Elizabeth Wragg Manigault (9 August 1736 - 19 February 1773) was an American socialite who was prominent figure in Colonial South Carolinian society. She was the wife of

Peter Manigault Peter Manigault (October 10, 1731 – November 12, 1773) was an attorney, plantation owner, and colonial legislator native to Charleston, South Carolina. He was the wealthiest man in the British North American colonies at the time of his death ...

, who served as Speaker of the

South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seatin ...

and was one of the wealthiest people in

British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestown, ...

Biography

Manigault was born on 9 August 1736 to

Joseph Wragg Joseph Wragg (1698 – 1751) was a politician and slave trader in the Province of South Carolina. Born Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Wragg immigrated to the American colonies where he became a pioneer in the slave trade. During the 1730s, Wragg was t ...

and Judith DuBose. Her father, an Englishman of Welsh descent, had immigrated to Charles Town where he pioneered the city's involvement in the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...

. One of the predominant slave traders in

, he and his brother were responsible for the importation of around 10,000 enslaved Africans to the

Southern Colonies The Southern Colonies within British America consisted of the Province of Maryland, the Colony of Virginia, the Province of Carolina (in 1712 split into North and South Carolina), and the Province of Georgia. In 1763, the newly created colonies ...

. Manigault's mother was the daughter of

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

immigrants.Harriette Kershaw Leiding, ''Historic Houses of South Carolina'', p. 54 Her maternal grandfather, Jacques DuBose, owned a large plantation near Charles Town. Her sister, Mary, was the wife of the slave trader and statesman Benjamin Smith. In 1757, she was painted by

Jeremiah Theus Jeremiah Theus ( Theüs; April 5, 1716 – May 17, 1774) was a Swiss-born American painter, primarily of portraits. He was active mainly around Charleston, South Carolina, in which city he remained almost without competition for the bulk of his ...

. The portrait is now on display at the

Charleston Museum The Charleston Museum is a museum located in the Wraggborough neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1773, it is the oldest museum in the United States. Its collection includes historic artifacts, natural history, decorative ...

. In 1755, she married

, an attorney, planter, and member of the South Carolina House of Commons. Their children included: *

Gabriel Manigault Gabriel Manigault (March 17, 1758 – November 4, 1809) was an American architect. Early life Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina, Charles Town on March 17, 1758. He was the son of Elizabeth Wragg Manigault and Peter Manigault, the ...

(1758–1809), who married Margaret Izard (1768–1824), a daughter of

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

man and

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

Ralph Izard Ralph Izard (January 23, 1741/1742May 30, 1804) was an American politician who served as president pro tempore of the United States Senate in 1794. Early life Izard was born at "The Elms" near Charleston, South Carolina. He was the son of H ...

. * Anne Manigault Middleton (1762–1811), who married Thomas Middleton (1753–1797) * Joseph Manigault (1763–1843), who married Charlotte Drayton (1781–1855) * Henrietta Manigault Heyward (1769–1827), who married Nathaniel Heyward (1766–1851). Her husband was later elected as Speaker of the House of Commons.

Death and legacy

She died on February 19, 1773. She is buried at the French Huguenot Church. Elizabeth Street in

Wraggborough Wraggborough is a neighborhood in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, named after slave trader Joseph Wragg, and noted for its association with the slave trade. Wraggborough is part of Mazyck-Wraggborough, also referred to as Wraggborough for sho ...

is named after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manigault, Elizabeth Wragg 1736 births 1773 deaths American people of English descent American people of French descent American people of Welsh descent American socialites 18th-century American women People from colonial South Carolina Spouses of South Carolina politicians

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...