The Delaware Public Archives would like to announce that a collection of artwork, books, papers, and photographs from the Bayard Family was recently processed and is now available for public research use.
The Bayards are a family from New Castle County, Delaware, with a rich history in the state. Many family members have had successful careers in law and politics.
Notable items from the collection include ledgers from James Asheton Bayard, Sr. (1767-1815), who was a lawyer, United States Senator, and Representative, and one of the Commissioners who helped negotiate the Treaty of Ghent to end the War of 1812. Most of the ledgers are related to Bayard’s work as a lawyer. However, some household expenses are also included.
The last of Bayard’s ledgers includes a copy of a statement that his son James Asheton Bayard, Jr. (1799-1880), wrote after the death of his father. The statement discusses the elder Bayard’s character and the loss his death brings to his family and the United States. The statement was added to the ledger later by Thomas Francis Bayard, Sr. (1828-1898).
Additional items of interest include documents, photographs, and artwork collected by Thomas Francis Bayard, Jr. (1868-1942), during his tenure as President of the Art Committee for the Caesar Rodney Equestrian Statue. The collection includes correspondence between Bayard and James Edward Kelly, the sculptor who designed the statue.
The letters provide updates on Kelly’s progress, as well as personal information, with Kelly discussing his health and mental state at several points. At a particularly low point for Kelly, a portion of the statue’s work was completed by a different sculptor, Alex J. Ettl. This information is chronicled in the letters.
Finally, the Bayard Collection also includes documents related to Thomas Francis Bayard, Jr.’s work with the Delaware Tercentenary Commission. These documents include committee correspondence discussing the logistics and finances of the celebration, invitations to Tercentenary events, and ephemera from the celebration.
Documents, artwork, and photographs from the Bayard Collection are digitized and available on CONTENTdm. Books are available for research onsite at the Archives.
Additional information about the collection’s four series is linked below:
Delaware's Governor
State Directory
Elected Officials
General Assembly
Delaware Courts
State Employees
Cities & Towns
Delaware State Code
State Regulations
Business First Steps
Phone Directory
Locations Directory
Public Meetings
Voting & Elections
Transparency
Choose Health DE
Tax Center
Personal Income Tax
Privacy Policy
Weather & Travel
Contact Us
Corporations
Franchise Tax
Gross Receipts Tax
Withholding Tax
Guides to Services
Help Center
Mobile Apps
E-mail / Text Alerts
Social Media
