William Drayton
| William Drayton | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 1st district |
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In office May 17, 1825 – March 3, 1833 |
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| Preceded by | Joel R. Poinsett |
| Succeeded by | Henry L. Pinckney |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from St. Philip's and St. Michael's Parish | |
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In office November 24, 1806 – June 29, 1808 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 30, 1776 St. Augustine, East Florida |
| Died | May 24, 1846 (aged 69) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Jacksonian |
| Profession | planter, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army
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| Years of service | 1812–1815 |
| Rank |
 Colonel
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| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
William Drayton (December 30, 1776 – May 24, 1846) was an American politician, banker, and writer who grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He was the son of William Drayton, Sr., who served as justice of the Province of East Florida (1765–1780).
Drayton served as a United States Representative to Congress (1825–1833). Following the Nullification Crisis, as a unionist Drayton decided to move his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1833. He lived there the rest of his life. He was appointed as president of the Second Bank of the United States.
The son of William Drayton, Sr. and his wife, William was born in St. Augustine, Florida, where his father served from 1765 to 1780 as the chief justice for the Province of East Florida. In 1780 the judge lost his position due to accusations of sympathy with rebels in the American Revolutionary War; he returned with his family to Charleston. He had bought property and plantations in Florida, including what became called Drayton Island.
The Drayton sons were sent to England to complete their educations. Afterward, with his older brother Jacob, William studied law in Charleston. Both became lawyers.
About 1804 William Drayton married Anna Gadsden (d. 1814), a cousin once removed. They had four children:
After Anna's death, in 1817 Drayton married Maria Heyward. Two of their five children survived to adulthood. Maria Heyward Drayton was also close to her young stepchildren.:
Thomas Drayton, a West Point graduate, stayed in South Carolina when the family moved north and bought a plantation at Hilton Head. He resigned from the US Army to join Confederate forces after secession. He and his brother Percival "commanded opposing forces" in the battle of Port Royal, South Carolina, when Union forces captured the forts.
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