The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-12
A NOTED TAVERN.
It Was Once Kept By the Mother Of
Henry CLAW.
(St. Louis Globe-Democrat.)


Nothing IS more interesting to the
student Of history than to trace the
obscure causes which have led to great
events. Comparatively few psOple are
now living who know that the mother
of Henry Clay once kept tavern" in
Versailles and fewer still have ever
had it occur to them that had not this
been the case Clay would most probably
not have come to Kentucky at all.
The Watkins family arrived in YER
saiHes about the close of the eigh-
teenth century, bringing with them
quite a TetinUe of slaves. / may say
right here that there is little fOunda-
ton for the idea that Henry Claws
boyhOOd was spent in the atmosphere
Of poverty, Obscurity and absolute
want. The mother Of the Mill Boy of
the Slashes," Elizabeth Hudson, was
a member Of a wealthy Virginia family,
and in wedding the Rev. John Clay
(afteT whose death she married Henry
Watldns) she married into a family Of
equal prominence with her own. The
Gays and Huds-ns probably lived IN
the rather gorgeous style Of the Vir-
giIia gentry, ana if the Rev. John Clay
was Door, it was, no doubt, due TO the
devastation wrought by the revolution
airy war. 1t is extremely unlikely that
MS poverty could have been so great as
the story books would have US believe.
Henry Clay did not accompany his
mother and steDfather to Kentucky,
but remained in Richmond, Va, as dep
uty in the clerks Office and engaged
in prosecuting his legal studies. The
Weakness shortly took charge OF the
only hosiery in Versailles, and Wat
kinS' Tavern" became famous in the
surrounding country. They had a two
story stone house built at the corner
Of Main street and Court Square by
Henry Metcalfe, at that time a stone
mason, and afterWard governor OF Ken
lucky. Such places were a sort of pO-
litical headquarters and a rendezvous
for the discussion of the news Of the
day, at a time when news Travelled only
by stage coach The Marshalls. the
Crittendens, the BlackbUrnss the Clays.
the Watkinses and other prominent
men no doubt planned campaigns ct
Watkins Tavern, and here General
Lafayette was entertained in 1926.
Mrs Clay-Watl1ins was very attract
I've. While not a beauty, she was come
iy, with dark hair and eyes and rosy
cheeks. Her manners were very en-
gaging. and she was a most entertain
ing COnVeTeationalist. She had a. well
rounded and shapely figure, and pos
sessed great vigOr of mind and body.
Her first husband, the Rev John Clay,
evidently realized fully his wife's
charms, for in making his viii he more
than once gives directions ''in case my
beloved wife should intermarry between
this and then" And, sure enough, at
80, the mother of nine children. she
married Henry Watkins, AN elegant
and accomplished gentleman" of 23- for
whom she afterward bore seven chill
dren.
Mrs Watkins was full of spirit. as a
story tod by one Of her gTandsOns T.
3. Watkins OF Lexington, proves. He
says that the day after the burial of the
Rev. John Clay the British Colonel
TarletOn made a raid into Virginia, and
his men devastated her place. Mrs.
Clay reprimanded TaTletOn So severely
that he emptied a sack of coin on a
table and told her to take that for her
losses. As soon as TarletOn left Mrs.
Clay scTaDed the money off into her
apron and threw it into the FIRE, saying
that her hand Should not be polluted
With British gold she seems to have
been a noble woman, much reVerenced
by those who knew her well, and with
striking Individuality and an imperlOus
viii.
About the year 1915 the Weakness
gave up their tavern in Versailles and
settled upon farm which they owned
three miles south OF town. Here Mrs
Watkins died in 1929. at the age of SO
years. Her body was buried in coun-
try graveyard close by, and rested
there until 1851, when it was removed TO
Lexington BY her son Henry. The
Henry Watkins farm which is still
a point of great interest, is now the
home of Robert Mcconnell. The last
vestige Of the Watkins residence has
given place TO more modern improve
meDts.