Anderson, Richard Clough, 1788-1826

Lawyer, diplomat, and U.S. representative from Kentucky.

Richard Clough Anderson, statesman and diplomat, was born in Louisville, Ky., to Richard Clough Anderson (1750-1826), a Virginia Revolutionary officer, and Elizabeth Clark, sister of George Rogers Clark. After studying law under St. George Tucker, he opened a practice in Louisville. He held a seat in the state House of Representative from 1812 to 1816 and again from 1821 to 1823, when he chaired the Committee on Public Lands. From 1817 to 1821 he served in the U.S. Congress, where he distinguished himself as an advocate of Latin American independence. President Monroe appointed him minister plenipotentiary to La Gran Colombia in 1823, a post he held until his death. He was married to Elizabeth Gwathmey.

Biography

Richard Clough Anderson, statesman and diplomat, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Richard Clough Anderson (1750-1826), a Virginia Revolutionary officer, and Elizabeth Clark, sister of George Roger Clark. After studying law under St. George Tucker, he opened a practice in Louisville. He held a seat in the state House of Representatives from 1812 to 1816, and again from 1821 to 1823, when he chaired the Committee on Public lands. From 1817 to 1821, he served in the U.S. Congress, where he distinguished himself as an advocate of Latin-American independence. President Monroe appointed him minister plenipotentiary to La Gran Colombia in 1823, a post he held until his untimely death caused by a fever he contracted while serving as a minister.

Anderson was married to Elizabeth Gwathmey (Betsy) who was the daughter of Owen and Ann Clark Gwathmey. She died in Bogota in 1825. They had five children: Arthur? - c.1826; Louis? - 1822; Elizabeth 1811 - 1814; Elizabeth 1815 - 1864; Ann 1823 - 1843.