Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-04-26
A FORGO7TEN GRAVE
Henry CIay's Brother Needed a
Call to Preach.
Though Not inferior In intellect to
the Noted Politician, He Became
Wanderer and Spent His
Last Days In Poverty.


While thousands visit the magnifl.
cent tomb Of Henry Clay at Lexing'
ton, Va, each year to pay tribute to
his memory. the grave of Porter Clay
is unknown save to a few. IL Is
marked with a slab OF stone, on
which the name is almost obiiterated
by the weather. II lies in an old, IN
frequented cemetery at Camden, ARK.
Porter Clay was young brother OF
the illustrious Henry. Though not
inferior to the great statesman In IN
tellect Porter was without the inordi-
nate ambition that history lays at the
door of his brother. Porter Clay gave
the best of his life to the service OF
his God. He died in poverty. Both
boys were brought up by pious
mother, but Henry was captivateu by
the glare of politics, while Porter fol-
lowed the desire of his mothers heart
and became Baptist minister.
At the age of twenty-one, In 1918,
Porter Clay was admitted to, the bar
fof Kentucky. He was appointed as
auditor OF state accounts by Gov.
Gabriel Slaughter. Even at this time
he felt that he was called to the min
istry, and hesitated to accept the luc-
rative position. Friends persuaded
him to accept insisting that he had
a brilliant future before him. BY this
time Henry Clay had served two
short terms in the United States sem
ate and had been speaker of the
house of representatives for four
years. 1t was freely predicted that
young Porter would follow in the
footsteps of his brilliant brother.
Porter served the state in this
capacity for several years. During
this time his wife died and he was re-
married to the widow Of Senator M.
d. Hardin. Mrs. Hardin was wom-
an of great wealth and ambition.
She was the mother OF two sons at
the time of the marriage with Porter
Clay. AS these boys grew up they
developed unruly traits of character.
They manifested an open contempt
for the gentle ways OF their stepfath-
err and his simple life (for he had be-
gun to preach shortly after his mar
riage with their mother), and one Of
them in particular became notorious
for lis waywardness and profligacy.
II was he who distinguished himself
later In life for bravery and rashness
during the war with Mexico and chal-
lenged Jefferson Davis to duel for
some fancied slight. The duel was
never fought, for President Zachary
Taylor interfered and prevented it.
About 1910 Mrs. Clay and her sons
persuaded Mr. Clay to move with
them to Jacksonville, III. Here they
resided In house that had been the
property of Senator Hardin. The
mother and sons gradually came to
treat Mr.. Clay as an outcast. So in
cessant was their abuse OF him that
he was eventually forced to leave
their roof
A dispute with the authorities Of
the church had caused Porter Clay 10
be suspended as pastor. He became
an evangelist and travelled widely. it
was in this way that he first came to
Camden, late in the '40s
Evangelism In those early days was
not the gilded path to fortune that 1t
Is today. Porter Clay was frequently
in actual want. His brother, Henry.
thrice a candidate for the presidency,
offered at many times to give the
wanderer home. But the Spirit call
ed the shepherd and he continued TO
follow the voice.
His followers organized a church in
Camden, and Mr. Clay felt that he
had reached the goal OF his mission.
He expected to spend the rest of his
life minlstering to the people of the
little city on the bank of the Qua
chita But In 1850, two years before
the death of Henry Clay. he was
stricken with fever and died after
few days of suffering.
His grave was unmarked for many
years, but a small board was event
ually placed upon it by members OF
the Baptist church Several years
ago the New Century club of Camden
erected slab of stone over his grave
by the women of this organization, it's
solitude is unbroken from year to
year