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Richard Hickman Menefee (December 4, 1809 – February 21, 1841) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. Due to his oratory skill, he was dubbed "the young Patrick Henry of the West." He was presumed the successor to Henry Clay as leader of the Whig Party until his death at age thirty-one. Menefee received a meager education in his early life. A dispute with his stepfather caused him to leave home in his mid-teens. He worked as a teacher to support himself and pay to finish his education. He graduated from Transylvania University and studied law. In 1831, he was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney for Kentucky's eleventh district and was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives the following year. In 1836, Menefee was elected to the House of Representatives. His best known speech in that body urged restraint in the ''Caroline'' affair with the British. His reputation, and that of fellow Kentuckian John J. Crittenden, were tarnished due to their involvement in a duel between Representatives William J. Graves and Jonathan Cilley in which the latter was mortally wounded. He did not stand for re-election following his term in office and returned to his legal practice. In 1841, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, but died five days later before he could take office. Menifee County, Kentucky, despite the spelling discrepancy, is named in his honor. ==Early life== Richard Hickman Menefee was born on December 4, 1809 in Owingsville, Kentucky.〔''National Cyclopedia of American Biography'', p. 420〕 He was the third of five sons born to Richard and Mary (Longsdale) Menefee.〔Mathias, p. 624〕 His father was an Irish potter who immigrated to Kentucky from Virginia in the 1790s and became one of the founders of the city of Owingsville.〔 Despite a limited education, the elder Richard Menefee was elected to multiple terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives and one term in the Kentucky Senate.〔 It was while the elder Richard Menefee was in Frankfort for a session of the General Assembly that his son Richard was born. When asked to name the child at his baptism, his mother christened him Henry Clay Menefee, after Kentucky statesman Henry Clay. When his father returned from his legislative duties, he changed the child's name to Richard Hickman Menefee in honor of his Senate colleague, Richard Hickman.〔Townsend, pp. 16–17〕 Menefee's father died in 1815.〔 Four years later, his mother married Colonel George Lansdown, proprietor of a spa in Bath County.〔 Until the age of twelve, Menefee was educated by his mother.〔 He then enrolled at Walker Bourne's preparatory school in Bath County, where he was a classmate of future congressmen Henry Smith Lane and John Jameson.〔Townsend, p. 25–26〕 Two years later, family troubles forced him to withdraw from school and help support the family.〔 He began work at a tavern in Owingsville and engaged in farm work during the summer months.〔 He continued his studies as time allowed and became a teacher at age fifteen.〔 A short time later, he left home due to a dispute with his stepfather.〔 He relocated to Mount Sterling, Kentucky and paid his way through school.〔 At age eighteen, Menefee entered Transylvania University in the junior class.〔 Though the college's rules forbade conveying degrees upon underage candidates, Menefee was granted an exception by President Horace Holley and graduated with his class.〔 Following his graduation, he read law with Judge James Trimble.〔 He returned to Mount Sterling, where he was admitted to the bar in 1830 and opened a law practice in 1831.〔 In October 1831, he enrolled at Transylvania University law school and on March 3, 1832, earned a law degree.〔Townsend, p. 39, 43〕 Notable in Menefee's graduating class was George W. Johnson, who would later serve as governor of Kentucky's provisional Confederate government during the Civil War.〔Townsend, p. 43〕 On August 14, 1832, Menefee married Sarah Bell Jouett, daughter of famed Kentucky painter Matthew Harris Jouett. The couple had three children: Alexander (who died as an infant), Richard, and Mary.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Richard Menefee」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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