The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08
CLAYS MOTHERS TAVERN.
Something About the Mother OF the
Great Orator and Statesman.

Comparatively few people are now liv-
Ing who know that the mother of Henry
Clay once kept tavern" in Versailles,
KY, and fewer still have ever had it oc-
cur to them that. had this not been the
case, Clay would probably not have come
TO Kentucky at ALL
The Watkins family arrived in YER
sailes about the close Of the eighteenth
century, bringing with them quite a ret
inue Of slaves. l may say right here that
there IS little foundation for the popular
idea that Henry Clays boyho0d was
spent in the atmosphere Of poverty, OBJ
scurity and absolute want. The mother
Of the "Mll Boy OF the Slashes." Eliza
beth Hudson, was a member Of wealthy
Virginia family. and In wedding the Rev.
John Clay (after whose death she mar
ried Henry Wathns), she married into
a family Of equal prominence with her
own. The Clays and Hudsons probably
lived in the rather gorgeous style Of the
Virginia gentry, and IL the Rev. John
clay was poor il was no doubt due 10 the
devastation wrought by the Revolutionary
War. It IS extremely unlikely that his
poverty could have been so great as the
story books would have us believe.
Henry Clay old not accompany his
mother and stepfather to Kentucky but
remained In Richmond Va, az deputy IN
the clerks office, and engaged IN prose-
cutting his legal studies. The Watkinses
shortly took charge of the only hostelry
IN Versailles, and Watkins Tavern" be-
came famous in the surrounding country.
They had two-story stone house built
a. the corner of Main street and Court
Square by Henry Metcalfe. at that time
a stonemason, and Rfterward Governor
of Kentucky. Such places were a sort
OF political headquarters and a rendez-
vous for the discussion Of the news Of
the day, at a time when news travelled
only by stage coach. The Marshalls. the
Critttendens. the Blackburns. the Ciays,
the Watklnses and other prominent men
no doubt planned campaigns at watkins
Tavern" and here General Lafayette was
entertained in 1896
Mrs. Clay Watkins was very attractive.
While not a beauty, she was comely, with
dark hair and eyes and rosy cheeks. Her
manners were very engaging. and she
was most entertaining conversational
ist. She had a wel-rounded and shapeY
figure. and possessed great vlgor Of mind
and body. Her first husband, the Rev.
John Clay evidently realized fully his
wife's charms. for, IN making his will.
ne more than once gives directions "in
case my beloved wife should intermarry
betwixt this and then" And sure enough
at 80, the mother Of nine children, she
married Henry Watkins. "an elegant and
accomplished gentleman" Of q. for whom
she aiterward bore seven children.
Mrs. Watkins was full Of spirit as
story told by one OF her grandsons, Mr..
T.. +. Watkins. Of Lexington, proves. He
says that the day after the burial Of Rev
John Clay, the British Colonel Tarleton
made a raid into Virginia, and his men
devastated her place. Mrs. Clay repri-
manded Tarleton so severely that he emp
tied a sack OF coin on a table and told
her 10 take that for her losses AS soon
as Tarleton left. Mrs. Clay ,scraped the
money off into her apron and threw Il
into the fire. saying that her hind should
mot be polluted with British gold" She
seems to have been noble woman. much
reverenced by those who knew her wei.
and with striking individuality and an
imperious will
About the year 1916 the Watkinses gave
I'D their tavern In Versailles and settled
upon a farm which they owned, Nree
miles south OF town. Here Mrs. Wat
kins died in 1893. at the age OF 50 years.
Her remains were buried in a country
graveyard close by. and rested there until
1851. when they were removed 10 Lexing-
ton by her son. Henry. The 'Henry Wat
kins farm" which Is still a point OF great
interest is now the home OF Mr.. Robert
Mcconnell. The last yestige OF the Wat
kins residence has given place to more
modern improvements.-St. Louis GLOBE
Democrat