Henry William de Saussure
Encyclopedia
Henry William de Saussure (August 16, 1763 – March 26, 1839) was an American
lawyer, state legislator and jurist from South Carolina
who became a political leader as a member of the Federalist Party following the Revolutionary War
. He was appointed by President George Washington
as the 2nd Director of the United States Mint
, was a co-sponsor of the legislation that established the South Carolina College which was to become the University of South Carolina
and was given the title of Chancellor
as a justice of the SC Equity Court
, also known as chancery court
. In this capacity he wrote and codified much of the state's equity law still in use today. He served as Intendant (Mayor) of both Charleston
and Columbia
, SC.
He was a principal investor in founding what was originally intended to be the city's Federalist leaning newspaper, the Charleston Courier in 1803. The newspaper still exists today as it was eventually merged with others to become The Post and Courier
. As a sitting appellate court judge, his opinions on a variety of issues were widely published under a pseudonym, which was the custom then for public officials who wished to express their views away from the bench. His opinions were highly critical of the summary abridgment of rights of the accused during the Denmark Vesey
trials, purportedly in the name of public safety. He and others like him suspected there was less substance to the charges of a conspiracy to organize a slave revolt than the public in Charleston was being led to believe.
He openly opposed Nullification
along with other leading South Carolina. After the Federalist Party faded in the early 1820s, he was a voice for Unionist moderation before a rising tide States Rights supporters swept the stage of all others in South Carolina a generation later. Though deep political differences would eventually separate them, John C. Calhoun
studied law in the offices of Henry de Saussure and Timothy Ford, his partner and brother-in-law. As a founder and early trustee of the University of South Carolina
in Columbia
, one of the original buildings located on the Horseshoe at the center of the campus, DeSaussure College, was named in his honor.
. When the city surrendered to British forces, both were captured. As a prisoner of war, Henry was detained aboard the Pack-Horse, a prison ship
in Charleston Harbor
. Due to the deplorable conditions of the confinement, his health declined on board the ship. He was later released to his mother's custody and those others fortunate to survive the ordeal were released in a prisoner exchange in June 1781, more than a year after the surrender.
His father, Daniel, was deemed to be more of a prize and sent to the British prisons at St. Augustine, Florida
along with other leaders of the American rebellion captured in South Carolina
. As a prominent merchant in the city, Daniel's properties in Charleston and Beaufort were also confiscated. Daniel's wife, Mary, and their younger children, three daughters, were then exiled to Philadelphia for the remainder of the American Revolution
. The family was reunited at Philadelphia after Henry's father was released as part of a prisoner exchange following the surrender of British forces at the Yorktown
. Still occupied, Charleston
and New York
would remain in British hands for some time longer. Refugees and exiles were unable to return until after the withdrawal of British troops from those areas.
In addition to his father, Henry William de Saussure had three uncles who served as officers of the Continental Line during the American Revolution. All three uncles died in service to the American cause leaving no male heirs to the de Saussure family in America except that of Daniel. Louis de Saussure was killed during the Siege of Savannah in 1779. Henry de Saussure died in camp during the Siege of Charleston in 1780. Thomas de Saussure was killed at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
, a noted Philadelphia attorney who would later be an active participant in the Constitutional Convention
and a leading proponent of the Federalist Party. Before returning to Charleston, de Saussure married Elizabeth Ford, the daughter of Colonel Jacob Ford, Jr.
and Theodosia Johnes Ford of Morristown
, New Jersey
. Henry and Elizabeth were married at her family's home
in Morristown.
Henry & Eliza de Saussure had 12 children. Their second son, William F. De Saussure
, was appointed to fill an unexpired term in the United States Senate
in 1852. It was the same seat held by John C. Calhoun
. Despite Henry de Saussure's early political association with the Federalist Party and later support of Unionist candidates in opposition to the Nullification movement, his son William Ford De Saussure would become a signer of the Ordinance of Secession
in 1860.
, notable relatives of Henry William de Saussure include his grandfather's brother César de Saussure (1705-1783), foreign service attaché and social commentator; European cousins Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
(1740–1799), Swiss naturalist, Albertine Necker de Saussure
(1766–1841), Swiss writer, educationalist, and advocate of education for women, Ferdinand de Saussure
(1857–1913), Swiss linguist, and Éric de Saussure (1925–2007), Swiss artist and member of the Taizé Community
. Other American descendents include Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
(1927-), a member of the United States Congress
who represented the First Congressional District of South Carolina from 1987-1995.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, state legislator and jurist from South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
who became a political leader as a member of the Federalist Party following the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He was appointed by President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as the 2nd Director of the United States Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
, was a co-sponsor of the legislation that established the South Carolina College which was to become the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
and was given the title of Chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
as a justice of the SC Equity Court
Court of equity
A chancery court, equity court or court of equity is a court that is authorized to apply principles of equity, as opposed to law, to cases brought before it.These courts began with petitions to the Lord Chancellor of England...
, also known as chancery court
Chancery Court
The Chancery Court of York is an ecclesiastical court for the Province of York of the Church of England.The presiding officer, the Official Principal and Auditor, has been the same person as the Dean of the Arches since the nineteenth century . The Court comprises the Auditor, two clergy and two...
. In this capacity he wrote and codified much of the state's equity law still in use today. He served as Intendant (Mayor) of both Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, SC.
He was a principal investor in founding what was originally intended to be the city's Federalist leaning newspaper, the Charleston Courier in 1803. The newspaper still exists today as it was eventually merged with others to become The Post and Courier
The Post and Courier
Charleston's The Post and Courier is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the South and the eighth oldest newspaper still in publication in the United States. It is published in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the Charleston Courier, founded in 1803, the...
. As a sitting appellate court judge, his opinions on a variety of issues were widely published under a pseudonym, which was the custom then for public officials who wished to express their views away from the bench. His opinions were highly critical of the summary abridgment of rights of the accused during the Denmark Vesey
Denmark Vesey
Denmark Vesey originally Telemaque, was an African American slave brought to the United States from the Caribbean of Coromantee background. After purchasing his freedom, he planned what would have been one of the largest slave rebellions in the United States...
trials, purportedly in the name of public safety. He and others like him suspected there was less substance to the charges of a conspiracy to organize a slave revolt than the public in Charleston was being led to believe.
He openly opposed Nullification
Nullification (U.S. Constitution)
Nullification is a legal theory that a State has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law which that state has deemed unconstitutional...
along with other leading South Carolina. After the Federalist Party faded in the early 1820s, he was a voice for Unionist moderation before a rising tide States Rights supporters swept the stage of all others in South Carolina a generation later. Though deep political differences would eventually separate them, John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun
John Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
studied law in the offices of Henry de Saussure and Timothy Ford, his partner and brother-in-law. As a founder and early trustee of the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, one of the original buildings located on the Horseshoe at the center of the campus, DeSaussure College, was named in his honor.
Early life
At the age of 16, together with his father Daniel de Saussure (1736-1798), he participated in the defense of the city during the 1780 Siege of CharlestonSiege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
. When the city surrendered to British forces, both were captured. As a prisoner of war, Henry was detained aboard the Pack-Horse, a prison ship
Prison ship
A prison ship, historically sometimes called a prison hulk, is a vessel used as a prison, often to hold convicts awaiting transportation to penal colonies. This practice was popular with the British government in the 18th and 19th centuries....
in Charleston Harbor
Charleston Harbor
The Charleston Harbor is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley and Cooper rivers at . Morris and Sullivan's Island, shelter the entrance...
. Due to the deplorable conditions of the confinement, his health declined on board the ship. He was later released to his mother's custody and those others fortunate to survive the ordeal were released in a prisoner exchange in June 1781, more than a year after the surrender.
His father, Daniel, was deemed to be more of a prize and sent to the British prisons at St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
along with other leaders of the American rebellion captured in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. As a prominent merchant in the city, Daniel's properties in Charleston and Beaufort were also confiscated. Daniel's wife, Mary, and their younger children, three daughters, were then exiled to Philadelphia for the remainder of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The family was reunited at Philadelphia after Henry's father was released as part of a prisoner exchange following the surrender of British forces at the Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
. Still occupied, Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
would remain in British hands for some time longer. Refugees and exiles were unable to return until after the withdrawal of British troops from those areas.
In addition to his father, Henry William de Saussure had three uncles who served as officers of the Continental Line during the American Revolution. All three uncles died in service to the American cause leaving no male heirs to the de Saussure family in America except that of Daniel. Louis de Saussure was killed during the Siege of Savannah in 1779. Henry de Saussure died in camp during the Siege of Charleston in 1780. Thomas de Saussure was killed at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
Education and marriage
While in Philadelphia young de Saussure attended Princeton College and studied law under Jared IngersollJared Ingersoll
Jared Ingersoll was an early American lawyer and statesman from Philadelphia.He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the U.S. Constitution for Pennsylvania...
, a noted Philadelphia attorney who would later be an active participant in the Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from...
and a leading proponent of the Federalist Party. Before returning to Charleston, de Saussure married Elizabeth Ford, the daughter of Colonel Jacob Ford, Jr.
Ford Mansion
The Ford Mansion is a mid-18th century mature version of the classical American architecture that was built by Jacob Ford, Jr. in 1774. It was acquired by the Washington Association of New Jersey in 1873. Today, it is owned by National Park Service. The Georgian styled mansion is known for...
and Theodosia Johnes Ford of Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Henry and Elizabeth were married at her family's home
Ford Mansion
The Ford Mansion is a mid-18th century mature version of the classical American architecture that was built by Jacob Ford, Jr. in 1774. It was acquired by the Washington Association of New Jersey in 1873. Today, it is owned by National Park Service. The Georgian styled mansion is known for...
in Morristown.
Henry & Eliza de Saussure had 12 children. Their second son, William F. De Saussure
William F. De Saussure
William Ford De Saussure was a United States Senator from South Carolina. Born in Charleston, the son of Henry William de Saussure and Elizabeth Ford De Saussure. He graduated from Harvard University in 1810, studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced in Charleston and Columbia...
, was appointed to fill an unexpired term in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1852. It was the same seat held by John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun
John Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
. Despite Henry de Saussure's early political association with the Federalist Party and later support of Unionist candidates in opposition to the Nullification movement, his son William Ford De Saussure would become a signer of the Ordinance of Secession
Ordinance of Secession
The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the states officially seceding from the United States of America...
in 1860.
Famous family members
In addition to his son William F. De SaussureWilliam F. De Saussure
William Ford De Saussure was a United States Senator from South Carolina. Born in Charleston, the son of Henry William de Saussure and Elizabeth Ford De Saussure. He graduated from Harvard University in 1810, studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced in Charleston and Columbia...
, notable relatives of Henry William de Saussure include his grandfather's brother César de Saussure (1705-1783), foreign service attaché and social commentator; European cousins Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
Horace-Bénédict de Saussure
200px|thumb|Portrait of Horace-Bénédict de Saussure Horace-Bénédict de Saussure was a Genevan aristocrat, physicist and Alpine traveller, often considered the founder of alpinism, and considered to be the first person to build a successful solar oven.-Life and work:Saussure was born in Conches,...
(1740–1799), Swiss naturalist, Albertine Necker de Saussure
Albertine Necker de Saussure
Albertine Adrienne Necker de Saussure was a Swiss writer and educationalist and an early advocate of education for women.-Life:...
(1766–1841), Swiss writer, educationalist, and advocate of education for women, Ferdinand de Saussure
Ferdinand de Saussure
Ferdinand de Saussure was a Swiss linguist whose ideas laid a foundation for many significant developments in linguistics in the 20th century. He is widely considered one of the fathers of 20th-century linguistics...
(1857–1913), Swiss linguist, and Éric de Saussure (1925–2007), Swiss artist and member of the Taizé Community
Taizé Community
The Taizé Community is an ecumenical monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of about 100 brothers who come from Protestant, Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions. The brothers come from about 30 countries across the world. The monastic order has a strong...
. Other American descendents include Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr.
Arthur Ravenel, Jr. is a businessman and a Republican politician from Charleston, South Carolina.-Early life:The Charleston-born Ravenel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1945 to 1946. He thereafter received a bachelor of science degree from the College of Charleston in 1950. He is a...
(1927-), a member of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
who represented the First Congressional District of South Carolina from 1987-1995.