Eli Saulsbury

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Eli Saulsbury
United States Senator from Delaware
In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1889
Preceded by	Willard Saulsbury Sr.
Succeeded by	Anthony Higgins
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives
In office 1853–1855
Personal details
Born	(1817-12-29)December 29, 1817 Kent County, Delaware
Died	March 22, 1893(1893-03-22) (aged 75) Dover, Delaware
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Dover, Delaware
Alma mater	Dickinson College
Profession	lawyer

Eli Saulsbury (December 29, 1817 – March 22, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Saulsbury was born in Mispillion Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, son of William and Margaret Ann (Smith) Saulsbury. He was the middle brother of Governor Gove Saulsbury and U.S. Senator Willard Saulsbury Sr. Saulsbury was educated at Dickinson College, studied law, was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1857, and began his practice in Dover, Delaware, where he lived.

Saulsbury served one term in the State House, during the 1853/54 session. In 1871 he successfully challenged his younger brother, incumbent U.S. Senator Willard Saulsbury Sr., for his seat in the U.S. Senate. He went on to win three full terms but was defeated in an attempt for a fourth term by Republican candidate Anthony Higgins. He was in office from March 4, 1871, until March 3, 1889, and served on the Committee on Privileges and Elections in the 46th Congress, and the Committee on Engrossed Bills in the 47th Congress through the 50th Congress.

He opposed civil rights for African Americans in 1873.^[1]

Saulsbury died at Dover and is buried there in the Silver Lake Cemetery.

Elections are held the first week of November. Members of the Delaware General Assembly take office the first week of January. The State House has a term of two years. The General Assembly chose the U.S. Senators, who took office March 4 for a six-year term.

• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Cedar Tree Books, Wilmington. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
• Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
• Scharf, John Thomas. (1888). History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols. L. J. Richards & Co., Philadelphia.
• Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware, 3 vols. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Eli Saulsbury at Find a Grave
• The Political Graveyard

• Delaware Historical Society; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
• University of Delaware; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717.