Willard Saulsbury Jr.

Willard Saulsbury Jr.
United States Senator from Delaware
In office March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1919
Preceded by	Harry A. Richardson
Succeeded by	L. Heisler Ball
President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate
In office December 14, 1916 – March 4, 1919
Preceded by	James Paul Clarke
Succeeded by	Albert B. Cummins
Personal details
Born	(1861-04-17)April 17, 1861 Georgetown, Delaware
Died	February 20, 1927(1927-02-20) (aged 65) Wilmington, Delaware
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	May du Pont
Residence	Wilmington, Delaware
Alma mater	University of Virginia
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian

Willard Saulsbury Jr. (April 17, 1861 – February 20, 1927) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party who served as U.S. Senator from Delaware and President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate.

Early life and family

Saulsbury was born in Georgetown, Delaware, son of Willard Saulsbury, Sr., and nephew of Gove Saulsbury and Eli M. Saulsbury. He attended private schools and the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall. Subsequently he studied law, was admitted to the Bar in 1882, and commenced practice in Wilmington, Delaware.

He was president of the New Castle Bar Association and chairman of the board of censors.

Political career

Saulsbury was a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1908 until 1920, and was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator nearly every year, beginning in 1899.

He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1913, the first year that the position was filled by an election rather than by the General Assembly. During this term, he served with the Democratic majority in the 63rd, 64th, and 65th Congresses from March 4, 1913, until March 4, 1919. He was the President pro tempore of the Senate during the 64th and 65th Congress. In the 63rd, 64th, and 65th Congress he was Chairman of the Committee on Coast and Insular Survey, and in the 65th Congress he was also a member of the Committee on Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico. In 1918, he lost to Republican L. Heisler Ball, a former U.S. Senator.

Later years

After leaving the Senate, he was a member of the advisory committee of the Conference on Limitation of Armaments in Washington, D.C., in 1921 and 1922, and a member of the Pan American Conference in Santiago, Chile, in 1923.

He continued the practice of law in Wilmington and Washington, D.C., until his death.

Saulsbury died in Wilmington and is buried in the Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery at Dover.

References

• Franseth, Gregory S; L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin & Shiela Pardee (2003). "The End of an Era in Delaware: The Practical Politics of Willard Saulsbury Jr.". University Delaware Library Associates. XI. 
• Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5. 

External links

• Biographical Directory of the United States
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

United States Senators from Delaware
Class 1	Read Latimer White Horsey C. Rodney Thomas Clayton McLane Naudain R. Bayard John M. Clayton Wales J. Bayard Jr Riddle J. Bayard Jr T. Bayard Sr Gray Ball H. du Pont Wolcott T. C. du Pont T. Bayard Jr Townsend Tunnell Williams Roth Carper
Class 2	Bassett Vining Joshua Clayton Wells J. Bayard Sr Wells Van Dyke D. Rodney Ridgely John M. Clayton Thomas Clayton Spruance John M. Clayton Comegys Bates W. Saulsbury Sr E. Saulsbury Higgins Kenney Allee Richardson W. Saulsbury Jr Ball T. C. du Pont Hastings Hughes Buck Frear Boggs Biden Kaufman Coons

Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate
Langdon Lee Langdon Izard H Tazewell Livermore Bingham Bradford Read Sedgwick Laurance Ross Livermore Tracy Howard Hillhouse Baldwin Bradley Brown Franklin Anderson Smith Bradley Milledge Gregg Gaillard Pope Crawford Varnum Gaillard Barbour Gaillard Macon Smith L Tazewell White Poindexter Tyler W R King Southard Mangum Sevier Atchison W R King Atchison Cass Bright Stuart Bright Mason Rusk Fitzpatrick Bright Fitzpatrick Foot Clark Foster Wade Anthony Carpenter Anthony Ferry Thurman Bayard Davis Edmunds Sherman Ingalls Manderson Harris Ransom Harris Frye Office rotated 1911–1913 Bacon Curtis Gallinger Brandegee Lodge Clarke Saulsbury Cummins Moses Pittman W H King Harrison Glass McKellar Vandenberg McKellar Bridges George Hayden Russell Ellender Eastland Magnuson Young Magnuson Thurmond Stennis Byrd Thurmond Byrd Thurmond Byrd Stevens Byrd Inouye Leahy Hatch