William Clayton Anderson

William Clayton Anderson (December 26, 1826 – December 23, 1861) was a nineteenth-century slave owner,[1] lawyer, and politician. He served as a United States representative from Kentucky.

William C. Anderson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 4th district
In office
March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861
Preceded byAlbert G. Talbott
Succeeded byAaron Harding
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1851–1853
Personal details
Born(1826-12-26)December 26, 1826
Lancaster, Kentucky, US
DiedDecember 23, 1861(1861-12-23) (aged 34)
Frankfort, Kentucky, US
Resting placeBellevue Cemetery, Danville, Kentucky, US
Political partyAmerican Party, Unionist and Opposition Party
ParentSimeon H. Anderson
Relatives
Alma materCentre College
OccupationLawyer, Politician
Gravestone of Rep. William Clayton Anderson located in Bellevue Cemetery, Danville, Kentucky.

Early life and career

edit

Anderson was born in Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky, the son of Simeon H. Anderson and nephew of Albert G. Talbott.[2] He attended private schools and graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, in 1845. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar. He began his practice in Lancaster and in 1847 moved to Danville and continued practicing law.

Anderson served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1851 to 1853. He was a presidential elector on the American Party ticket of Millard Fillmore and Donaldson in 1856. An unsuccessful candidate for the Thirty-fifth Congress, Anderson was elected two years later as an Opposition Party candidate to the Thirty-sixth Congress, serving from March 4, 1859, to March 3, 1861.[3] He chose not to seek reelection; and was elected instead as a Unionist candidate to the Kentucky House of Representatives.[4]

Death

edit

Anderson died on December 23, 1861, while on the house floor during a session of the legislature in Frankfort, Kentucky . He died three days before he would have been 35 years old. He is interred at Bellevue Cemetery in Danville, Kentucky.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, 2022-01-13, retrieved 2022-01-15
  2. ^ "William Clayton Anderson". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  3. ^ "William Clayton Anderson". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
  4. ^ "William Clayton Anderson". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 6 January 2013.

Further reading

edit
edit
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 4th congressional district

March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861
Succeeded by