Governor Henry Clay WARMOTH Plaqumeines Parish Louisiana Submitted By: Gladys Stovall Armstrong ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Governor Henry Clay WARMOTH Henry Clay WARMOTH, at the time the youngest man in America history to ever be elected Governor of a State; was inaugurated as Governor of Louisiana on 13 July, 1868 at age 25. He came to Louisiana originally as a Union Officer in 1864. The next year he was in politics. This probably says more about his personality than any words can tell. Being a Yankee in New Orleans in 1865, at the close of the Civil War, was not a favorable position to be in. Yet the charm of Henry Clay WARMOTH won him friends, both white and black; and most especially...the ladies. He did, however, make bitter enemies with conservatives in the state. The "Intelligencer", a newspaper, reported him as being a black man; and it seemed that many people who had not seen him, thought the same. It is easy to see why the ladies found him attractive. At 25, he was six foot, 3 inches tall (extremely tall for those days) with a slenderframe, dark brown eyes and a flowing mustache. He had a personality that demanded attention, was high spirited, warm hearted, restless, and had a large ego. He was also tactless and self-righteous, but had a shrewd, alert mind and a flair for organization. Henry Clay WARMOTH could trace his ancestry back through a long line of Southerners who pioneered from Virginia to Illinois. His great grandfather, Thaddeus Harter WARMOTH was from VA. and had served for VA. in the Rebel cause during the American Revolution. After the war, Thaddeus married Winnie Gathings in VA.; the year was 1780. They eventually moved to Kentucky. They had five sons. Winnie died when Thaddeus was 78, and he soon married a 36 year old named Polly Bonar. Interestingly, Thaddeus had begun receiving his War Pension while 1st wife Winnie was living; and after her death... and though widower Thaddeus died after his marriage to 2nd wife Polly... Polly continued to receive his pension. One of Thaddeus' sons was Henry, who married Margaret Sanders...a Dutch girl who came to KY from NC. After their marriage, they moved to Bedford Co., TN where Henry became a farmer. Henry and Margaret had 6 children. One was Isaac, the father of future Governor WARMOTH. Isaac served in the Texas Army of Republic in 1837, for one year. In 1840 Isaac married Eleanor Lane, daughter of a La. State Senator. The towns people helped them build a log cabin on the courthouse square. It was in that cabin on May 9, 1842 that Henry Clay WARMOTH was born. He was the first of five children. In 1846, Henry's dad, Isaac, served in the Mexican-American War for Illinois. Isaac later served in the Missouri Militia during the Civil War, for Phelps Co., Mo. Isaac's wife and Henry's mother, Eleanor died giving birth to the fifth child, at the age of 32. Herwidower, Isaac, later married Louisa Creuis who bore him 12 more children. Isaac and Louisa moved to Fairfield, Ill.; and it was here that Henry Clay became interested in law. He also became an exellent Orator, which would serve him well later in life. When only 17, he struck out on his own. He got his license at age 18. After practicing law for a short while, he got caught up in the Civil War, and took his stand for the Union. The Unionist formed a 65 men malitia company, and they elected Henry Clay WARMOTH as Second Lieutenant for the 32nd Missouri Infantry...where his cousin James also served. Henry was also involved in the Siege of Vicksburg. This period began the now famous 'WARMOTH DIARY'. During this time he made some very influential friends in Washington, and it was as an officer that he first came to New Orleans. As a Colonel, he rode the steamer down the Mississippi River, toward New Orleans. He stood on the deck and watched as they passed the Sugar Plantations; so it must have been then that he had a desire to own such a place. In his diary, he wrote "It is perfectly Lordly to live down here"...but being struck by the ravages of war, he wrote "May God help this country". He was offered several Federal jobs in New Orleans, but declined. as he became interested in Louisiana Politics. It seemed that Henry Clay was not one to take bribes; but paying out bribes was the norm in Louisiana Politics. Henry Clay WARMOTH was first elected as a delegate to Washington D.C. He next became Governor of Louisiana, inaugurated on July 13, 1868. Louisiana was admitted back into the Union the 25th June, 1868. The Lieutenant Governor, who served with him, was Oscar J, Dunn; a 'free griffe" (one quarter white). This article would have been too long, if all of the details concerning the corruption of Louisiana Politics during his administration were mentioned; so, that part will be excluded...except to say that, with the help of Federal troops, he was impeached 35 days before the end of his term. It is safe to say that until Huey P. 'Kingfish' Long; Henry Clay WARMOTH was the most powerful Governor Louisiana ever had. Henry Clay felt at home in Louisiana and stayed there the rest of his life, living most of it on Magnolia Plantation, in Plaquemines Parish. At age 35, Henry Clay fell in love with a 19 year old lady from New Jersey. They married, and lived together for 53 years; and had three children. Henry Clay joined the Episcopal Church when, in 1874, he killed a man in self defense and was in jail for a few days before he was cleared. While in jail, Bishop Joseph Wilmer went to see him. He stayed active in that faith the rest of his life. Henry Clay WARMOTH died on September 30, 1931. Reference: "Henry Clay WARMOTH & Louisiana Reconstruction", by Francis Wayne Benning "Louisiana Reconstruction", by Joe Gray Taylor "The Whig Party of Louisiana", by Wm. H. Adams "Louisiana Sugar Plantations During the American Civil War", by Charles P. Roland The Plaquemines Protector Newspaper