7, 1922 | March 3, 1923 | ||
U.S. Senator | Legislative | Washington | March 4, 1923 | March 3, 1929 |
United States Congressional service | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dates | Congress | Chamber | Majority | President | Committees | Class/District |
1922–1923 | 67th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Warren G. Harding Calvin Coolidge |
class 1 | |
1923–1925 | 68th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Calvin Coolidge | class 1 | |
1925–1927 | 69th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Calvin Coolidge | class 1 | |
1927–1929 | 70th | U.S. Senate | Republican | Calvin Coolidge | class 1 |
Election results | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Office | Election | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||
1922 | U.S. Senator | Special | Thomas F. Bayard Jr. | Democratic | 36,954 | 50% | T. Coleman du Pont | Republican | 36,894 | 50% | ||
1922 | U.S. Senator | General | Thomas F. Bayard Jr. | Democratic | 37,304 | 50% | T. Coleman du Pont | Republican | 36,979 | 49% | ||
1928 | U.S. Senator | General | Thomas F. Bayard Jr. | Democratic | 40,828 | 39% | John G. Townsend Jr. | Republican | 63,725 | 61% | ||
1930 | U.S. Senator | General | Thomas F. Bayard Jr. | Democratic | 39,881 | 45% | Daniel O. Hastings | Republican | 47,909 | 54% |
References
edit- Carter, Richard B. (2001). Clearing New Ground, The Life of John G. Townsend Jr. Wilmington, Delaware: The Delaware Heritage Press. ISBN 0-924117-20-6.
- Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.