BENJAMIN GUERARD was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a lawyer by occupation and began his political involvement as a member of the South Carolina Provincial Assembly from 1765 to 1769. He was captured by the British during the Revolutionary War and offered his estate to raise funds to provide for his fellow prisoners. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1779 to 1780 as well as in 1783, and in the South Carolina Senate in 1782. Also in 1782, he served on the council that negotiated the withdrawal of the British from Charleston. Guerard was the first Huguenot to serve as governor of South Carolina.

*Note: exact month and date of birth are not known.