Henry Clay

Henry Clay, Sr. (April 12, 1777 – June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer, politician, and skilled orator who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. He served three non-consecutive terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was also Secretary of State from 1825 to 1829. Clay ran for the presidency several times, but lost each election.

Clay was a very dominant figure in both the First and Second Party systems. As a leading war hawk in 1812, he favored war with Britain and played a significant role in leading the nation to war in the War of 1812. In 1824 he ran for president and lost, but maneuvered House voting in favor of John Quincy Adams, who made him Secretary of State. Opposing candidate Andrew Jackson denounced the actions of Clay and Adams as part of a "corrupt bargain." Clay ran for president again, and lost the general election in 1832, as the candidate of the National Republican Party, and in 1844 as the candidate of the Whig Party. He was a strong proponent of the American System, fighting for an increase in tariffs to foster industry in the United States, the use of federal funding to build and maintain infrastructure, and a strong national bank. He opposed the annexation of Texas and "Manifest Destiny" policy of Democrats, fearing it would inject the slavery issue into politics. This cost him votes in the close presidential election of 1844. Clay later opposed the Mexican-American War.

Henry Robinson Clay

Captain Henry Robinson Clay, Jr. was a World War I flying ace credited with eight confirmed aerial victories.

Though born in Plattsburg, Missouri on 27 November 1895, Clay later lived in Fort Worth, Texas.

He was one of the first contingent of American fliers shipped to England to gain seasoning with the Royal Flying Corps. While assigned to 43 Squadron, he claimed a win, but it went unverified. He then transferred to the 148th Aero Squadron. He scored eight times between 16 August and 27 September 1918; on the latter date, he shared in the destruction of a Halberstadt reconnaissance plane with Elliott White Springs. In total, Clay destroyed five Fokker D.VIIs, considered the best fighters in the war, and drove another down out of control; he shared in the destruction of two German reconnaissance planes. Clay was promoted to command of 41st Aero Squadron, but the war ended before it could see action.

He died during the great influenza epidemic, on 17 February 1919.

Honors and awards

Henry Clay (cigar)

Henry Clay is a brand of cigars named after early American politician Henry Clay (1777-1852). The cigars are currently manufactured in the Dominican Republic.

History

The Henry Clay brand was first created in the 1840s by the Cuban tobacco magnate, Spanish emigrant Julian Alvarez. The name was proposed by Alvarez when he was in the service of an employer and he maintained it once he was in business for himself.

The Cuban business interest of Alvarez eventually was transferred to a British company named Henry Clay and Bock & Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1888. Henry Clay and Bock & Co. Ltd. would become a component of the Tobacco Trust that, along with other trusts, was an object of the anti-trust legislation of the United States.

The brand is currently in the possession of the Spanish company Altadis, a division of Imperial Tobacco.

In popular culture

Henry Clay, Jr.

Henry Clay, Jr. (April 10, 1811 – February 23, 1847) was an American politician and soldier from Kentucky, the third son of US Senator and Congressman Henry Clay and Lucretia Hart Clay. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1835 and served one term. A graduate of West Point, he served in the Mexican-American War and was killed in 1847 at the Battle of Buena Vista.

Early life and education

Born on his family's estate of Ashland, in Lexington, Henry, Jr. was the older brother of James Brown Clay and John Morrison Clay, the only sons surviving at the time of their father's death. He had six sisters, all of whom died before their father.

After graduating from Transylvania University in 1828, Clay gained an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1831 (2nd of his class), and served as a second lieutenant in the artillery for a few months before resigning. Returning to Kentucky, he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1833.

Henry Clay (disambiguation)

Henry Clay (1777–1852) was an American politician from Kentucky.

Henry Clay may also refer to:

See also

Henry Clay (Steamboat)

Henry Clay was an American side paddle wheel steamboat that was involved in the Hudson River's worst steam disaster, near Riverdale, in The Bronx, New York, on July 28, 1852. The Henry Clay launched in August 1851, was in service between Albany, New York and New York City in competition with other steamships and the Hudson River Railroad which had been completed along the east shore of the Hudson River to East Albany by 1851.

On July 28, 1852, she was sailing on the Hudson River from the river port of Albany, New York, to New York City. As she neared Riverdale, New York, a fire broke out aboard. Reports indicated that upwards of five hundred people were on board with only two lifeboats, which proved useless. Many of the victims came from prestigious families which made the disaster more newsworthy. Among the known victims was Stephen Allen, a former mayor of New York City. Congress, previously reluctant to pursue further steamboat legislation, was forced by the public to push through new regulations.

Henry Clay (rower)

John Henry Clay (born 20 March 1955) is a British rower who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics and in the 1980 Summer Olympics.

Clay was educated at Cambridge University. He rowed for Cambridge in The Boat Race in the 1974, 1975 and 1976 races. Cambridge won in 1975.

At the 1976 Summer Olympics Clay partnered David Sturge in the coxless pair and finished twelfth.

Four years later in the 1980 Summer Olympics Clay was a member of the British boat which won the silver medal in the eights competition.

See also

References