A nephew of Chief Justice John Marshall, Thomas F. Marshall (1801-1864), the member of a prominent bluegrass family, seemed destined for greatness. However his public defeat in debates with the venerable John Quincy Adams in Congress and his hostility toward Henry Clay, blighted his political career. Yet despite his lifelong struggle with alcohol, Marshall gained a national reputation as a gifted orator and duelist legendary for his steady aim and sharp wit. In 1835 he was gravely wounded in a duel near Louisville with John Rowan, Jr. After service in the Mexican War he became one of Kentucky’s most outspoken supporters of the Confederacy and spent several months in a Union prison camp. One of the most brilliant failures in Kentucky history, he died in poverty near the close of the Civil War.
James Prichard is an Assistant Curator of Special Collections at The Filson. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Wright State University. His interests include U.S. History from the Jacksonian Era to the Civil War, as well as Kentucky History and the Underground Railroad. He is working on a history of Frankfort during the Civil War.
Contact Information
- The Filson Historical Society
- 1310 S. Third Street, Louisville, KY -
- 502-635-5083
Event Time
- Thursday, July 18, 2013
- 8:00 PM
Price
- -