The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-29

Thomas Francis Bayard, who was secre
tary of state during Grover Cleveiands
first presidential term, and the first ambas-
sador of the United States to the court of
st. James during the second presidency Of
Mr.. Cleveland, was distinguished member
of an eminent family. 1t is a very large
family, too and it's members have been very
widely distributed in both the old world
and the new. It's origin has been traced
back to the province of Dauphine, now in
the Department of Isere, in the southeast
of France, where, not very far from Greno-
BILE, the ruins of Chateau Bayard browning
a hill which commands one of the noblest
prospects in that region, mark what is re-
garded as the cradle of the race. From the
earliest times the Bayards were distin-
guished for courage in war and fidelity to
their sovereign. A Seigneur de Bayard, the
head of the house, was slain in the battle
of Poitiers in the vain attempt to prevent
the capture of King John the Good by the
English. His son fell in combat with the
same enemy at Azincourt and his grandson
at Montlhery. But the second in descent
from this last was more widely known than
either, and, joining to the hereditary prow-
ess and constancy of his race purity and
nobility of character peculiarly his own,
furnished to history and romance the ideal
of perfect knight Pierre du Terrail, Seig
neur de Bayard 1.-The knight without fear
and without reproach, was the famous
captain of Charles VIII, Louis XII and
Francis I, the latter of whom. after the bat
tie of Marignano, would receive the honor
of knighthood from no hand but that OF
Bayard In 1905 he, single handed, kept the
bridge of Gargliano against the Spaniards
and saved the whole French army, He
finally fell, shot while conducting the re.
treat at the passage of the Sesia, on April
80, 1924. AS he left no heirs, his estates and
rank descended to the next of kin, and the
family name, Du Terrail. was emerged In
the territorial name, Bayard.
Nicholas, the first ancestor to come to
America son of an Amsterdam merchant,
though of French Hug9stnot extracto as s ano
rotary of the province of New York in 1872.
mayor Of New York in 1886, and holder of
several other important provincial ohces.
Col. John Bayard, grandson, was a men,
Der of the provincial council of IVA, leader
of the movement for independence in Phila-
delphia, q member OF the council Of o safety
raised in Philadelphia in 1755, speaker OF the
Assembly in 1777, member of the Continental
Congress in 1855, besides having been hon
ored with many other offices of great trust.
Four members of the Bayard family. direct
descendants of the foregoing, have had SEN
atorial honorS bestowed upon them by the
little State of DelaWare-Thomas Francis
.Bayard his father. James Asheton Bayard,
his grandfather of the same name, the ne
gotiator of the treaty of Client, and his
uncle Richard Henry Bayard. His grand
mothers father, Governor Bassett, of Della
ware was also the recipient of senatorial
THOMAS BAYARD'S CAREER.
Thomas Francis Bayard was born in Will
mington, DEL, Oct. 29 1923. and was
younger son. In his thirteenth year he en-
tered school at Flushing, Long island. Here
he remained two years. AT the expiration of
that period, being intended by his father for
mercantile pursuits. a clerkship was OBJ
tanned for him in the establishment Of Mr..
Bayard's brother-in-law, August Van Cort-
landt Sckermerhorn. Here he received an
excellent business training. In 1S4S his
elder brother died. whereupon. at the re-
quest of his parents. he returned to VIII
mington Having a liking for his father
profession, that of law. he became stu
dent with that END in view, and was admit
ted to The bar in ISL He Immediately be-
father, and was successful from the begin
ming, his local fame spreading rapidly. In
attorney for Delaware, but resigned in the
following year. In 1855 Mr.. Bayard removed
to Philadelphia. where he formed legal CO.
partnership with William Shippen This
connection lasted five years, being termi-
mated by the death of Mr.. Shipper. Mr..
Bayard, on the death of his partner. re-
turned to Wilmington where he was needed
by his father. who was then engrossed with
when the war of the rebellion began Mr..
Bayard was pursuing his profession. With
the first mutterings of war the people of
Wilmington set about establishing means of
Self-pr0tect1on. "A nnIlua company was or
ganized and Thomas f. Bayard was elected
ITS first lieutenant In June. 1861, the IA
nous peace meeting of citizens was held at
Dover and Lieutenant Bayard was one of
the principal speakers. He denounced the
war, and his remarks on that occasion have
been quoted in later years as an argument
against his availability as a presidential
candidate.
Meanwhile Mr. Bayard's popularity in his
native State kept growing rapidly, and in
1868 he was elected to succeed his father
in the United States Senate. and was SUBJ
sequently twice reelected. 1t is noteworthy
that on the day he was elected to the SEN
ate for. the full term his father (who had
resigned) was also reelected senator from
Of his original term. This Is the only case