Ralph Izard
 |
Ralph Izard |
Ralph Izard (
January 23,
1741 or
1742–
May 30,
1804) was a
U.S. politician. He served as
President pro tempore of the
United States Senate in
1794.
Izard was born at "The Elms" near
Charleston, South Carolina. His maternal grandfather was
Province of South Carolina Governor Robert Johnson. Izard's parents died when he was a small child, and only one of his siblings survived to adulthood. He spent most of his childhood and youth studying in
England. Izard returned to America in
1764, but did not remain in South Carolina for long. In
1767, he married Alice DeLancey of New York (a niece of
James DeLancey). They had 13 children between the years of 1768 and 1792.
He resided in
London in
1771 and moved to
Paris,
France, in
1776. He was appointed commissioner to the Court of
Tuscany by the
Continental Congress in
1776, but was recalled in
1779. He returned to America in
1780 and pledged his large estate in
South Carolina for the payment of war ships to be used in the
American Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Continental Congress in
1782 and
1783. In 1788, he was elected to the United States Senate and served from
March 4,
1789, to
March 3,
1795, serving as
President pro tempore of the Senate during the
Third Congress.
Izard retired from public life to the care of his estates and died near Charleston. He is interred in the churchyard of St. James Goose Creek Episcopal Church, near Charleston.
Izard was one of the founders of the
College of Charleston. His children and relations married well:
*His son
Ralph, was a naval hero of
Tripoli. The World War II
USS Izard (DD-589) was named after him. (Ralph's wife was a niece of
Arthur Middleton).
* A son
George Izard was a
Governor of
Arkansas.
* A daughter Charlotte married William Loughton Smith {a son of S.C. Assemblyman Benjamin Smith}; William L. Smith was also a brother-in-law of South Carolina Congressman
Isaac Motte.
* A daughter Sarah married
South Carolina Loyalist Governor
Lord William Campbell.
* One niece was a daughter-in-law of Loyalist
Governor of
Georgia James Wright (governor).
* Another niece was a daughter-in-law of
Congressman of
South Carolina Thomas Pinckney.
* A great-grandson of Ralph Izard was
Charles Manigault Morris who was also a great-grandson of
Lewis Morris.
*
Ralph Izard - Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*
Geneaology of Ralph Izard
