Henry Clay Whitney
Encyclopedia
Henry Clay Whitney was a United States
lawyer who was a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln
, and later a biographer of the president.
, son of Alfred Metcalf Whitney of Chicago
.
He received a classical education at Augusta College, Kentucky
and at Farmer's College, Ohio
, and then studied Law at the Cincinatti and Chicago law schools.
In 1854 he moved to Urbana, Illinois
, where he entered the practice of law.
Around the time when he first appeared at the bar, Whitney met Lincoln, whom he found unselfishly helpful.
Whitney became one of Lincoln's friends and political allies, helping him on the Illinois circuit.
On 5 August 1857 Whitney married Sarah Ann Snyder, then aged 16.
They had five children, two boys and three girls, born between 1858 and 1868.
On 6 August 1861, at the start of the American Civil War
, Whitney was appointed Assistant U.S. Paymaster, holding this office until 13 March 1865.
While in this office, $11 million passed through his hands.
After the war, he settled in Kansas, where he practiced the law, engaged in politics and edited a newspaper.
Later he returned to Chicago, where he continued to practice the law.
Whitney died in 1905.
He published a two-volume biography of Lincoln, Lincoln the citizen and Lincoln the President, which was published in 1892.
He also published an account of his time with Lincoln in Life on the circuit with Lincoln in 1892.
He published a version of "Lincoln's Lost Speech
" in McClure's Magazine in 1896. The speech was made at the Illinois State Republican Convention at Bloomington, Illinois
on May 29, 1856, and was said to have been Lincoln's finest.
Whitney claimed his version was based on notes he had made while the speech was being delivered, but the accuracy has been questioned due to the 40-year delay before publication.
Whitney has been described as "an unscrupulous reporter", willing to stretch the facts to make his point.
Benjamin Thomas, another biographer of Lincoln, wrote: "Never a man to underestimate his own powers, Whitney was held at a at a somewhat lower valuation by his colleagues."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer who was a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, and later a biographer of the president.
Life
Henry Clay Whitney was born on 23 February 1831 in Detroit, MaineDetroit, Maine
Detroit is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 816 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water."...
, son of Alfred Metcalf Whitney of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
He received a classical education at Augusta College, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and at Farmer's College, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and then studied Law at the Cincinatti and Chicago law schools.
In 1854 he moved to Urbana, Illinois
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
, where he entered the practice of law.
Around the time when he first appeared at the bar, Whitney met Lincoln, whom he found unselfishly helpful.
Whitney became one of Lincoln's friends and political allies, helping him on the Illinois circuit.
On 5 August 1857 Whitney married Sarah Ann Snyder, then aged 16.
They had five children, two boys and three girls, born between 1858 and 1868.
On 6 August 1861, at the start of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Whitney was appointed Assistant U.S. Paymaster, holding this office until 13 March 1865.
While in this office, $11 million passed through his hands.
After the war, he settled in Kansas, where he practiced the law, engaged in politics and edited a newspaper.
Later he returned to Chicago, where he continued to practice the law.
Whitney died in 1905.
Works
Whitney produced The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln in nine volumes, containing facsimiles of letters he had received from the president.He published a two-volume biography of Lincoln, Lincoln the citizen and Lincoln the President, which was published in 1892.
He also published an account of his time with Lincoln in Life on the circuit with Lincoln in 1892.
He published a version of "Lincoln's Lost Speech
Lincoln's Lost Speech
The speech known as Abraham Lincoln's "Lost Speech" was given on May 29, 1856, in Bloomington, Illinois. Traditionally regarded as lost because it was so engaging that reporters neglected to take notes, the speech is believed to have been an impassioned condemnation of slavery...
" in McClure's Magazine in 1896. The speech was made at the Illinois State Republican Convention at Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
on May 29, 1856, and was said to have been Lincoln's finest.
Whitney claimed his version was based on notes he had made while the speech was being delivered, but the accuracy has been questioned due to the 40-year delay before publication.
Whitney has been described as "an unscrupulous reporter", willing to stretch the facts to make his point.
Benjamin Thomas, another biographer of Lincoln, wrote: "Never a man to underestimate his own powers, Whitney was held at a at a somewhat lower valuation by his colleagues."