Richard C. Byrd (ca. 1805 – June 1, 1854) was an American politician who served as acting governor of Arkansas from January 10 to April 19, 1849, following the resignation of Thomas S. Drew.
Richard C. Byrd | |
|---|---|
| Acting Governor of Arkansas | |
| In office January 10, 1849 – April 19, 1849 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas S. Drew |
| Succeeded by | John S. Roane |
| 6th President of the Arkansas Senate | |
| In office November 4, 1848 – November 4, 1850 | |
| Preceded by | William K. Sebastian |
| Succeeded by | John R. Hampton |
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from Arkansas, Jefferson and Desha counties | |
| In office November 2, 1846 – November 4, 1850 | |
| Preceded by | J. Yell |
| Succeeded by | N. B. Burrow |
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from Pulaski County | |
| In office November 2, 1840 – November 4, 1844 | |
| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Succeeded by | T. W. Newton |
| Member of the Arkansas Senate from Pulaski, White and Saline counties | |
| In office November 5, 1839 – November 2, 1840 | |
| Preceded by | John McLean |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Pulaski County | |
| In office September 12, 1836 – November 5, 1839 Serving with John H. Cocke | |
| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Succeeded by | Absalom Fowler L. Gibson |
| Member of the Arkansas Territory Legislative Council from Pulaski County | |
| In office October 7, 1833 – October 5, 1835 Serving with Samuel M. Rutherford | |
| Preceded by | Samuel M. Rutherford Peter B. Crutchfield |
| Succeeded by | William Gumming Absalom Fowler |
| 2nd Auditor of Arkansas Territory | |
| In office November 20, 1829 – November 5, 1831 | |
| President | Andrew Jackson |
| Preceded by | George W. Scott |
| Succeeded by | Emzy Wilson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | ca. 1805 Mississippi Territory (present-day Alabama) |
| Died | (aged 48–49) Jefferson County, Arkansas |
| Resting place | Flat Bayou Cemetery, Jefferson County, Arkansas 34°21′30.3″N 91°52′09.5″W / 34.358417°N 91.869306°W |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Ann L. Byrd (div. 1835)Mary E. Byrd (died 1851)Rachael E. Byrd (m. 1852) |
Biography
editByrd was born circa 1805 in Mississippi Territory (present-day Alabama).[1] Byrd, merchant and farmer, moved to Arkansas in 1826. He served as the second auditor of Arkansas Territory from 1829 to 1831,[2] and in the Territorial Legislature from 1833 to 1835. Byrd served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1836, and the Arkansas Senate in 1840, 1842, 1846, and 1848.
Byrd had an unsuccessful gubernatorial run in 1844.[3] When Governor Thomas S. Drew resigned from office on January 10, 1849, Byrd was president of the Senate and became acting governor. He left the office on April 19, 1849,[4] and returned to his mercantile store in Jefferson County, Arkansas. Byrd died at his home in Jefferson County following a lengthy illness.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. NARA Microfilm Publication, M432, 1009 rolls. Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives.
- ^ Woodruff, Wm. E. Jr. (1879). The Arkansas Year Book for 1879. Little Rock. p. 8. OCLC 1156050724. OL 26455327M – via Internet Archive.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Arkansas Gov. Richard C. Byrd". National Governors Association. January 15, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Pope, William F. (1895). Pope, Dunbar H. (ed.). Early days in Arkansas. Little Rock, Ark.: Frederick W. Allsopp. p. 77. LCCN rc01001258. OCLC 1042982348. OL 23296431M – via Internet Archive.