The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-08
sHERRARD CLEMENS.
Death ola Former Distinguished Citizen
Of Wheeling.

An obscure paragraph has been floating
the rounds Of the Western papers stating
that "Sherrard Clemens, for thirteen years
a member Of Congress from Virginia, has
died pauper in St. LOUIS; and to many
people in Maryland, as well as in this
State, 1t recalls "reminiscences Of an extra
ordinary brilliant man, who had roman
tic history, and finally made an outcast OF
himself. Clemens was only twenty-iour
years old when, in 1850, he was elected to
Congress from the Wheeling district, and
he Immediately rose into prominence at
Washington. A keen and ready debater,
even at that age, well-iead lawyer, and
possessing very genial personal qualities,
he became a general favorite. About the
wear 1855 he wasin Richmond, paying suit
10 wealthy and dashing young widow
from Alabama. Jennings Wise, son Of
Gov. Wise, and editor Of the Richmond
Enquirer, also had aspirations to the lady's
hand. During ball she tancied that
Wise had offered her an insult, and she
complained OF it to Clemens, telling him
that she would marry him II he obtained
satisfaction on her behalf. A duel took
place, and Clemens was so badly wounded
that for years afterward he was crippled :
hut the lady was true TO her word, and
the wedding was celebrated while he was
on his bed OF suffering. Still, the match
was not happy one, and an estrange.
ment grew up between them. In 1851
Clemens valiantly opposed secession In
the Virginia convention, but he went out
with his State and entered into the service
OF the Coniederacy. His wife returned to
her home in Alabama, and after the war
he drifted about in the Southwest, home
less and iriendless, until death closed a
career whose early promise was disap'
pointed by his own errors.
Speaking Of the duel referred to above
and the man himself, q writer in yester'
days Richmond Dipd!ch says: "He wat
80 seriously injured that he never fully
recovered from the disability caused by
his wound. though he survived many
years his gallant and chivalrous antagon
ist, who was killed In the late civil war
The writer then resident OF West Vir
ginia) visited Mr.. Clemens whilst he lay
helpless at what Is now the st. Clair Hote
in this city, and also saw him as he passed
through Fairmont, on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, on his way to his home in
Wheeling. Ills suffering was intense. He
declared in the most emphatic manner
that he had had enough OF duelling. The
late DR.. Charles Bell Gibson was his ply
stefan while he lay in Richmond"
Mr.. Clemens was a member OF tht
United States Congress for flour or six
years. He was man OF fine oratorlca
powers. He was also one Of the finest
looking men in the Commonwealth. HI
was as ready with the pen as the tongue
There were lew more elegant writer's, ant
none more accurate. Yet he never madt
much reputation at the bar.
From what We read Of him alter he re
moved from Wheeling to St. Louis, ",
inferred that he had lost caste amongst hi
old associates, aud was no longer the mai
that he had been in the days OF his pros
perity. He married before the war
wealthy lady irom the South, but we sup
pose she lost much OF her property as
rasnt OF the war. She and his sons ar
said to be living in Mississippi.