Alexis I. du Pont Bayard

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 20 1949
term_end = January 15 1953
predecessor = Elbert N. Carvel
successor = John W. Rollins
birth_date = birth date|1918|2|11|mf=y
birth_place = Wilmington, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1985|09|03|1918|02|11
death_place = Wilmington, Delaware
spouse = Jane Brady Hildreth
party = Democratic
residence = Greenville, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession = lawyer
religion = Episcopalian

Alexis Irénée du Pont "Lex" Bayard (February 11 1918 – September 3 1985) was an American lawyer and politician from Rockland, near Greenville, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War II, and a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.

Early Life and Family

Bayard was born February 11 1918 in Wilmington, Delaware, son of U.S. Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. and Elizabeth Bradford du Pont Bayard. He was named after his maternal great-grandfather, Alexis Irénée du Pont. He married Jane Brady Hildreth on April 24 1944, and they had three children; Alexis du Pont, Jr., Eugene Hildreth, and Richard Henry. During World War II, he served in the United States Marine Corps. Bayard had studied the law, and upon returning, began a practice in Wilmington, Delaware

Bayard was the scion of two prominent Delaware families. On his father’s side, Alexis descended from the politically powerful Bayard family. The Bayard’s had long been bulwarks of Delaware’s Democratic Party, with each of the previous five generations of the Bayard family having represented Delaware in the United States Senate.

Bayard’s mother, Elizabeth Bradford du Pont, was the daughter of Alexis Irénée du Pont, Jr., granddaughter of Alexis Irénée du Pont, and great-grand daughter of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. He was the founder of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, the gunpowder and chemicals company that grew to dominate northern Delaware in the early twentieth century. By this time the du Pont’s were a large and enormously wealthy family, many of whom were involved in the political life of Delaware.

Political career

A war veteran with a well-known name, the 30 year old Bayard was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1948, defeating Republican Chester V. Townsend, Jr. of Dagsboro, who was Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives. He served as Lieutenant Governor from January 20 1949 until January 15 1953. In 1948 he also served as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

Bayard lost a bid for a seat in the United States Senate in 1952 to the incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John J. Williams. Bayard’s inexperience and aristocratic roots compared unfavorably to Williams' rags-to-riches rise from chicken farmer to national figure. These factors, along with Williams' reputation for honesty, integrity, fairness, and bipartisanship in the Senate and the popularity of the Republican's U.S. Presidential candidate, Dwight D. Eisenhower, led the incumbent to a ten point victory over Bayard at the polls.

After his defeat by Williams, Bayard resumed his law practice and remained an active supporter of the Democratic Party.

Death and Legacy

Bayard died September 3 1985 in Wilmington, Delaware. He is buried at the Old Swedes (Trinity) Episcopal Church in Wilmington alongside his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Old Swedes Church is the oldest church building in the United States still standing as originally built.

Bayard was the last member of his line to be elected to public office, thus ending a six generation tradition. After his death, the Alexis I. du Pont Bayard Award was created for distinguished service to the party. His son, Richard H. Bayard, has served as Chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The Lieutenant Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
- Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Lt. Governor
Executive
Dover
1948
January 20 1949
January 15 1953|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1948
Lt. Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |74,605
Party shading/Democratic |53%|
Party shading/Republican |Chester V. Townsend, Jr.
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |65,545
Party shading/Republican |47%
-
1952
U.S. Senator|
Party shading/Democratic |Alexis I. du Pont Bayard
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |77,685
Party shading/Democratic |45%|
Party shading/Republican |John J. Williams
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |93,020
Party shading/Republican |55%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State |last= Cohen |first= Celia |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Grapevine Publishing |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 2002 |id=
*cite book |title = Honest John Williams |last= Hoffecker |first= Carol E. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= University of Delaware Press |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 2000 |id=

External links

* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delltgov.htm Delaware’s Lieutenant Governors ]
*findagrave|7561236 Retrieved on 2008-02-05
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bay-bazzle.html#S6K0P4LIT Political Graveyard ]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,817022-7,00.html Time Magazine]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware ] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library ] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]