Project Gutenberg 2004-06-29 Public domain in the USA. 129 Parton, James 1822 1891 Famous Americans of Recent Times Henry Clay -- Daniel Webster -- John C. Calhoun -- John Randolph -- Stephen Girard and his college -- James Gordon Bennett and the New York Herald -- Charles Goodyear -- Henry Ward Beecher and his church -- Commodore Vanderbilt -- Theodosia Burr -- John Jacob Astor. E-text prepared by Curtis A. Weyant, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Famous Americans of Recent Times" by James Parton is a historical account written in the late 19th century. The book provides a biographical examination of notable American figures from the preceding decades, focusing on their contributions, controversies, and the public's perception of their legacies. The opening chapter sets the stage by delving into the life and career of Henry Clay, a prominent statesman whose popularity and political endeavors encapsulate the tumultuous period of American politics leading up to the Civil War. The opening of the work paints a vivid portrait of Henry Clay, emphasizing his exceptional political charisma and influence. Parton discusses Clay’s rise from humble beginnings to becoming a leading figure in American politics, reflecting on his ability to connect with the public and his unyielding commitment to being a voice for his constituents. The narrative highlights Clay's struggles, his remarkable oratory skills, and his extensive involvement in resolving national issues, notably his role in the Missouri Compromise. Overall, the beginning illustrates not just a biography of Clay but also serves as a lens through which the complexities of American political life in that era are examined. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 64.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en United States -- Biography E300 Text Category: Biographies Category: History - American 1107547 2025-07-05T16:00:08.865190 text/html 1107557 1107382 2024-11-06T04:38:57.334885 2023-10-06T06:35:52.090522 text/html text/html 497466 2025-07-05T16:00:19.907127 application/epub+zip 514351 2025-07-05T16:00:12.146207 application/epub+zip 495525 2025-07-05T16:00:10.912156 application/epub+zip 840102 2025-07-05T16:00:26.376623 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 809657 2025-07-05T16:00:19.100117 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 772943 2022-09-06T22:24:31.945653 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1062170 2025-07-05T16:00:08.312237 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 1042306 2024-10-28T19:51:25 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16999 2025-07-05T16:00:26.497566 application/rdf+xml 14303 2025-07-05T16:00:11.403149 image/jpeg 3475 2025-07-05T16:00:11.156193 image/jpeg 493094 2025-07-05T16:00:08.952197 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia