William Henry Haywood, Jr.

Who was William Henry Haywood, Jr.?

William Henry Haywood, Jr. was a Democratic U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1843 and 1846.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina to a prominent family, Haywood attended the Raleigh Male Academy and graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1819. Haywood became the first clerk of the vestry of Raleigh's Christ Church in 1821. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1822 and commenced practice in Raleigh. He was a member of the North Carolina State House of Commons, serving as speaker the last year. President Martin Van Buren appointed him Chargé d'Affaires to Belgium, but he declined the position.

Haywood was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1843, until July 25, 1846, when he refused to be instructed by the state legislature on a tariff question and resigned. At the time of his resignation, he was chairman of the Committee on Commerce and the Committee on the District of Columbia.

The North Carolina legislature elected Whig George Edmund Badger to replace Haywood in the Senate.

He resumed the practice of law in Raleigh, where he died on October 7, 1852 and was buried in the Old City Cemetery.