Harry F. Byrd

Byrd c. late 1920s, Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division/hec.21531

Birth Name: Harry Flood Byrd

Date of Birth: June 10, 1887

Place of Birth: Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S.

Date of Death: October 20, 1966

Place of Death: Berryville, Virginia, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, distant Scottish

Harry F. Byrd was an American newspaper publisher and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 50th Governor of Virginia, from February 1, 1926 to January 15, 1930, and a U.S. Senator from Virginia, from March 4, 1933 to November 10, 1965. He was a prominent leader in Virginia politics.

He was, mostly unofficially, a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1932, 1944, 1956, and 1960. He was also nominated for Vice President, in 1952, and President, in 1956, by minor parties. While he was not on the ballot, he received fifteen electoral votes for President from unpledged and faithless electors in the 1960 presidential election.

Harry was the son of Eleanor/Emily/Esther Bolling and Richard Evelyn Byrd, a politician, who was Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, from 1908 to 1914. His brother was naval officer and explorer Richard E. Byrd, his uncle was politician Henry D. Flood, and his half-uncle was politician, lawyer, and judge Joel West Flood. Harry was married to Anne Douglas Beverley, with whom he had four children, including Harry F. Byrd, Jr., who was also a U.S. Senator from Virginia, succeeding his father, from 1965 to 1983.

Harry’s patrilineal line traces back to prominent planter and author William Byrd II.

Harry’s paternal grandfather was William Byrd (the son of Richard Evelyn Byrd and Anne Harrison). William was born in Virginia, and was a Virginia state senator. Richard was the son of Thomas Taylor Byrd and Mary Anne/Ann Armistead. Harry’s great-grandmother Anne Harrison was the daughter of Benjamin Harrison and Evelyn Taylor Byrd.

Harry’s paternal grandmother was Jane/Jennie Merriweather Rivers (the daughter of Robert Jones Rivers and Susan Cheatham). Jane was born in Tennessee.

Harry’s maternal grandfather was Joel Walker Trent Flood (the son of Henry De La Warr Flood and Mary Elizabeth Trent). Joel was born in Virginia. Henry was the son of Joel Walker Flood and Eliza/Elizabeth Bolling West. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas Trent and Martha Holland.

Harry’s maternal grandmother was named Ella W. Faulkner (the daughter of Charles James Faulkner).

Sources: Genealogies of Harry F. Byrd – https://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com