Eli Saulsbury (1817-1893)

Eli Saulsbury was born as the middle child of three sons of William and Margaret Smith Saulsbury, wealthy landowners in Kent County, Delaware, on December 29, 1817. He was schooled locally and entered Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania with the class of 1843 in 1839. A member of Belle Lettres Literary Society, he remained at the College for only one year before returning to the family estate.

He became a representative for his home state in 1853 and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1857, beginning a law practice in Dover. The three Saulsbury siblings, all staunch democrats, were active in politics. His younger brother Willard, Dickinson class of 1842, served as a United States senator and his elder brother, Gove, was governor of Delaware. In 1871 Willard retired, and supported Eli in his successful bid against Gove to fill the vacancy.

Eli Saulsbury served three terms in the United States Senate, including a stint on the Committee on Privileges and Elections. His public service came to an end in the election of 1888, when political divisions enabled the Republicans to claim the seat. Defeated, he returned to his estate in Delaware. Eli Saulsbury died on March 22, 1893. He was never married.