”’Sherrard Clemens”’ (April 28, 1820 – June 30, 1881) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from [[Virginia]] and [[Missouri]]. He was a cousin to author [[Mark Twain|Samuel L. Clemens]] (a.k.a. Mark Twain).<ref>{{Cite book | last = Twain | first = Mark | author-link = Mark Twain | title = The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume One | publisher = University of California Press | year = 2010 | location = Berkeley, CA | pages = [https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofm00twai_0/page/205 205] | isbn = 978-0-520-26719-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofm00twai_0/page/205 }}</ref> The unincorporated community of [[Sherrard, West Virginia|Sherrard]] in [[Marshall County, West Virginia]] is named after him.
”’Sherrard Clemens”’ (April 28, 1820 – 30, ) was a politician and lawyer from [[Virginia]] and [[Missouri]]. He was a cousin to author [[Mark Twain|Samuel L. Clemens]] (a.k.a. Mark Twain).<ref>{{Cite book | last = Twain | first = Mark | author-link = Mark Twain | title = The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume One | publisher = University of California Press | year = 2010 | location = Berkeley, CA | = [https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofm00twai_0/page/205 205] | isbn = 978-0-520-26719-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofm00twai_0/page/205 }}</ref> The unincorporated community of [[Sherrard, West Virginia|Sherrard]] in [[Marshall County, West Virginia]] is named after him.
Born in [[Wheeling, West Virginia|Wheeling, Virginia]] (now [[West Virginia]]), Clemens was appointed a [[cadet]] to the [[United States Military Academy]] in [[West Point, New York]], but resigned after six months. He graduated from [[Washington & Jefferson College|Washington College]] in [[Washington, Pennsylvania]] and was admitted to the bar in 1843, commencing practice in Wheeling. He was elected a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[United States House of Representatives]] to fill a vacancy in 1852, serving until 1853. Clemens was later elected back to the House in 1856, serving again from 1857 to 1861.
Born in [[Wheeling, West Virginia|Wheeling, Virginia]] (now [[West Virginia]]), Clemens was appointed a [[cadet]] to the [[United States Military Academy]] in [[West Point, New York]], but resigned after six months. He graduated from [[Washington & Jefferson College|Washington College]] in [[Washington, Pennsylvania]] and was admitted to the bar in 1843, commencing practice in Wheeling. He was elected a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[United States House of Representatives]] to fill a vacancy in 1852, serving until 1853. Clemens was later elected back to the House in 1856, serving again from 1857 to 1861.
He was not favorably impressed by [[Abraham Lincoln]], whom he called “a cross between a [[sandhill crane]] and an Andalusian jackass.” “He is vain, weak, puerile, hypocritical, without manners, without moral grace, and as he talks with you he ”punches” you under your ribs.” Clemens also wrote, “He is surrounded by a set of toad eaters and bottle holders.”<ref>[[Bruce Catton]] (1961), ”The Coming Fury”, 1967 reprint, New York: Pocket Books, Ch. 4, “Two Presidents”, Sec. 5, “Pressure at Fort Sumter”, p. 249, [italics as in Catton], {{ISBN|0-671-46989-4}} .</ref> During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], he opposed secession. He was a member of the [[Virginia Secession Convention of 1861|Virginia Convention]] in 1861 and afterwards resumed practicing law in Wheeling. He attended the [[First Wheeling Convention]] from May 13–15, 1861, but actively opposed the partitioning of Virginia into two states.<ref>Curry, Richard Orr, ”A House Divided, A Study of Statehood Politics and the Copperhead Movement in West Virginia”, Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1964, pg. 128</ref> Clemens later moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and resumed practicing law until his death there on June 30, 1881. He was interred in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. [[Mark Twain]] wrote of his cousin that at the time of the war he himself had been a “warm rebel” and Sherrard Clemans a Republican, but later he had temporary became a Republican and Sherrard Clemens a “warm rebel”.<ref>Clemens, Samuel L., ”Mark Twain’s Autobiography”, Harper & Brothers, NY, 1924, Vol. 1, pgs. 86-87</ref>
He was not favorably impressed by [[Abraham Lincoln]], whom he called “a cross between a [[sandhill crane]] and an Andalusian jackass.” “He is vain, weak, puerile, hypocritical, without manners, without moral grace, and as he talks with you he ”punches” you under your ribs.” Clemens also wrote, “He is surrounded by a set of toad eaters and bottle holders.”<ref>[[Bruce Catton]] (1961), ”The Coming Fury”, 1967 reprint, New York: Pocket Books, Ch. 4, “Two Presidents”, Sec. 5, “Pressure at Fort Sumter”, p. 249, [italics as in Catton], {{ISBN|0-671-46989-4}} .</ref> During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], he opposed secession. He was a member of the [[Virginia Secession Convention of 1861|Virginia Convention]] in 1861 and afterwards resumed practicing law in Wheeling. He attended the [[First Wheeling Convention]] from May 13–15, 1861, but actively opposed the partitioning of Virginia into two states.<ref>Curry, Richard Orr, ”A House Divided, A Study of Statehood Politics and the Copperhead Movement in West Virginia”, Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1964, . 128</ref> Clemens later moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and resumed practicing law until his death there on 30, . He was interred in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis. [[Mark Twain]] wrote of his cousin that at the time of the war he himself had been a “warm rebel” and Sherrard Clemans a Republican, but later he had temporary became a Republican and Sherrard Clemens a “warm rebel”.<ref>Clemens, Samuel L., ”Mark Twain’s Autobiography”, Harper & Brothers, NY, 1924, Vol. 1, . </ref>
