Writing For Wythe - The Early Career of Henry Clay
Henry Clay was more associated with the Age of Jackson than the American Revolution, but his early political career overlapped with this time period so today we take a look at his youth.
Henry Clay
Henry Clay was born to a moderately wealthy Virginian family.
Although his father died while he was young, Clay’s stepfather secured him a decent job at the State’s Court of Chancery.
Clay worked hard and excelled enough to catch the eye of George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who had recently spent time at the Constitutional Convention.
George Wythe
Wythe had established himself as one of the preeminent law teachers in Virginia.
Two of his students had already become Secretary of State for the United States. One of whom (John Marshall) was soon to be Chief Justice and the other (Thomas Jefferson) would soon be President.
Henry Clay was fortunate enough to have Wythe agree to educate him in the law as well.
In exchange, Clay worked as Wythe’s secretary and often took dictation from the old man whose palsy had limited his ability to write.
Kentucky
After passing the bar, Clay followed his family to Kentucky where he married and was given introductions to important members of society by his father-in-law.
Henry took the knowledge he gained from Wythe and began his own law practice.
With his success came opportunity and Clay was hired as a teacher at Transylvania College, the first institution of higher education west of the Appalachian Mountains. In this position, he contributed to the training of another generation of American Politicians.
Washington
While still in his mid-20’s, Clay earned himself enough of a reputation to be elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives.
By the time he was 30, Henry was sent to Washington as a United States Senator.
This began a career on the national stage that would last the better part of fifty years, making him part of the Great Triumvirate which dominated American politics through the Civil War.
Do you want to read about other men whose career began during the Founding (but were really part of the following generation)?
Here you go:
Andrew Jackson’s Revolutionary War
John Quincy Adams’ Role in the American Founding
There are hundreds of books about Henry Clay
If you are looking for a book about the Second Generation of American leaders, I really enjoyed ‘Heirs of the Founders’.
Pick up a copy through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).
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