Clifton R. Breckinridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clifton Breckinridge
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| United States Minister to Russia | |
| In office November 1, 1894 – December 10, 1897 |
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| President | Grover Cleveland William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Andrew White |
| Succeeded by | Ethan Hitchcock |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas |
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| In office November 4, 1890 – August 14, 1894 |
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| Preceded by | John Clayton (elect) |
| Succeeded by | John Little |
| Constituency | 2nd district |
| In office March 4, 1885 – September 5, 1890 Unseated |
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| Preceded by | James Kimbrough Jones |
| Succeeded by | John Clayton (elect) |
| Constituency | 2nd district |
| In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency reestablished |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Constituency | at-large district |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clifton Rodes Breckinridge
November 22, 1846 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 1932 (aged 86) Wendover, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Resting place | Lexington Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Katherine Carson
(m. 1876; died 1921) |
| Children | James Mary |
| Relatives | John C. Breckinridge (father) Mary Burch (mother) Breckinridge family |
| Education | Washington and Lee University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Branch/service |  Confederate States Army Confederate States Navy |
| Rank | Midshipman |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Clifton Rodes Breckinridge (November 22, 1846 – December 3, 1932) was an important American figure. He was a Democrat who served as a city leader, a member of Congress, and a diplomat. He also fought in the Confederate Army and Navy during the American Civil War. Clifton was part of the well-known Breckinridge family. His father was John C. Breckinridge, who was a Vice President of the United States and a Confederate General.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Clifton Rodes Breckinridge was born near Lexington, Kentucky. His parents were John Cabell and Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge. As a child, he went to local schools in his hometown.
When the American Civil War began, he joined the Confederate States Army with his father. Later, he became a midshipman in the Confederate States Navy. After the war ended, he attended Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. The college president was Confederate General Robert E. Lee. General Lee encouraged Clifton to pursue a career in public service.
After college, Clifton joined his older brother. They worked on a cotton plantation near Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He spent thirteen years growing cotton and working in the commission business. In 1876, Clifton married Katherine Carson. She came from a wealthy family in Mississippi. They had four children together.
Political Career
Clifton Breckinridge began his political journey in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He was elected as an alderman, which is a member of the city council. Later, in 1882, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives. He took his seat in 1883.
John G. Carlisle, a friend of the Breckinridge family, became the new Speaker of the House. He made sure Clifton got a spot on the important United States House Committee on Ways and Means. Clifton was reelected to Congress in 1884 and 1886.
Challenging Election Dispute
Clifton Breckinridge faced a big challenge after the 1888 election. There were problems with the voting in Arkansas's 2nd congressional district. It was found that in one area, a ballot box with many votes for his opponent, John M. Clayton, was taken. John Clayton was the brother of a former Arkansas Governor.
Because of this, Clayton challenged the election results. He went to Plumerville, Arkansas to investigate. Sadly, on January 29, 1889, Clayton was killed by an unknown attacker. After a special investigation by Congress, Clayton was declared the winner. This meant Clifton Breckinridge lost his seat. However, because Clayton had died, the seat became empty. Clifton was not found responsible for any wrongdoing in the election or Clayton's death. He was later elected again in 1890 to fill the vacant seat.
Work in Congress
Clifton Breckinridge was reelected to the House of Representatives in 1890 and 1892. He helped create important laws, including one to cancel the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. He also supported the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act. After the election dispute, he earned back trust and was highly respected. A magazine called Harper's Weekly described him as "one of the very first men in the House of Representatives."
During a financial crisis in 1893-1894, called the Panic of 1893, Clifton strongly supported President Grover Cleveland. President Cleveland believed in the gold standard. However, many farmers in Arkansas wanted "free silver," which meant using silver to back money. Because of this, they did not support Clifton for reelection. He lost the Democratic primary election to John S. Little, who then won the main election.
Diplomatic Service
Minister to Russia
In 1894, Clifton Breckinridge left the House of Representatives early. President Cleveland chose him to be the Minister to Russia. He served in this role until 1897. As Minister, he was good at sending reports about Russia's goals back to Washington, D.C.
He warned that Russia's expansion into China could end friendly relations between Russia and China. However, the United States at that time preferred to stay out of other countries' affairs (this was called isolationism). So, his warnings did not change U.S. policy. Because of this, Clifton mostly handled everyday issues like trade and immigration.
He found the social events in Saint Petersburg challenging. The cost of entertaining guests in the grand Russian capital was too high for him. This was especially true during the lavish celebrations for the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna in 1896. Clifton even had to wear special ceremonial knee breeches, which made him uncomfortable. He worried that his old friends in Arkansas would not understand his fancy outfit.
Dawes Commission Work
After William McKinley became President in 1897, he replaced Clifton Breckinridge with a Republican diplomat. Clifton then returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. However, in 1900, President McKinley appointed him to the Dawes Commission. This commission worked with the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory.
Clifton and other commissioners were in charge of dividing tribal land into individual plots for the Cherokee people. In 1903, some people claimed that Clifton and other commissioners were unfairly taking Native American lands. The United States Department of Justice investigated and found Clifton innocent of any illegal actions. He left the commission in 1905.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving the Dawes Commission, Clifton Breckinridge started the Arkansas Valley Trust Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was the president of this company until 1914. From 1917 to 1918, he was a delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention. He convinced other delegates to approve a plan for a single-chamber legislature, but this idea was later changed.
His wife passed away in 1921. Clifton lived in Fort Smith until 1925. Then, he moved to Hyden, Kentucky, to live with his daughter, Mary Breckinridge. Mary was the founder of the Frontier Nursing Service, which provided healthcare in rural areas. At first, they lived with the nurses in the first Midwife Clinic. Later, a large log cabin was built in Wendover. Clifton helped by taking care of the horses for the first frontier nurses.
Clifton Rodes Breckinridge died in Wendover on December 3, 1932, at the age of eighty-six. He was buried at Lexington Cemetery with many members of his family, including his wife and children. His house in Fort Smith, known as the C.R. Breckinridge House, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic site.
See also
- Breckinridge family in the American Civil War
- Kentucky in the American Civil War
