Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/262

 CLAWSON

CLAY

ter-general. From March 1, 1867, to April 30, 1869, he served as depot quartermaster at Boston, Mass., and was retired Feb. 22, 1869. He died in Washington, D.C., Jan. 19, 1890.

CLAWSON, Isaiah D., representative, was born in Woodstown, N.J., March 30, 1822. He was graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1840, and from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1843 and practised his profession in his native town. He was elec- ted to the New Jersey assembly in 1854 ; and was a representative in the 34th and 3otli congresses, 1855-59. He died in Woodstown, N. J., Oct. 9, 1879.

CLAXTON, Alexander, naval officer, was born in Maryland, probably in 1790. He was given a warrant as midshiijman in the U.S. navy, June 20, 1806; was promoted lieutenant, Jan. 8, 1813; commander, March 28, 1820, and captain, Feb. 21, 1831. He took part in the action between the Wasp and the Frolic, Oct. 18, 1812, and was in command of the Pacific squadron at the time of his death. His son Thomas, midshipman, Dec. 17, 1810, was with Perry on Lake Erie, and in the engagement was mortally wounded, Sept. 10, 1813. Another son was the inventor of the mit- railleuse. Captain Claxton died at Talcahuana, ChiU, S.A., March 7, 1841.

CLAY, Alexander Stephens, senator, was born in Cobb county, Ga., Sept. 25, 1853; son of W. J. and A. E. (Peek) Clay. He was brought up on a farm and secured an education through his own efforts, graduating at Hiwassee college in 1875. He taught school two years, studied law with Judge David Irwin of Marietta, Ga., and was admitted to the bar in 1877. He was a member of the city council, 1880-81 ; represented Cobb county in the state legislature, 1884—87 and 1889-90, and was speaker for two terms. He was elected state senator in 1892 and served as presi- dent of the senate, 1892-94. He was chairman of the Democratic state executive committee from 1894. In October, 1896, he was elected United States senator to succeed Gen. John B. Gordon and took his seat, March 4, 1897. He was a mem- ber of the committees on agricvilture and for- estry; claims ; immigration ; post-offices and jiost roads; and to establish the Universitj' of the United States. He was reelected in 1902.

CLAY, Cassius Marcellus, diplomatist, was born in Madison county, Ky., Oct. 19, 1810; son of General Green and Sally (Lewis) Clay ; and fourth in descent from Charles Clay, who immi- grated to America with Sir Walter Raleigh, and settled in Virginia. He attended Centre college, Ky., and Pennsylvania university, and was grad- uated at Yale in 1832, having entered in the junior year. Upon his return to Kentucky lie proclaimed himself an emancipationist and his

great wealth and independent spirit made him a marked factor in politics. He was married in 1833 to Mary E., daughter of Dr. E. Warfield of Lexington, Ky. , and in 1870 they were divorced. He was admitted to the bar, but never practised law. In 1835 he was elected to the lower house of the general assembly. His advanced theories as to internal improvements, gradual emancipa- tion and the final extinction of slavery, prevented his re-election the next year, but he gained fol- lowers, and in 1837 was again elected. He Avas a delegate to the Whig convention of 1839 and was a supporter of the candidacy of General Harrison, who received the nomination. He removed to Lexington, canvassed the state for Harrison, and in 1840 was again a meml)er of the assembly. When he presented himself in 1841 for re-election, his anti-slavery views caused his defeat. He in- troduced the common school system in Kentucky and was instrumental in reforming the jury- system. His opposi- tion to the admis- sion of Texas further antagonized his constituents and in 1844, when Henry Clay was made the Whig candidate, he canvassed the northern states in his behalf. Clay's defeat stimulated him to take ag- gressive measures against the institu- tion of slavery and he established in Lexington The True Amencan, issuing the first number June 3, 1845. So determined was the opposition to this movement that the editor clad his office with iron and furnished it Avith a complete armament to repel inA^asion. During his absence from the office, caused by illness, the mob seized his press and sent it to Cincinnati, thus putting it outside the limits of a slaA'e state. The mob published its determina- tion to assassinate him should he j^ersist in issuing the " incendiary "' organ, but this threat had no effect and the paper appeared Aveekly, printed in Cincinnati and distributed throughout Kentucky. The aggressi\'e editor AA-as always armed and at political meetings and elseAA-here made no secret of his readiness to fight. This attitude led to scA'eral sanguinary encounters and fatal duels. He recoA-ered from the state of Kentucky §2500, in a suit for damages for the destruction of his office, and this A'ictory he de- clared to be the first moA-ement in Kentucky toward a free press. When the Mexican war

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