Peter Manigault (October 10, 1731 – November 12, 1773) was an attorney, plantation owner, and colonial legislator native to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

. He was the wealthiest man in the British North American colonies at the time of his death and owned hundreds of enslaved persons. He was the son-in-law of

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 ...

, the largest slave trader of North America in the 1730s.

Early life

Manigault (pronounced MAN-eh-go) was born in Charleston on October 10, 1731, and was part of a wealthy French

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, ...

immigrant family. Manigault was the son of

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 ...

(1704–1781) and Ann (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Ashby) Manigault (1705–1782). His paternal grandparents were Judith (née Jetton-Gitton) Manigault and Pierre Manigault, a French Huguenot who settled in the Santee area and became a successful rice planter. His maternal grandparents were John Ashby and Constantia (née Broughton) Ashby (whose brother Thomas Broughton was

Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the ''ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...

). He was privately educated in the

Province of South Carolina The Province of South Carolina, originally known as Clarendon Province, was a province of the Kingdom of Great Britain that existed in North America from 1712 to 1776. It was one of the five Southern colonies and one of the Thirteen Colonies i ...

and in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, traveled extensively in Europe, studied law at

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

, and was called to the English bar in 1752.

Career

He returned to South Carolina in 1754, where he practiced law, became a successful merchant and banker, and managed his family's extensive plantation holdings. By 1774 Manigault was the wealthiest person in the British North American colonies, with a net worth - that included hundreds of slaves - of approximately £33,000 in 1770, which was equal to approximately $4 million in 2016. Manigault served in the South Carolina House of Commons in 1755, and again from 1765 to 1773. From 1765 to 1772 he was

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

. He actively opposed the British

Stamp Act 1765 The Stamp Act 1765, also known as the Duties in American Colonies Act 1765 (5 Geo. 3. c. 12), was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of Great Britain which imposed a direct tax on the British America, British coloni ...

, and was identified with what became known as the

Patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot(s) or The Patriot(s) may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American R ...

cause.

Letters

During Manigault's studies in London and travels in Europe, he exchanged frequent letters with his parents. This correspondence was published as part of several articles over several years in the ''South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine''. A caricature drawn by George Roupell ''circa'' 1760 was entitled "Mr. Peter Manigault and his Friends" and depicts Manigault and several of his friends and acquaintances taking part in a drinking party.

Personal life

In 1755, Manigault was married to Elizabeth Wragg (1736–1773). She was the daughter of Judith (née Dubose) and

, an English-born American who was one of the largest

slave trader The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions o ...

s in British North America. Their children included: *

(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). In 1773, Manigault's health worsened, and he left South Carolina for England in an effort to find a cure. His wife died on February 19, 1773. Manigault's health did not improve, and he died in London on November 12, 1773. He was buried at French Protestant Huguenot Church Cemetery in Charleston.

Descendants

Through his son, he was the grandfather of Elizabeth Manigault Morris (1785–1822), who married Col. Lewis Morris (a grandson of

Lewis Morris Lewis Morris (April 8, 1726 – January 22, 1798) was an American Founding Father, landowner, and developer from Morrisania, New York, presently part of Bronx County. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Conti ...

, a signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

), and were the parents of Capt. Charles Manigault Morris of the

Confederate States Navy The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was the Navy, naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces, established by an act of the Confederate States Congress on February 21, 1861. It was responsible for Confederate naval operations during the Amer ...

; Gabriel Henry Manigault (1788–1834); and Charles Izard Manigault (1795–1874). The Manigault family has remained prominent in Charleston, including as owners of the city's daily newspaper, ''

The Post and Courier ''The Post and Courier'' is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the ''Charleston Courier'', founded in 1803, the ''Charleston Daily News'', founded 1865, and ''The Evening Post'', f ...

'', which was first purchased by Peter Manigault's great-grandson Arthur in 1896.

Notes

References

External links

Manigault, Morris, and Grimball Family Papers, 1795-1832
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Robert 1731 births 1773 deaths Politicians from Charleston, South Carolina People from colonial South Carolina 18th-century American lawyers 18th-century American planters Slave owners from the Thirteen Colonies Members of the Inner Temple English lawyers South Carolina lawyers American bankers American Episcopalians Merchants from colonial South Carolina 18th-century American merchants Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives Lawyers from Charleston, South Carolina

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

Speakers of the South Carolina Commons House of Assembly 18th-century members of the South Carolina General Assembly