Cassius Marcellus Clay (politician)

Cassius Marcellus Clay
Clay, c. 1855–1865
United States Ambassador to Russia
In office
May 7, 1863 – October 1, 1869
PresidentAbraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
Ulysses S. Grant
Preceded bySimon Cameron
Succeeded byAndrew Gregg Curtin
In office
July 14, 1861 – June 25, 1862
PresidentAbraham Lincoln
Preceded byJohn Appleton
Succeeded bySimon Cameron
Member of the
Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1835–1841
Personal details
Born(1810-10-19)October 19, 1810
Madison County, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJuly 22, 1903(1903-07-22) (aged 92)
Madison County, Kentucky, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (1854–1870; 1884–1903)
Liberal Republican (1870–1872)
Democratic (1872–1884)
Spouse(s)Mary Jane Warfield (1833–1878, divorced)
Dora Richardson (1894–1897, divorced)
ChildrenElisha Warfield Clay
Green Clay
Mary Barr Clay
Sally Clay
Laura Clay
Brutus J. Clay II
Anne Clay
David Kevin Clay (adopted)
Alma materTransylvania University
Yale College
OccupationLawyer, politician, newspaper publisher, soldier, farmer
Known forBeing a staunch abolitionist and U.S. ambassador to Russia Duels with slaveowners & slavery advocates—zero losses
Signature
Military service
Branch/service1st Kentucky Mounted Volunteers
Clay's Washington Guards
Years of service1846–1847
1861–1863
Rank Captain
Major general
Battles/warsMexican–American War

American Civil War

Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 19, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the United States ambassador to Russia from 1863 to 1869. Born in Kentucky to a wealthy planter family, Clay entered politics during the 1830s and grew to support the abolitionist cause in the U.S., drawing ire from fellow Southerners. A founding member of the Republican Party in Kentucky, he was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as the U.S. minister to Russia. Clay is credited with influencing Russian support for the Union during the American Civil War.


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