John Gaillard

John Gaillard
United States Senator from South Carolina
In office December 6, 1804 – February 26, 1826
Preceded by	Pierce Butler
Succeeded by	William Harper
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office January 25, 1820 – December 4, 1825
Preceded by	James Barbour
Succeeded by	Nathaniel Macon
In office November 25, 1814 – January 5, 1819
Preceded by	Joseph B. Varnum
Succeeded by	James Barbour
In office February 28, 1810 – December 11, 1810
Preceded by	Andrew Gregg
Succeeded by	John Pope
Personal details
Born	(1765-09-05)September 5, 1765 Province of South Carolina
Died	February 26, 1826(1826-02-26) (aged 60) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic-Republican

John Gaillard (September 5, 1765 – February 26, 1826) was a U.S. Senator from South Carolina.

Gaillard was born in St. Stephen's district, South Carolina, on September 5, 1765. He was of Huguenot descent. He was elected to the United States Senate in place of Pierce Butler, who resigned, and served from December 6, 1804 until his death in Washington, D.C. on February 26, 1826. During his tenure, Gaillard voted for the War of 1812. He served as President pro tempore of the Senate in the part of the 11th Congress and at least part of every Congress from the 13th to the 18th. He was also the "Acting Vice President", or next in line to the presidency, from November 25, 1814, two days after the death of Vice President Elbridge Gerry, to March 4, 1817.

In his memoir Thirty Years' View, Thomas H. Benton, one of Gaillard's contemporaries, described him thus:

Urbane in his manners, amiable in temper, scrupulously impartial, uniting absolute firmness of purpose with the greatest gentleness of manners—such were the qualifications which commended him to the presidency of the senate. There was probably not an instance of disorder or a disagreeable scene in the chamber during his long-continued presidency. He classed democratically, but was as much the favorite of one side of the house as of the other, and that in the high party times of the war with Great Britain, which so much exasperated party spirit.

Gaillard died in Washington D.C on 26 February 1826 and was interred in the Congressional Cemetery.

External links

• United States Congress. "John Gaillard (id: G000005)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 
• Political Graveyard

United States Senators from South Carolina
Class 2	P. Butler Hunter Pinckney Sumter Taylor W. Smith R. Hayne Calhoun Huger Calhoun Elmore Barnwell Rhett De Saussure Evans A. Hayne Chesnut Robertson M. Butler Tillman Benet Pollock Dial Blease Byrnes Lumpkin Peace Maybank Daniel Thurmond Wofford Thurmond Graham
Class 3	Izard Read Colhoun P. Butler Gaillard Harper W. Smith Miller Preston McDuffie A. Butler Hammond Sawyer Patterson Hampton Irby Earle McLaurin Latimer Gary E. Smith Hall Johnston Russell Hollings DeMint Scott

Presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate
Langdon Lee Langdon Izard H Tazewell Livermore Bingham Bradford Read Sedgwick Laurance Ross Livermore Tracy Howard Hillhouse Baldwin Bradley Brown Franklin Anderson Smith Bradley Milledge Gregg Gaillard Pope Crawford Varnum Gaillard Barbour Gaillard Macon Smith L Tazewell White Poindexter Tyler W R King Southard Mangum Sevier Atchison W R King Atchison Cass Bright Stuart Bright Mason Rusk Fitzpatrick Bright Fitzpatrick Foot Clark Foster Wade Anthony Carpenter Anthony Ferry Thurman Bayard Davis Edmunds Sherman Ingalls Manderson Harris Ransom Harris Frye Office rotated 1911–1913 Bacon Curtis Gallinger Brandegee Lodge Clarke Saulsbury Cummins Moses Pittman W H King Harrison Glass McKellar Vandenberg McKellar Bridges George Hayden Russell Ellender Eastland Magnuson Young Magnuson Thurmond Stennis Byrd Thurmond Byrd Thurmond Byrd Stevens Byrd Inouye Leahy Hatch

Deans of the United States Senate
Gunn/Langdon Foster Brown Hillhouse Anderson Gaillard Ruggles King Benton Mangum Pearce Bayard/Foot Foot Wade Sumner Chandler Anthony Edmunds Morrill Allison Hale Frye Cullom Gallinger Lodge Warren Simmons Smoot Borah Smith McKellar George Hayden Russell Ellender Aiken Eastland/McClellan Eastland Magnuson Stennis Thurmond Byrd Inouye Leahy