The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-01-13
CLAY'S MOTHERS TAVERN.
Something About the Mother of the
Great Kentucky Orator and
Statesman.

Comparatively few people are now
living who know that the mother of
Henry Clay once kept tavern in Yer
sailles, Ky, and fewer still have ever
had it occur to them that had this not
! been the case Clay would most probably
not have come to Kentucky at all.
The Watkins family arrived in Yer
sailles about the close of the eighteenth
century, bringing with them quite a
retinue of slaves. / want to say right
here that there is little foundation for
the popular idea that Henry Clay's boy
hood was spent in the atmosphere of
poverty, obscurity and absolute want
The mother of the mil Boy of the
Slashes,' Elizabeth Hudson, was a
member of a wealthy Virginia family,
and in marrying Rev. John Clay (after
whose death she married Henry Wat
kins) she married into a family of
equal prominence with her own. The
Clays and Hudsons probably lived in
the rather gorgeous style Of the Vir-
ginia gentry, and If Rev. John Clay
devastation wrought by the revolution
ary war. 1t is extremely unlikely that
his poverty could have been so great as
the story books would have rs believe.
Henry Clay did not accompany his
mother and stepfather to Kentucky,
but remained in Richmond, Va, as dep
uty in the clerks office and engaged
in prosecuting his legal studies. The
Watkinses shortly took charge Of the
only hostelry in Versailles, and wat
kins' tavern" became famous in the
surrounding country. They had two
story stone house built at the corner
of Main street and Court square by
Henry Metcalfe, at that time stone
mason, but 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 time when news travelled only
by stage coach. The MarshaIls, the
Crittendens, the Blackburns. the Clays,
the Watkinses and other prominent
men no doubt planned campaigns at
Watkins tavern" and here Gen. La
Fayette was entertained in 1926.
Mrs. Clay-Watkins was very attrac-
tive. While not a beauty, she was
comely, with dark hair and eyes and
rosy cheeks. Her manners were very
engaging and she was a most enter
tanning conversationalist. She had a
well-rouDded and shapely figure and
possessed great vigor of mind and body.
Her first husband, Rev. John Clay, evil
IDENTITY realized fully his wife's charms,
for in making his will he more than
once gives directions Sin case my be-
loved wife -shoIld intermarry betwixt
This and then" And sure enough, at
%. the mother of nine children, she
Henry Watkins, ian elegant I
and accomplished gentleman of 20, for
whom she afterward bore seven chill
dren.
Mrs Watkins was full of spirit, as
story told by one of her grandsons,
i. B. Watkins, of Lexington, proves.
he says that the day after the burial
of Rev. John Clay, the British Col.
Tarleton made a raid into Virginia and
his men devastated her place. Mrs.
Clay reprimanded Tarleton so severe
~ that be emptied a bag of coin on a
table and told her to take that for her
losses. As soon as Tarleton left Mrs.
Clay scraped the money off into her
apron and threw it into the fire, say
ing that her hand should not be pol
luied with British gold" She seems 10 .
have been a noble woman. much rev
erenced by those who knew her wei \.