Clifton Rodes Breckinridge

Democrat Representative of Arkansas's 2nd district

Representative
Arkansas
December 3, 1883 - March 3, 1885
Representative
Arkansas, district 2
December 7, 1885 - March 3, 1887
Representative
Arkansas, district 2
December 5, 1887 - March 3, 1889
Representative
Arkansas, district 2
December 2, 1889 - March 3, 1891
Representative
Arkansas, district 2
December 7, 1891 - March 3, 1893
Representative
Arkansas, district 2
August 7, 1893 - August 14, 1894

Congresses Served

House Terms

November 22, 1846 (86 years old)

Birthday

December 3, 1932

Death

Served as a Democratic alderman, congressman, and diplomat
Veteran of the Confederate Army and Navy
Member of the prominent Breckinridge family, with a lineage of political figures
Attended Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, encouraged by Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Engaged in cotton planting and commission business for thirteen years after the Civil War
Married Katherine Carson and had four children
Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1882 and served multiple terms
Involved in the “Clayton Affair,” a significant voting fraud scandal, but was reelected after the seat was declared vacant due to his opponent’s assassination
Authored legislation to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act and adopted the Wilson–Gorman Tariff Act
Supported President Grover Cleveland’s defense of the gold standard during the Panic of 1893-1894
Resigned from the House to serve as Minister to Russia under President Cleveland, serving from 1894 to 1897
Warned of deteriorating relations between Russia and China due to Russian expansion
Appointed to the Dawes Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, cleared of fraud charges in 1903
Founded the Arkansas Valley Trust Company and served as its president until 1914
Delegate to the Arkansas Constitutional Convention from 1917 to 1918, advocated for a unicameral legislature
Moved to Hyden, Kentucky, in 1925 to live with his daughter, Mary Breckinridge, founder of the Frontier Nursing Service
Died in 1932 and was interred at Lexington Cemetery