.
By Susie Rickert
Collection Overview
Title: White Hall Historical Collection, 1787-2011
Predominant Dates:1787-1925
Primary Creator: Clay, Cassius Marcellus (1810-1903)
Other Creators: Clay, Green (1871-1962), Clay, Green (1757-1828)
Extent: 3.5 Cubic Feet
Date Acquired: 08/22/2023
Subjects: Clay, Cassius Marcellus, 1810-1903., Clay, Green, 1757-1828., Slavery - Kentucky
Languages: English, Russian
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This collection holds a wide range of history relating to the Clay family and White Hall. Both original letters and copies of Clay family correspondence can be found here. The bulk of the correspondence is from Cassius M. Clay or written to Mary Jane Clay, but there are also letters from Laura Clay, Brutus J. Clay, and others. Contracts, deeds, and wills of the Clay family can be found as well, most of which are from Green Clay in Madison County. In addition to this, books belonging to members of the Clay family are included in this collection. Photographs are a significant part of the collection, both of the Clay family and White Hall. Photographs of Cassius M. Clay, Mary Jane Warfield Clay, Laura Clay, Launey Clay, and other Clay family descendants are included, as well as photographs of White Hall before and after its restoration. Events post restoration, such as a Victorian Christmas at White Hall and weddings, have been photographed as well. Plans for White Hall are also significant to this collection, as there are many technical drawings of everything from HVAC plans to landscaping plans. Newspapers and newspaper clippings are prominent throughout, as clippings can be found in Green Clay’s scrapbooks and original copies of newspapers with articles featuring Cassius Clay and The True American are included. Along with this, there is a wide range of stereoscope cards with images relating to religion, landscapes, and famous places.
Collection Historical Note
White Hall’s beginnings stem from Green Clay, who moved from Virginia to Madison County in the 1780s and built Clermont in 1799. Green Clay served in the Kentucky legislature and as a military officer in the War of 1812. Green Clay married Sally Lewis and had several children, including Cassius M. Clay and Brutus J. Clay. Cassius M. Clay was a prominent anti-slavery figure and served as a military officer in the Mexican American War. He also served as the United States ambassador to Russia from 1863-1869. After the death of his father in 1828, Cassius added the White Hall addition to Clermont, the construction of which was overseen by his wife, Mary Jane Warfield Clay, daughter of Dr. Elisha and Maria Warfield. Cassius and Mary Jane had several children, including Laura Clay and Mary Barr Clay, both of whom were prominent in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Cassius also had an adopted son, Launey Clay. After divorcing Mary Jane in 1878, Cassius went on to marry Dora Richardson, who was far younger than him, but they were later divorced as well. Cassius died at White Hall at the age of 92 in 1903.
Biographical Note
Cassius Marcellus Clay was born in Madison County, Kentucky, on 19 October 1810. He was the son of Green Clay, a Kentucky soldier of the War of 1812 and a cousin of Henry Clay. He was educated at Centre College, Danville, KY and at Yale, where he graduated in 1832. Influenced to some extent by William Lloyd Garrison, he became an advocate of emancipation and advocated a system of gradual emancipation. In 1835, 1837 and 1840 he was elected as a Whig to the Kentucky legislature, where he helped secure the establishment of a public school system and a much-needed reform in the jury system. In 1841 he was defeated on account of his anti-slavery views. In 1845 he established, at Lexington, KY an anti-slavery publication known as The True American, but in the same year his office and press were wrecked by a mob, and he removed the publication office to Cincinnati, OH. In the Mexican War he served as a captain of a Kentucky company of militia.
He left the Whig party in 1850, and as an anti-slavery candidate for governor of Kentucky polled 5000 votes. In 1856 he joined the Republican party, and wielded considerable influence as a Southern representative in its councils. In 1861 he was sent by President Abraham Lincoln as minister to Russia; in 1862 he returned to America to accept a commission as major-general of volunteers, but in March 1863 was reappointed to his former post at St. Petersburg, where he remained until 1869. Disapproving of the Republican policy of reconstruction, he left the party, and in 1872 was one of the organizers of the Liberal - Republican revolt, and was largely instrumental in securing the nomination of Horace Greeley for the presidency. In the political campaigns of 1876 and 1880 he supported the Democratic candidate, but rejoined the Republican party in the campaign of 1884. He died at his estate, Whitehall, in Madison County, KY on 22 July 1903.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[
Box 2],
[
Box 3],
[
Box 4],
[
Box 5],
[Box 6],
[
Box 7],
[
Folder OS 1: White Hall Plans, 1967-2011],
[
Folder OS 2: White Hall Plans],
[
Folder OS 3: White Hall Plans],
[
All]
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Weaving Drafts, 1850ca
- Includes hand drawn weaving drafts for fourteen different patterns. One has the name Elizabeth Douglas and a couple were drawn on the backs of legal documents for Kirby K. Douglas of Campbell County, Tennessee. Census records show that Kirby had a sister named Elizabeth. Another has the name Henry Long penciled in with the name of the pattern. Pattern names include The Long Draft, Double Chariot Wheeles, Washington's Fancy, The Chariot Wheel, The Single Oa__, Washington Diamond Ring, The Chestnut Berry Leaf, The Nine Snow Drops, The Buties Pales, The American Beauty, The Beauty of Spain, Elizabeth Douglas' Counterpain Draft, and Stares and Timarity.
- Folder 2: Launey Clay Recognitions, 1887-1888
- Certificates and diploma from Central University.
- Item 1: German Chemical Society, 1888-01-23
- A letter from the German Chemical Society naming Launey Clay a member.
- Item 2: Central University Certificate, 1887-06-08
- A certificate recognizing that Launey Clay completed the course of study in the Department of Chemistry at Central University.
- Item 3: Central University Certificate, 1887-06-08
- A certificate recognizing that Launey Clay completed the course of study in the Department of Geology at Central University.
- Item 4: Central University Certificate, 1886 ca.
- A certificate recognizing that Launey Clay completed the course of study of the junior class in the Department of Chemistry.
- Item 5: Central University Degree, 1888-06-13
- Launey Clay's Bachelor of Science from Central University.
- Folder 3: Newspapers and Prints, 1860s-1972
- Item 1: Courier Journal, 1956-08-05
- A newspaper containing an article about a dispute between Cassius M. Clay and Sam Brown.
- Item 2: Re-discover Kentucky Parks, 1972
- An issue of Re-discover Kentucky Parks focusing on White Hall and Fort Boonesborough. Contains an article about the history and restoration of White Hall.
- Item 3: The Rose of Beauty
- A print of a woman published by Currier & Ives in New York.
- Item 4: The Star of Beauty
- A print of a woman published by Currier & Ives in New York.
- Folder 4: Clay Photographs
- Item 1: Original Portrait of Laura Clay
- Original portrait of Laura Clay.
- Item 2: Unknown Woman
- A photograph of a woman in a fancy dress and gloves. Her hair is styled in an updo with flowers.
- Item 3: Unknown Group of People
- A photograph of an unknown group of people standing outside.
- Item 4: Original Portrait of an Unknown Boy
- An original portrait of a young boy sitting in a chair.
- Item 5: Original Portrait of an Unknown Boy
- An original portrait of an unknown young boy.
- Folder 5: The Whig Standard, 1844-06-10
- Folder 6: Framed Lincoln Document and Photo, 1862
- Copy of a form recalling Cassius Clay, signed by Abraham Lincoln mounted with a carte-de-visite of Lincoln.
Browse by Box:
[
Box 1],
[
Box 2],
[
Box 3],
[
Box 4],
[
Box 5],
[Box 6],
[
Box 7],
[
Folder OS 1: White Hall Plans, 1967-2011],
[
Folder OS 2: White Hall Plans],
[
Folder OS 3: White Hall Plans],
[
All]
