Benjamin Guerard

Benjamin Guerard (* 1740 in Charleston , Province of South Carolina , † December 21, 1788 ibid) was an American politician and governor of South Carolina from 1783 to 1785 .

Early years and political advancement

The exact date of birth of Benjamin Guerard is unknown. However, the sources assume 1740 as the year of his birth. He studied law and then worked as a lawyer. From 1765 to 1769 he was a member of the Colonial Parliament of South Carolina. At the outbreak of the War of Independence , he joined the American troops. In 1780 he was briefly taken prisoner by the British. After his release, he continued his political career. He had already been a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1779/80 . He served in the South Carolina Senate for a year before returning to the House of Representatives in 1783. That year he was a member of the American commission negotiating with the British about their withdrawal from Charleston.

Governor of South Carolina and retirement age

After he was elected governor by the House of Representatives, he took office on February 4, 1783 as the successor to John Mathews . He held this office for two years until February 11, 1785. This made him the first governor of South Carolina after the end of the war. It was the time to rebuild. During his tenure, the systematic cultivation of cotton for export began. It was then that the city of Charleston officially got its name; until then it was called Charlestown. After his term in office he lived in Charleston, where he died in December 1788.

Guerard married Sarah Middleton in 1766, who died with her son in 1775 on a voyage to New York City. His second marriage to Marianne Kennan in 1786 remained childless.

literature

• George Cuthbert Guerard: A History and Genealogy of the Huguenot Family of Guerard of South Carolina 1931.

Web links

• Benjamin Guerard in the National Governors Association (English)
• South Carolina Information Highway (English)