Dictionary of Meaning
<<Back
Please select a letter:
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
0-9
Click here for Shopping
Powell Clayton
*** Shopping-Tip: Powell Clayton
image:AR_Powell_Clayton.jpg frame|right|Powell Clayton
'''Powell Clayton''' (
7 August 1833 -
23 August 1914) was the first
carpetbagger carpetbag List of Governors of Arkansas Governor of the State of
Arkansas and Ambassador to Mexico during the administrations of
William McKinley and
Theodore Roosevelt.
Clayton was born in
Bethel, Pennsylvania. He attended a private military academy in
Bristol, Pennsylvania and later attended engineering school at
Wilmington, Delaware.
Clayton moved to
Kansas in
1855 and served as an engineer at
Leavenworth, Kansas. On
29 April 1861 he is recorded as having a company of
militia at
Fort Leavenworth. By May of 1861 he was formally mustered into the
United States Army as a Captain of the
1st Kansas Infantry.
In December of
1861, he was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel of the
5th Kansas Cavalry and later to
Colonel in March of
1862. He was made a
Brigadier General of U.S. Volunteers on
1 August 1864.
During the
American Civil War he served primarily in
Arkansas and
Missouri and fought in several battles in those States. He was assigned as commander of occupation forces in
Pine Bluff, Arkansas and successfully defended the city from Confederate attacks.
In
1868 he was elected the second
Reconstruction governor of Arkansas and the first under the Congressional reconstruction plan. He succeeded
Isaac Murphy who had lead Arkansas under
Abraham Lincoln's more conciliatory policy.
Clayton remained the Republican boss of Arkansas until he was defeated in the election of 1876 by re-enfranchised ex-Confederates. With his absence the
carpetbagger government was soon replaced by a
redeemer government.
Clayton returned to Arkansas and in
1882 established a home at
Eureka Springs, Arkansas where he managed hotels and railroads and worked for development of the area. A memorial to Clayton is still in place in downtown Eureka Springs.
Clayton's administration made progress in getting the
University of Arkansas on its feet, establishing a system of education, and bringing railroads into the State. However his administration was also accused of corruption, was personally accused of criminal conduct and was the target of numerous attacks on his character. During his term he declared martial law and organized a State Militia and conducted military operations against the
Ku Klux Klan.
His brother,
John Middleton Clayton was assassinated in 1889 at
Plumerville, Arkansas in
Conway County, Arkansas while attempting to dispute the outcome of his failed Congressional candidacy.
Powell Clayton was appointed as Ambassador to
Mexico in
1897 by President
William McKinley and served in that position until
1905. In
1912 he moved to
Washington, D.C..
Clayton died in Washington is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery.
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=
List of Governors of Arkansas Governor of Arkansas | before=
Isaac Murphy | after=
Ozra Amander Hadley | years=1868–1871}}
{{succession box | title=
US Congressional Delegations from Arkansas U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Arkansas | before=
Alexander McDonald | after=
Augustus H. Garland | years=1871–1877}}
{{end box}}
{{ARGovernors}}
Category:Governors of Arkansas Clayton, Powell
Category:United States Army generals Clayton, Powell
Category:American diplomats Clayton, Powell
Category:1833 births Clayton, Powell
Category:1914 deaths Clayton, Powell
Category:United States Senators from Arkansas Clayton, Powell
*** Shopping-Tip: Powell Clayton
