Thomas Metcalfe | |
|---|---|
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| 10th Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office August 26, 1828 – September 4, 1832 | |
| Lieutenant | John Breathitt |
| Preceded by | Joseph Desha |
| Succeeded by | John Breathitt |
| Member of theU. S. House of Representatives fromKentucky's2nd district and4th district | |
| In office March 4, 1819 – June 1, 1828 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Desha Samuel H. Woodson |
| Succeeded by | Robert P. Letcher John Chambers |
| United States Senator fromKentucky | |
| In office June 23, 1848 – March 3, 1849 | |
| Preceded by | John J. Crittenden |
| Succeeded by | Henry Clay |
| Member of theKentucky House of Representatives | |
| In office 1812–1816 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1780-03-20)March 20, 1780 |
| Died | August 18, 1855(1855-08-18) (aged 75) |
| Political party | National Republican Whig |
| Spouse | Nancy Mason |
| Profession | Soldier,Stonemason |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Kentucky militia |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | War of 1812 |
Thomas Metcalfe (March 20, 1780 – August 18, 1855), also known asThomas Metcalf or as "Stonehammer", was an American politician who was aU.S. Representative,Senator, and the tenthgovernor of Kentucky. He was the first gubernatorial candidate in the state's history to be chosen by a nominating convention rather than a caucus. He was also the first governor of Kentucky who was not a member of theDemocratic-Republican Party.[1]
At age 16, Metcalfe was apprenticed to his older brother and became astonemason. He helped construct theGreen County courthouse, known as the oldest courthouse in Kentucky. Later, political opponents would mock his trade, giving him the nickname "Old Stone Hammer." His political career began with four terms in theKentucky House of Representatives. His service was interrupted by theWar of 1812, in which he commanded acompany in the defense ofFort Meigs. At the age of thirty-eight, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He held his seat in the House for five terms, then resigned to run for governor. In an election decided by 709 votes, Metcalfe defeatedWilliam T. Barry in the gubernatorial election of 1828.[2] Metcalfe's predecessor,Joseph Desha was so stunned by his party's loss that he threatened not to vacate thegovernor's mansion. Ultimately, however, he respected the will of the people, and allowed an orderly transition.
Metcalfe's primary concern as governor was the issue ofinternal improvements. Among his proposed projects were a road connectingShelbyville toLouisville and a canal on theFalls of the Ohio. WhenPresidentAndrew Jacksonvetoed funds to construct aturnpike connectingMaysville andLexington, Metcalfe built it anyway, paying for it entirely with state funds. Following his term as governor, he served in thestate senate, and completed the unfinished term ofJohn J. Crittenden in the U.S. Senate in 1848. After this, he retired to "Forest Retreat", his estate inNicholas County, where he died ofcholera in 1855.Metcalfe County, Kentucky, was named in his honor.
Thomas Metcalfe was born on March 20, 1780, to John Metcalfe and his third wife, Sarah "Sally" Dent (Chinn) Metcalfe inFauquier County, Virginia.[2] His father served as a captain in theRevolutionary War.[3] In 1784, the Metcalfe family settled near Russell's Cave inFayette County, Virginia (now Kentucky).[2] Some years later, they would move to a farm inNicholas County.[2]
Metcalfe received only a rudimentary education, and at age sixteen, he was apprenticed to his brother and learned the craft of stonemasonry.[4] Three years later, their father died, leaving the brothers to provide for their mother and younger siblings.[4] Metcalfe became one of the most prominent stonemasons and building contractors during the settlement period of Kentucky.[5] A number ofhis stone houses survive and are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, includinghis first home inRobertson County.[5] Other structures built by the Metcalfe brothers are thestate's first governor's mansion and theGreen County courthouse, known as the oldest courthouse in Kentucky,[6] and thePresbyterian church atWest Union in far southern Ohio.[7]
On October 2, 1801, Metcalfe enlisted as alieutenant in the 29th Regiment of the Kentucky Militia.[8] He was promoted tocaptain on October 12, 1802.[8] About 1806, Metcalfe married Nancy Mason ofFairfax, Virginia.[2] The couple had four children.[9] Between 1817 and 1820, Metcalfe built a house for his family in Nicholas County.[10] The estate was dubbed "Forest Retreat" by statesmanHenry Clay who, on his first visit to the newly constructed house, told Metcalfe, "Tom, you have here a veritable Forest Retreat."[10]
Metcalfe's political career began in 1812 when he was elected to representNicholas County in the Kentucky House of Representatives. His service was interrupted by theWar of 1812. In 1813, he raised a company of volunteers and commanded them at the Battle ofFort Meigs.[3] While he was away at war, the voters of his district re-elected him to the Kentucky House; only thirteen votes were cast against him.[11] He continued to serve in the Kentucky House until 1816.[9]
At the age of thirty-eight, Metcalfe was elected to theSixteenth Congress, defeating Joshua Desha.[11] During his tenure in the House, which lasted five terms, he was the chairman of theCommittee on Indian Affairs and theCommittee on Militia.[12] He opposed theSecond Bank of the United States, but favored extension of credit to purchasers of public land.[2] In 1821, he proposed granting preemption rights tosquatters.[13] A slaveowner himself,[14] he opposed restrictions on slavery inMissouri and theLouisiana Purchase.[2]
InJames Monroe's annual address to the legislature in December 1822, he called on Congress to report on how to best deal with theSeminoles that inhabited the recently acquired territory ofFlorida. As chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs, Metcalfe delivered the report on February 21, 1823. His committee found that, under the terms of theAdams-Onís Treaty that transferred control of Florida to the United States from Spain, the Seminoles were to be accorded the same privileges as U.S. citizens. Accordingly, the committee recommended that each Seminole family be given a land grant. They hoped that this would help break the tribal loyalties of the Seminoles and expedite their amalgamation into white society. The committee's report was largely ignored.[15]
In 1826, Metcalfe served on a House committee that investigated allegations thatVice-presidentJohn C. Calhoun had improperly benefited from a contract he awarded while serving asSecretary of War in 1822. While Calhoun was cleared of any wrongdoing, his friend,South Carolina RepresentativeGeorge McDuffie, began an exchange of correspondence with Metcalfe regarding the proceedings. The correspondence became heated, and McDuffie challenged Metcalfe to aduel. As the recipient of the challenge, Metcalfe had the right to choose the terms of the engagement. He chose rifles as the weapon at a distance of 90 feet. McDuffie insisted that wounds from a previous duel had left him incapable of handling a rifle, and proposed pistols as an alternative. Metcalfe replied that he had never handled a pistol in his life. Unable to come to an agreement on the conditions of the duel, both sides eventually dropped the matter entirely.[16]
Metcalfe resigned his seat in the House on June 1, 1828, in order to run for the governorship of Kentucky.[17] He was chosen as the candidate of theNational Republican Party at their nominating convention and was the first gubernatorial candidate in the state to be chosen using this method.[9] He defeatedWilliam T. Barry by a margin of 709 votes, but his running mate,Joseph R. Underwood, was badly defeated by the Democratic-Republican nominee,John Breathitt.[9] Metcalfe's election in 1828 marked the first time the governorship had been won by a candidate who was not a Democratic-Republican.[11] However, only one Democratic-Republican would hold the office between Metcalfe's term and the election ofLazarus W. Powell in 1851.[11]
Joseph Desha, the outgoing governor, refused to believe that his party had lost the election. He disliked Metcalfe not only due to his party affiliation, but also because of his occupation as a stonemason, which he believed was too low a calling for a governor. Metcalfe's opponents made slights on the quality of his stone work and his views on theOld Court-New Court controversy. When told about these charges, Metcalfe remarked "They may say what they like about my views, but the first man that dares to attack my character, I will cleave his skull with my stone hammer, as I would cleave a rock."[18] As word of this remark spread, Metcalfe was given the nickname "Old Stone Hammer." Despite his threats to remain in the governor's mansion until the legislature convened, Desha respected the will of the people, and left the residence on September 2, 1828.[18]
Metcalfe opposed thespoils system and the doctrine ofnullification.[2] He favored protective tariffs and federal aid forinternal improvements.[2] He oversaw the establishment of a road connectingShelbyville toLouisville.[17] When President Andrew Jackson vetoed federal aid for a turnpike connecting Maysville and Lexington, Metcalfe continued constructing it with state funds.[9] (The road is now a portion ofU.S. Route 68.)[19] Metcalfe's term also saw the commissioning of the state's firstrailroad and the beginning of plans for a canal at theFalls of the Ohio.[17] At the governor's recommendation, the state legislature approved additional aid for education, and the creation of district schools.[2]
Following his term as governor, Metcalfe represented Nicholas andBracken Counties in theKentucky Senate from 1834 to 1838.[3] In 1836, he served as aWhig presidential elector, and he presided over the Kentucky Whig Convention inHarrodsburg on August 26, 1839.[17][20] From 1840 to 1849, he served as president of the state board of internal improvements.[17] Finally, he was appointed and subsequently elected as a Whig to theUnited States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofJohn J. Crittenden.[12] He served from June 23, 1848, to March 3, 1849.[12] During his short tenure, he denouncedsecession, and asserted that Kentucky would remain part of the Union.[2]
After his term in the Senate Metcalfe engaged in agricultural pursuits nearCarlisle, Kentucky. He died ofcholera in his home on August 18, 1855.[3] He was interred in the family burial ground atForest Retreat.[12]Metcalfe County, Kentucky, was formed in 1860 and named in his honor.[21] "Forest Retreat" was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1973.[22]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| First | National Republican nominee forGovernor of Kentucky 1828 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by Joseph Desha | United States Representative from Kentucky's 4th District 1819–1823 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Representative from Kentucky's 2nd District 1823–1828 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Kentucky 1828–1832 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Kentucky 1848–1849 Served alongside:Joseph R. Underwood | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
