Bio

• Born in Hanover County, Virginia. Married Lucretia Hart April 1799. They had six daughters and five sons. Employed as a clerk in a retail store in Richmond, Virginia. Later he was a clerk for Chancellor George Wythe. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1797. He moved to Kentucky and was elected to the Legislature in 1803. Elected to the United States Senate and served briefly to 1811. Elected to the House and served March 4, 1811, to January 19, 1814. Reelected to the House and served March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1821. He served as speaker beginning in 1815. Reelected to the House of Representative serving March 3, 1823, to March 6, 1825. In 1824 Clay welcomed Lafayette to the House of Representatives. Appointed Secretary of State serving March 7, 1825, to March 3, 1829. Served in the Senate again November 10, 1831, to March 31, 1842.

  Clay had a lifelong feud with Andrew Jackson. The name of Clay was placed in nomination for President in 1824. John Quincy Adams received the party nomination and the support of Clay. Clay campaigned for Adams who succeeded in defeating Jackson in the election. Adams appointed Clay as his Secretary of State.

  Clay was a slave owner and supported a policy of moderation and gradual abolition of slavery. In 1832 he was elected President of the American Colonization Society working to allow slaves to return to colonize Africa. Clay was the Whig party candidate for President in 1832. In the 1832 election Clay supported the charter of the United States Bank. President Jackson vetoed the charter. They also disagreed on U. S. tariffs. Clay supported a charter for a new U. S. Bank. The bill was vetoed by President Tyler in 1841. He was nominated for President again in 1844. He was back in the Senate from March 4, 1849, until his death in 1852. He was a member of the Masons.

  Clay was against the annexation of Texas and the issue led to his defeat. When the Texas annexation bill was passed and war broke out, many supported Clay. He became known for the quote, "I would rather be right than President." He died in Washington, D.C.

  Many political medals were issued for Clay. At the February 1917 meeting of the New York Numismatic Club, David Proskey exhibited 88 varieties of Clay medals. In 1918 Thomas Elder listed another 32 varieties in The Numismatist. The legends refer to various aspects of his Life. "Mill Boy of the Slashes" refers to the neighborhood of his birth. "The Ashland Farmer" refers to his home in Kentucky. "The American System" and "The Protector of Home Industry" refer to his support of protective tariffs.

  Clay appears on paper money:

  $50 United States Note, series of 1869

  $1 Farmers and Millers Bank, Milwaukee, WI

  $2 American Bank, Baltimore, Maryland

  $2 Stonington Bank, Stonington, Connecticut

  $2 Shawnee Bank, Attica, Indiana $5 Bank of Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky

  $5 Farmers and Mechanics Bank, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

  $20 City Bank of New Haven, Connecticut

  bio: ApCAB; BDC; BDEB; DAB; Drake; EAB; Limpert; NCAB 5; TCBDA; WAB; WWWA-H

Date of birth

• 1777-04-12

Place of birth

• Hanover County, Virginia

Date of death

• 1852-06-29

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