Thomas Metcalfe (March 20, 1780 – August 18, 1855), also known as Thomas Metcalf or as "Stonehammer", was a
U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
,
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, and the
tenth Governor of Kentucky
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-el ...
. 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 the
Democratic-Republican Party
The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early ...
.
At age 16, Metcalfe was apprenticed to his older brother and became a
stonemason
Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...
. He helped construct the
Green 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 the
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 ...
. His service was interrupted by the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, in which he commanded a
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
in the defense of
Fort Meigs
Fort Meigs was a United States fortification along the Maumee River in what is now Perrysburg, Ohio during the War of 1812. The British Army, supported by Tecumseh's Confederacy, failed to capture the fort during the siege of Fort Meigs. It is n ...
. 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 defeated
William T. Barry
William Taylor Barry (February 5, 1784 – August 30, 1835) was an American slave owner, statesman and jurist. He served as Postmaster General for most of the administration of President Andrew Jackson and was the only Cabinet member not to resi ...
in the gubernatorial election of 1828.
[Powell, p. 30] Metcalfe's predecessor,
Joseph Desha was so stunned by his party's loss that he threatened not to vacate the
governor'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 of
internal improvements
Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canal ...
. Among his proposed projects were a road connecting
Shelbyville to
Louisville
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
and a canal on the
Falls of the Ohio
The Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area is a national, bi-state area on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Federal status was awarded in 1981. The fa ...
. When
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
veto
A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
ed funds to construct a
turnpike
Turnpike often refers to:
* A type of gate, another word for a turnstile
* In the United States, a toll road
Turnpike may also refer to:
Roads United Kingdom
* A turnpike road, a principal road maintained by a turnpike trust, a body with powers ...
connecting
Maysville and
Lexington, Metcalfe built it anyway, paying for it entirely with state funds. Following his term as governor, he served in the
state senate
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...
, and completed the unfinished term of
John J. Crittenden
John Jordan Crittenden (September 10, 1787 July 26, 1863) was an American statesman and politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and twice served as Unite ...
in the U.S. Senate in 1848. After this, he retired to "
Forest Retreat", his estate in
Nicholas County, where he died of
cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
in 1855.
Metcalfe County, Kentucky
Metcalfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Edmonton. The county was founded in May 1860 and named for Thomas Metcalfe, Governor of Kentucky from 1828 to 1832. Metcalfe County is part of the Glasgow, K ...
was named in his honor.
Early life
Thomas Metcalfe was born on March 20, 1780 to John Metcalfe and his third wife, Sarah "Sally" Dent (Chinn) Metcalfe in
Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton.
Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area.
History
In 16 ...
.
His father served as a captain in the
Revolutionary War.
[''Biographical encyclopædia''] In 1784, the Metcalfe family settled near Russell's Cave in
Fayette County, Virginia (now Kentucky).
Some years later, they would move to a farm in
Nicholas County.
![Old Green County Courthouse, northern and western sides](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Old_Green_County_Courthouse%2C_northern_and_western_sides.jpg)
Metcalfe received only a rudimentary education, and at age sixteen, he was apprenticed to his brother and learned the craft of stonemasonry.
[Allen, p. 93] Three years later, their father died, leaving the brothers to provide for their mother and younger siblings.
Metcalfe became one of the most prominent stonemasons and building contractors during the settlement period of Kentucky.
A number of
his stone houses survive and are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, including
his first home in
Robertson County.
Other structures built by the Metcalfe brothers are the
state's first governor's mansion and the
Green County courthouse, known as the oldest courthouse in Kentucky,
[Alvey, p. 61] and the
Presbyterian church
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
at
West Union in far southern Ohio.
On October 2, 1801, Metcalfe enlisted as a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the 29th Regiment of the Kentucky Militia.
[Trowbridge, "Kentucky's Military Governors"] He was promoted to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
on October 12, 1802.
About 1806, Metcalfe married Nancy Mason of
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth ...
.
The couple had four children.
[Harrison, p. 630] Between 1817 and 1820, Metcalfe built a house for his family in Nicholas County.
[NRHP nomination form, p. 3] The estate was dubbed "Forest Retreat" by statesman
Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
who, on his first visit to the newly constructed house, told Metcalfe, "Tom, you have here a veritable Forest Retreat."
Political career
Metcalfe's political career began in 1812 when he was elected to represent
Nicholas County in the Kentucky House of Representatives. His service was interrupted by the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. In 1813, he raised a company of volunteers and commanded them at the Battle of
Fort Meigs
Fort Meigs was a United States fortification along the Maumee River in what is now Perrysburg, Ohio during the War of 1812. The British Army, supported by Tecumseh's Confederacy, failed to capture the fort during the siege of Fort Meigs. It is n ...
.
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.
[Obit., ''The New York Times''] He continued to serve in the Kentucky House until 1816.
In the House of Representatives
At the age of thirty-eight, Metcalfe was elected to the
Sixteenth Congress
The 16th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1819, ...
, defeating Joshua Desha.
During his tenure in the House, which lasted five terms, he was the chairman of the
Committee on Indian Affairs
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is a committee of the United States Senate charged with oversight in matters related to the American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples. A Committee on Indian Affairs existed from 1820 to 1 ...
and the
Committee on Militia.
[''Biographical Directory of Congress''] He opposed the
Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was the second federally authorized Hamiltonian national bank in the United States. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the bank was chartered from February 1816 to January 1836.. The Bank's formal name, ac ...
, but favored extension of credit to purchasers of public land.
In 1821, he proposed granting preemption rights to
squatters
Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there ...
.
[Mathias, p. 33] A slaveowner himself,
he opposed restrictions on slavery in
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
and the
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...
.
In
James Monroe
James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
's annual address to the legislature in December 1822, he called on Congress to report on how to best deal with the
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
s that inhabited the recently acquired territory of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. As chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs, Metcalfe delivered the report on February 21, 1823. His committee found that, under the terms of the
Adams-Onis 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.
[Mahon, p. 39]
In 1826, Metcalfe served on a House committee that investigated allegations that
Vice-President
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
John C. Calhoun had improperly benefited from a contract he awarded while serving as
Secretary of War
The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
in 1822. While Calhoun was cleared of any wrongdoing, his friend,
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
Representative
George McDuffie
George McDuffie (August 10, 1790 – March 11, 1851) was the 55th Governor of South Carolina and a member of the United States Senate.
Biography
Born of modest means in McDuffie County, Georgia, McDuffie's extraordinary intellect was noticed ...
, began an exchange of correspondence with Metcalfe regarding the proceedings. The correspondence became heated, and McDuffie challenged Metcalfe to a
duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules.
During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
. 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.
Governor of Kentucky
Metcalfe resigned his seat in the House on June 1, 1828 in order to run for the governorship of Kentucky.
[NGA Bio] He was chosen as the candidate of the
National Republican Party
The National Republican Party, also known as the Anti-Jacksonian Party or simply Republicans, was a political party in the United States that evolved from a conservative-leaning faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that supported John Qu ...
at their nominating convention and was the first gubernatorial candidate in the state to be chosen using this method.
He defeated
William T. Barry
William Taylor Barry (February 5, 1784 – August 30, 1835) was an American slave owner, statesman and jurist. He served as Postmaster General for most of the administration of President Andrew Jackson and was the only Cabinet member not to resi ...
by a margin of 709 votes, but his running mate,
Joseph R. Underwood, was badly defeated by the Democratic-Republican nominee,
John Breathitt
John Breathitt (September 9, 1786 – February 21, 1834) was the 11th Governor of Kentucky. He was the first Democrat to hold this office and was the second Kentucky governor to die in office. Shortly after his death, Breathitt County, Kentucky ...
.
Metcalfe's election in 1828 marked the first time the governorship had been won by a candidate who was not a Democratic-Republican.
However, only one Democratic-Republican would hold the office between Metcalfe's term and the election of
Lazarus W. Powell
Lazarus Whitehead Powell (October 6, 1812 – July 3, 1867) was the 19th Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1851 to 1855. He was later elected to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate from 1859 to 1865.
The reforms enacted during Powell's term ...
in 1851.
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 the
Old 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."
["Governor Joseph Desha", p. 15] 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.
Metcalfe opposed the
spoils system
In politics and government, a spoils system (also known as a patronage system) is a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters, friends (cronyism), and relatives (nepotism) as a reward ...
and the doctrine of
nullification
Nullification may refer to:
* Nullification (U.S. Constitution), a legal theory that a state has the right to nullify any federal law deemed unconstitutional with respect to the United States Constitution
* Nullification Crisis, the 1832 confront ...
.
He favored protective tariffs and federal aid for
internal improvements
Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canal ...
.
He oversaw the establishment of a road connecting
Shelbyville to
Louisville
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border.
...
.
When President Andrew Jackson vetoed federal aid for a turnpike connecting Maysville and Lexington, Metcalfe continued constructing it with state funds.
(The road is now a portion of
U.S. Route 68.)
[Mathias, p. 35] Metcalfe's term also saw the commissioning of the state's first
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
and the beginning of plans for a canal at the
Falls of the Ohio
The Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area is a national, bi-state area on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Federal status was awarded in 1981. The fa ...
.
At the governor's recommendation, the state legislature approved additional aid for education, and the creation of district schools.
Later life and death
Following his term as governor, Metcalfe represented Nicholas and
Bracken
Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...
Counties in 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 the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators. The Kentu ...
from 1834 to 1838.
In 1836, he served as a
Whig presidential elector, and he presided over the Kentucky Whig Convention in
Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg is a home rule-class city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 9,064 at the 2020 census.
Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the House of Burgesses after Boonesbo ...
on August 26, 1839.
[Clay, p. 301] From 1840 to 1849, he served as president of the state board of internal improvements.
Finally, he was appointed and subsequently elected as a Whig to the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of
John J. Crittenden
John Jordan Crittenden (September 10, 1787 July 26, 1863) was an American statesman and politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and twice served as Unite ...
.
He served from June 23, 1848, to March 3, 1849.
During his short tenure, he denounced
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...
, and asserted that Kentucky would remain part of the Union.
After his term in the Senate Metcalfe engaged in agricultural pursuits near
Carlisle, Kentucky
Carlisle is a home rule-class city in Nicholas County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,010 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicholas County. It is located at the junction of Kentucky Route 32 and Kentucky Route 36, a ...
. He died of
cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
in his home on August 18, 1855.
He was interred in the family burial ground at
Forest Retreat.
Metcalfe County, Kentucky
Metcalfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Its county seat is Edmonton. The county was founded in May 1860 and named for Thomas Metcalfe, Governor of Kentucky from 1828 to 1832. Metcalfe County is part of the Glasgow, K ...
was formed in 1860 and named in his honor.
[Morton, p. 25] "Forest Retreat" was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
on October 2, 1973.
[NRHP nomination form, p. 4]
See also
*
:Thomas Metcalfe buildings
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
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External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Metcalfe, Thomas
1780 births
1855 deaths
People from Fauquier County, Virginia
American people of English descent
Democratic-Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
National Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky
Whig Party United States senators from Kentucky
National Republican Party state governors of the United States
Governors of Kentucky
Kentucky state senators
Members of the Kentucky House of Representatives
American proslavery activists
American slave owners
American stonemasons
People from Fayette County, Kentucky
People from Nicholas County, Kentucky
American militia officers
American militiamen in the War of 1812
People from Kentucky in the War of 1812
Deaths from cholera
Infectious disease deaths in Kentucky
United States senators who owned slaves