Stuart Symington

Birth Name: William Stuart Symington, Jr.

Date of Birth: June 26, 1901

Place of Birth: Amherst, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States

Date of Death: December 14, 1988

Place of Death: New Canaan, Connecticut, U.S.

Ethnicity: Scottish, English, German, some Irish

Stuart Symington was an American businessperson and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as U.S. United States Secretary of the Air Force, the first, from September 18, 1947 to April 24, 1950, and a U.S. Senator from Missouri, from January 3, 1953 to December 27, 1976.

He was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1956 and 1960.

Stuart was the son of Emily Haxall (Harrison) and William Stuart Symington, a romance languages professor at Stanford and Amherst. He was married to Evelyn Wadsworth, until her death. Evelyn was the daughter of James Wolcott Wadsworth, Jr., a Republican politician, who was a U.S. Senator from New York, from 1915 to 1927; and the granddaughter of John Hay, a statesman, who was U.S. Secretary of State, from 1898 to 1905.

His grandson is diplomat W. Stuart Symington.

Stuart was a first cousin, four times removed, of U.S. President William Henry Harrison, and a third cousin, twice removed, of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison, who was William Henry’s grandson. Stuart’s great-great-great-great-grandparents, Benjamin Harrison and Anne Carter, were also William Henry’s grandparents, and Benjamin’s great-great-grandparents.

Stuart’s paternal grandfather was William Stuart Symington (the son of Thomas Alexander Symington and Angeline Augusta Stuart). William was born in Maryland. Thomas was the son of Scottish parents, James Symington, who was born in Carston, Ochiltree, Ayrshire, and Margaret Leith DuffSellar Ogilvie, who was born in Banffshire, the daughter of the Earl of Fife. Angeline was the daughter of Col. William Stuart and Elizabeth Hagerty.

Stuart’s paternal grandmother was Lelia Wayles Skipworth Powers (the daughter of The Rev. Zebulon Montgomery Powers and Lelia Skipwith Harrison). Stuart’s grandmother Lelia was born in Virginia. Stuart’s great-grandmother Lelia was the daughter of Edmond Harrison and Martha Wayles Skipwith.

Stuart’s maternal grandfather was Charles Kuhn Harrison (the son of Samuel Thompson Harrison and Emily Kuhn). Charles was born in Virginia. Samuel was the son of Hall Caile Harrison and Elizabeth Galt. Emily was the daughter of Charles Kuhn and Elizabeth Hester Yard.

Stuart’s maternal grandmother was Louisa Triplett Haxall (the daughter of Bolling Walker Haxall and Harriet Elizabeth Ann/Anne Triplett). Louisa was born in Virginia. Bolling was the son of Philip Haxall and Clara Caroline Walker. Anne was the daughter of John Richards Triplett and Louisa Richards Stone.

Sources: Genealogy of Stuart Symington (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Stuart Symington on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org