Matthew Clay
Encyclopedia
Matthew Clay was a United States Representative from Virginia
. Born in Halifax County (near Danville
), during the American Revolutionary War
he entered the Ninth Virginia Regiment on October 1, 1776. He transferred to the First Virginia Regiment in 1778 and to the Fifth Virginia Regiment in 1781, being successively promoted to first lieutenant, captain, and quartermaster
. He was mustered out 1783.
Clay was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from 1790 to 1794, and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth and to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1813. While in the House he was chairman of the Committee on Militia (Tenth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1813 to the Thirteenth Congress but was elected to the Fourteenth Congress and served from March 4, 1815 until his death at Halifax Court House in 1815. Interment was in the old family burying ground in Pittsylvania County
.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Born in Halifax County (near Danville
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
), during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
he entered the Ninth Virginia Regiment on October 1, 1776. He transferred to the First Virginia Regiment in 1778 and to the Fifth Virginia Regiment in 1781, being successively promoted to first lieutenant, captain, and quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
. He was mustered out 1783.
Clay was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
from 1790 to 1794, and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth and to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1813. While in the House he was chairman of the Committee on Militia (Tenth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1813 to the Thirteenth Congress but was elected to the Fourteenth Congress and served from March 4, 1815 until his death at Halifax Court House in 1815. Interment was in the old family burying ground in Pittsylvania County
Pittsylvania County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,745 people, 24,684 households, and 18,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile . There were 28,011 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
.