Thomas Clement Fletcher (R)

Overview

At a Glance

• Emancipated all Missouri slaves
• Supported public schools for White and Black Americans
• Created State Board of Immigration to promote settlement in Missouri
• Pushed through legislation establishing teacher training institutes in every county
• Created precursor of Lincoln University, in Jefferson City (1866)
• Expanded state's system of railroads

Personal History

Thomas Clement Fletcher was born in Herculaneum, Missouri to Clement B. Fletcher, a merchant, and Margaret Byrd Fletcher. During his childhood, Jefferson County lacked public schools, so Fletcher attended a subscription school run by Willard Frissell. At the age of 17, Fletcher began working in the circuit clerk’s office, advancing to deputy within two years, and being elected to the office in 1849. In 1851, he married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Clara Honey.

By the mid-1850s, Fletcher pursued a legal career, and was admitted to the bar. In the late 1850s, he partnered with his brother-in-law, Louis J. Rankin, to purchase land and lay out the town of DeSoto, Missouri, where he built a home and moved his family in 1860. When the Civil War broke out, Fletcher was appointed assistant provost marshal general in St. Louis by Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, serving in that role for the next year. In October 1862, he was commissioned as colonel of the Thirty-First Missouri Volunteers serving in the Union Army.

 Fletcher saw action at the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, located north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on December 19,1862, where he was wounded and captured. He spent five months in Libby Prison in Richmond. While commanding a brigade during the Atlanta campaign in the spring of 1864, he contracted a severe cold that affected his back, making it difficult to ride. Following the regimental surgeon’s recommendation, he returned home to recuperate.

After his recovery, Fletcher was tasked with raising two volunteer regiments to combat the Confederate invasion led by Gen. Sterling Price in September 1864. He led those forces at the Battle of Pilot Knob, where their efforts halted Price’s advance toward St. Louis. In recognition of his service during this campaign, President Lincoln awarded Fletcher a brevet promotion to brigadier general of volunteers. He then rejoined Gen. William T. Sherman’s army for the March to the Sea, during which he learned of his nomination as the Radical Union candidate for governor.

After completing his gubernatorial term in 1869, Fletcher returned to St. Louis to practice law. In 1890, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he continued his legal career until his death. He was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Political History

After spending five years in the circuit clerk's office, Fletcher was elected circuit clerk in 1849 and later appointed land agent for the southwest branch of the Pacific Railroad in 1856, prompting his family's move to St. Louis. Despite his slaveholding background, he aligned with Sen. Thomas Hart Benton in opposing the expansion of slavery, actively campaigning for Benton during the 1856 gubernatorial race. Following Benton's defeat, Fletcher collaborated with Frank Blair, Benjamin Gratz Brown, and other former Benton Democrats to help establish the Republican Party in Missouri. In 1860, he served as a delegate at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, where Abraham Lincoln was nominated for the presidency, and played a significant role in the subsequent campaign.

While serving in the military, Fletcher learned of his nomination as the Radical Union candidate for governor, eventually defeating Democrat Thomas Lawson Price to take office. Missouri had endured four years of intense guerrilla warfare, resulting in many residents fleeing and others being disfranchised by the provisional government's test oath. The state's political landscape remained tumultuous, making peaceful elections challenging; however, those who did vote largely supported the Radical Union Party, which advocated for the immediate emancipation of slaves in Missouri. Alongside Fletcher's election, a complete slate of Radical officeholders won, securing control of both houses of the legislature and a mandate for a new constitutional convention.

In his 1865 inaugural address, Gov. Fletcher adopted a moderate approach to Reconstruction. However, just five days later, the newly convened assembly in St. Louis swiftly enacted an emancipation ordinance that liberated all enslaved people in Missouri, effectively reinforcing the state’s commitment to ending slavery. This rapid action demonstrated the growing momentum for emancipation during Reconstruction, contrasting with Fletcher’s initial moderate stance. The assembly’s decision reflected a broader shift toward more radical policies aimed at addressing the injustices of slavery and promoting civil rights for freed individuals, setting the stage for significant societal reforms in the post-war period.

Following the emancipation ordinance, the convention, led by Charles Daniel Drake, drafted a new constitution that included an "oath test," effectively barring former Confederate supporters from voting or holding office. Although Gov. Fletcher opposed this measure and advocated for the enfranchisement of newly freed slaves, the convention rejected his proposal, fearing it would jeopardize the constitution's approval in a popular vote.

Despite differences over Reconstruction policies, Gov. Fletcher collaborated with Radical leaders to foster a progressive image for postwar Missouri, including advocating for robust public-school systems for both White and Black Americans. He aimed to enhance the University of Missouri using Morrill Act land-grant funds for its agricultural college and supported the founding of Lincoln Institute in 1866, which trained Black teachers. Acknowledging the critical need for qualified educators, Fletcher championed legislation for regular teacher institutes in each county and called for state-supported normal schools, although these were established only after his administration ended.

To address the population decline in postwar Missouri, Gov. Fletcher advocated for the establishment of a state board of immigration to promote the state's attributes, leading the legislature to pass his proposal. He sent agents to eastern states and Europe to attract potential emigrants. Recognizing the necessity of improving the state's inadequate rail system, he worked to award contracts to reliable companies after earlier contractors defaulted on their bonds. Although Fletcher faced allegations of receiving kickbacks from the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad sale, a legislative committee ultimately cleared him of wrongdoing.

One of Gov. Fletcher's challenging responsibilities was enforcing the prescriptive test oath and registry laws aimed at disenfranchising former Confederates and Southern sympathizers. Although he wasn't personally in favor of these measures, he actively used the militia to uphold them in conservative areas and pursued legal action against violators. Additionally, as the Ouster Ordinance allowed him to appoint successors for vacated offices, Fletcher increasingly delegated patronage decisions to his subordinates, which fueled rumors of cronyism and corruption in the press. In response, he filed $100,000 libel lawsuits against the Missouri Republican and St. Louis Dispatch in 1867 to protect his reputation, but both lawsuits were eventually withdrawn.

Historical Significance

On January 11, 1865, Gov. Fletcher signed an emancipation law that positioned Missouri as the first slave-holding state to free its slaves prior to the passage of the 13th Amendment, earning him recognition as a strong ally of the Black community in Missouri. His advocacy extended to the establishment of what is now Lincoln University, located in Jefferson City, Missouri, providing crucial educational opportunities for Black students. Today, Lincoln University serves a diverse student body of 1,800 and offers a broad range of over 30 areas of study for associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees.