Elizabeth Wragg Manigault (9 August 1736 - 19 February 1773) was an American socialite who was prominent figure in colonial South Carolinian society. She was the wife of

Peter Manigault Peter Manigault (October 10, 1731 – November 12, 1773) was an attorney, plantation owner, slave owner, and colonial legislator native to Charleston, South Carolina. He was the wealthiest man in the British North American colonies at the time ...

, who served as Speaker of the

South Carolina House of Representatives The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly. It consists of 124 representatives elected to two-year terms at the same time as U.S. congressional elections. Unlike many legislatures, seati ...

and was one of the wealthiest people in

British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English overseas possessions, English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland (island), Newfound ...

Biography

Manigault was born on 9 August 1736 to

Joseph Wragg Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

and

Judith DuBose Judith DuBose (1698 - 16 December 1769) was a Colonial American heiress. Born into a prominent French Huguenot family of planters, DuBose married Joseph Wragg, a prominent slave trader in British North America. Biography DuBose was born at Doc ...

. Her father, an Englishman of Welsh descent, had immigrated to

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

where he pioneered the city's involvement in the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...

. One of the predominant slave traders in

, he and his brother were responsible for the importation of around 10,000 enslaved Africans to the Southern Colonies. Manigault's mother was the daughter of

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

immigrants.Harriette Kershaw Leiding, ''Historic Houses of South Carolina'', p. 54 Her maternal grandfather, Jacques DuBose, owned a large plantation near Charles Town. Her sister, Mary, was the wife of the slave trader and statesman Benjamin Smith. In 1757 she was painted by

Jeremiah Theus Jeremiah Theus (sometimes Jeremiah Theüs) (April 5, 1716 – May 17, 1774) was a Swiss-born American painter, primarily of portraits. He was active mainly around Charleston, South Carolina, in which city he remained almost without competition ...

. The portrait is now on display at the

Charleston Museum The Charleston Museum is a museum located in the Wraggborough neighborhood in Charleston, South Carolina. It is one of the oldest museums in the United States. Its highly regarded collection includes historic artifacts, natural history, decora ...

. In 1755 she married

, an attorney, planter, and member of the South Carolina House of Commons. Their children included: *

Gabriel Manigault Gabriel Manigault (March 17, 1758 – November 4, 1809) was an American architect. Early life Manigault was born in Charleston, South Carolina on March 17, 1758. He was the son of Elizabeth Wragg Manigault (1736–1773) and Peter Manigault (1 ...

(1758–1809), who married Margaret Izard (1768–1824), a daughter of

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

man and

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Ralph Izard Ralph Izard (January 23, 1741/1742May 30, 1804) was a U.S. politician. He served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate in 1794, and owned slaves. Early life Izard was born at "The Elms" near Charleston, South Carolina. He was ...

. * 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). Her husband was later elected as Speaker of the House of Commons. She died on February 19, 1773. She is buried at the French Huguenot Church. Elizabeth Street in

Wraggborough Wraggborough is a neighborhood in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, named after slave trader Joseph Wragg, and noted for its association with the slave trade. Wraggborough is part of Mazyck-Wraggborough, also referred to as Wraggborough for short ...

is named after her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manigault, Elizabeth Wragg 1736 births 1773 deaths American people of English descent American people of French descent American people of Welsh descent American socialites Colonial American women South Carolina colonial people Spouses of South Carolina politicians

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...