The Bayard family has been a prominent family of lawyers and politicians throughout American history, primarily from Wilmington, Delaware. Beginning as Federalists, they joined the party of Andrew Jackson and remained leaders of the Democratic Party into the 20th century. Counting Richard Bassett, the father-in-law of James A. Bayard, Sr., the family provided six generations of U.S. Senators from Delaware, serving from 1789 until 1929.
Ann Stuyvesant Bayard, widowed wife of the French Huguenot Samuel Bayard, came to New Netherland with her brother, Director-General Peter Stuyvesant in 1647. Her grandson, another Samuel Bayard went to Bohemia Manor, Maryland in 1698. His grandson was John Bubenheim Bayard (1738–1808), Continental Congressman from Pennsylvania, and his great grandson, John Bayard's nephew, was James A. Bayard, Sr., the first Bayard in the U.S. Senate.
Judith Bayard (c. 1615-1687), m. Peter Stuyvesant, Director-General of New NetherlandNicholas Bayard (c. 1644-1707), sixteenth Mayor of New York City, nephew of Peter StuyvesantMary Bayard, m. 1788, William Houstoun (c. 1755–1813), delegate to the Continental Congress and the United States Constitutional Convention and whose name was given to Houston Street in ManhattanSamuel Bayard (c. 1615-c. 1647), m. 1638, Anna Stuyvesant, sister of Peter Stuyvesant; to New Amsterdam 1647William Bayard (elder) (c. 1727-1804), delegate to the 1765 Stamp Act Congress and loyalist in the Revolutionary WarWilliam Bayard Jr. (1761–1826), New York City banker, friend to Alexander HamiltonJames A. Bayard, Sr. (1767–1815), U.S. Senator from Delaware, m. Ann Bassett, daughter of Richard Bassett, U.S. SenatorRichard Henry Bayard (1796–1868), U.S. Senator from DelawareJames Asheton Bayard, Jr. (1799–1888), U.S. Senator from DelawareThomas Francis Bayard, Sr. (1828–1898), U.S. Senator from DelawareMabel Bayard Warren (1861–1920), married Boston attorney Samuel D. WarrenThomas Francis Bayard, Jr. (1868–1942), U.S. Senator from Delaware, m. Elizabeth Bradford du Pont, daughter of Alexis I. du PontAlexis Irenee du Pont "Lex" Bayard (1918–1985), Lieutenant Governor of DelawareEdward Bayard m. Tryphena Cady, daughter of Judge Daniel Cady and sister of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. (Edward Bayard attended Union College in Schenectady, New York and studied law under his father-in-law, Daniel Cady.)Col. John Bubenheim Bayard (1738–1808), Continental Congressman from Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia 1755, m. Margaret Hodge, daughter of Andrew Hodge and Margaret McCullochCaroline Smith Bayard (1807–1891), m. Albert Baldwin Dod (1805–1845), professor of mathematics at Princeton UniversityMartha Bayard Dod (1831–1899), m. Edwin Augustus Stevens (1795–1868), founder of Stevens Institute of TechnologyJane Bayard (1772–1851), m. Andrew Kirkpatrick (1756–1831), Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme CourtMargaret Bayard (1778–1844), m. Samuel Harrison SmithSamuel Bayard (1767-1840), lawyer and judgeUniversity of Delaware Library 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965.Newark Free Library 750 Library Ave., Newark Delaware (302) 731-7550.Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library 2nd and High St. Odessa Delaware (302) 378-8838.Delaware Historical Society website 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161.