The Clays were an influential nineteenth-century U.S. political and business dynasty. The Clays are of English stock, and there are quite a few Clay families still in England, and also in other parts of the world.
Alphabetical list of American Clays
*
Brutus Junius Clay (1808–1878), U.S. Congressman from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
.
*
Brutus J. Clay II (1847–1932),
minister to Switzerland, son of
Cassius Marcellus Clay
Major general (United States), Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 9, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Russia, ...
*
Cassius Marcellus Clay
Major general (United States), Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 9, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Russia, ...
(1810–1903), abolitionist, publisher, U.S. general, U.S. minister to Russia.
*
Clement Claiborne Clay (1816–1882), U.S. Senator from
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
.
*
Clement Comer Clay (1789–1866), U.S. Senator from
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
.
*
Green Clay
A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis is played. Clay courts are built on a foundation of crushed stone, brick, shale, and other aggregate, with a thin layer of fine clay particles on top. Clay courts are ...
(1757–1828), member of the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
and
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
legislatures; Speaker of the
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout Kentucky, the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky senators. T ...
.
*
Green Clay Smith (1826–1895), U.S. Congressman from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
and
Territorial Governor of Montana.
*
Henry Clay
Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...
(1777–1852), U.S. Representative and Senator from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
; Speaker of the House of Representatives;
U.S. Secretary of State.
*
Henry Clay, Jr. (1811–1847), Lt. Col. in the Second Kentucky Regiment, killed in the
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista (February 22–23, 1847), known as the Battle of La Angostura in Mexico, and sometimes as Battle of Buena Vista/La Angostura, was a battle of the Mexican–American War. It was fought between U.S. forces, largely vol ...
.
*
Henry "Harry" Clay (1849–1884),
Arctic
The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
explorer; candidate for
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a ...
.
*
James Brown Clay (1817–1864), U.S.
Chargé d'affaires
A (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador. The term is Frenc ...
at
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal; U.S. Representative from Kentucky; member of the
Peace Conference of 1861; commissioned to raise a regiment for the Confederate States of America.
* James Brown Clay (1848–1906), aide-de-camp to Major General
John C. Breckinridge.
*
John Morrison Clay (1821–1887),
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racer and breeder.
*
Josephine Russell Clay (1835–1920),
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
breeder and author.
*
Laura Clay (1849–1941), a leader in the women's
suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...
movement.
*
Mary Barr Clay (1839–1924), president of the
American Woman Suffrage Association.
*
Matthew Clay (1754–1815), U.S. Representative from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
.
*
Matthew Clay (c.1795–1827), member of the
Alabama Senate
The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district con ...
.
*
Nathaniel W. Watkins (1796–1876), Confederate Army brigadier general and Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives.
*
Nestor Clay (1799–1835), Texas pioneer; representative at the 1832 and 1833 Texas Conventions.
*
Susan Clay Sawitzky (1897–1981), U.S. poet.
*
Tacitus Thomas Clay (1824–1868), mayor of
Independence, Texas; Confederate army officer.
* Thomas Clay (b 1750), member of the first Kentucky Constitutional Convention.
*
Thomas C. McCreery (1816–1890), U.S. Senator from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
.
*
Thomas Hart Clay (1803–1871), U.S. minister to
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
and
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
.
*
Thomas Jacob Clay (1853–1939) Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, who participated in the second capture of
Geronimo
Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...
.
*
William Claude Clay (1917–2004) member of
2677th Office of Strategic Services Regiment (United States) and
2671st Special Reconnaissance Battalion (United States) of the
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...
, won various medals of valor.
Chronological list of American Clays
* Born 1750 Thomas Clay, member of the first Kentucky Constitutional Convention.
* 1754–1815
Matthew Clay, U.S. Representative from
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
.
* 1757–1828
Green Clay
A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis is played. Clay courts are built on a foundation of crushed stone, brick, shale, and other aggregate, with a thin layer of fine clay particles on top. Clay courts are ...
, member of the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
and
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
legislatures; Speaker of the
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout Kentucky, the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky senators. T ...
.
* 1777–1852
Henry Clay
Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...
, U.S. Representative and Senator from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
; Speaker of the House of Representatives;
U.S. Secretary of State.
* 1789–1866
Clement Comer Clay, U.S. Senator from
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
.
* 1795?–1827
Matthew Clay, member of the
Alabama Senate
The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district con ...
.
* 1796–1876
Nathaniel W. Watkins, Confederate Army brigadier general and Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives.
* 1799–1835
Nestor Clay, Texas pioneer; representative at the 1832 and 1833 Texas Conventions.
* 1803–1871
Thomas Hart Clay, U.S. minister to
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
and
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
.
* 1808–1878
Brutus Junius Clay, U.S. Congressman from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
.
* 1810–1903
Cassius Marcellus Clay
Major general (United States), Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 9, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Russia, ...
, abolitionist, publisher, U.S. general, U.S. minister to Russia.
* 1811–1847
Henry Clay, Jr., Lt. Col. in the Second Kentucky Regiment, killed in the
Battle of Buena Vista
The Battle of Buena Vista (February 22–23, 1847), known as the Battle of La Angostura in Mexico, and sometimes as Battle of Buena Vista/La Angostura, was a battle of the Mexican–American War. It was fought between U.S. forces, largely vol ...
.
* 1816–1882
Clement Claiborne Clay, U.S. Senator from
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
.
* 1816–1890
Thomas C. McCreery, U.S. Senator from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
.
* 1817–1864
James Brown Clay, U.S.
Chargé d'affaires
A (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador. The term is Frenc ...
at
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal; U.S. Representative from Kentucky; member of the
Peace Conference of 1861; commissioned to raise a regiment for the Confederate States of America.
* 1821–1887
John Morrison Clay,
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racer and breeder.
* 1824–1868
Tacitus Thomas Clay, mayor of
Independence, Texas; Confederate army officer.
* 1826–1895
Green Clay Smith, U.S. Congressman from
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
and
Territorial Governor of Montana.
* 1835–1920
Josephine Russell Clay,
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
breeder and author.
* 1839–1924
Mary Barr Clay, president of the
American Woman Suffrage Association.
* 1847-1932
Brutus J. Clay II,
minister to Switzerland, son of
Cassius Marcellus Clay
Major general (United States), Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 9, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Russia, ...
* 1848–1906 James Brown Clay, aide-de-camp to Major General
John C. Breckinridge.
* 1849–1884
Henry "Harry" Clay,
Arctic
The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...
explorer; candidate for
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a ...
.
* 1849–1941
Laura Clay, a leader in the women's
suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...
movement.
* 1853–1939
Thomas Jacob Clay Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, who participated in the second capture of
Geronimo
Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...
.
* 1897–1981
Susan Clay Sawitzky, U.S. poet.
* 1917–2004
William Claude Clay member of
2677th Office of Strategic Services Regiment (United States) and
2671st Special Reconnaissance Battalion (United States) of the
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...
, won various medals of valor.
Descendants of enslaved people held by Clay family
*
Henry Clay, Jr. owned an enslaved man named John Henry Clay among whose 20th century descendants were the boxer Muhammad Ali and his father, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.:
*
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr., grandson of John Henry Clay, named for the abolitionist
Cassius Marcellus Clay
Major general (United States), Major General Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 9, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to Russia, ...
.
** His son,
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., boxer, activist, three-time heavyweight champion of the world,
Sportsman of the Century.
**
Rahaman Ali
Rahaman Ali (born Rudolph Arnett Clay; July 18, 1943) is an American former heavyweight boxer. He is the younger brother of Muhammad Ali.
Biography
Rahaman Ali, initially named Rudolph Arnett Clay but later rechristened to Rudolph Valentino Cl ...
, born Rudolph Arnett Clay (later rechristened to Rudolph Valentino), heavyweight boxer; younger brother and biographer of Muhammad Ali
See also
*
Clay family murders, 1988 murder in Nashville, Tennessee
References
External links
Clay Family Papers at the Library of CongressJames Brown ClayJames Brown ClayMary Barr ClayNestor ClayTacitus Thomas Clay
{{Henry Clay, state=collapsed
American families of English ancestry
People from Kentucky