Henry L. Muldrow
Henry Lowndes Muldrow | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Lowndes County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | March 1, 1905 (aged 68) |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, lawyer, military officer |
| Years active | 1860–1905 |
| Known for | First Assistant Secretary of the Interior; U.S. Representative from Mississippi; Confederate cavalry officer; leader of Oktibbeha County Ku Klux Klan |
Henry Lowndes Muldrow (February 8, 1837 – March 1, 1905) was an American public official who held the position of First Assistant Secretary of the Interior during President Grover Cleveland’s initial term. Prior to this federal role, he represented Mississippi's 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives. Muldrow also served as a Confederate cavalry officer in the Western Theater throughout the American Civil War. Furthermore, he led the Oktibbeha County chapter of the Ku Klux Klan as its "Grand Cyclops."
Early life and education
Born on February 8, 1837, in Lowndes County, Mississippi, Muldrow was the sixth offspring of Simon Connell (1809–1868) and Louisa Adaline (née Cannon; 1798–1853). He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Mississippi in 1858, followed by graduation from its law school in 1859. After gaining admission to the bar, he initiated his legal practice in Starkville, Mississippi in 1860. His military career began in 1861 as a second lieutenant with Company C, 14th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, later advancing to lieutenant-colonel within the 11th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment. Muldrow also served as a district attorney for Mississippi’s sixth judicial district before winning election to the state legislature in 1875.
Throughout his legal and political pursuits, Muldrow was a prominent leader of the Oktibbeha County Ku Klux Klan den, bearing the title "Grand Cyclops." His leadership played a significant role in suppressing African American voters, which aided his legislative election aimed at curbing Black political engagement. His oratory skills convinced numerous white Democrats that the Klan’s activities were essential for protecting southern societal structures.
Muldrow maintained a long-term connection with his alma mater, acting as a trustee of the University of Mississippi from 1876 until 1898.
Political career
As a Democrat, Muldrow secured election to four consecutive U.S. Congresses, serving from 1877 through 1885. During the Forty-sixth Congress, he chaired the United States House Committee on Territories, and later contributed to the Committee on Private Land Claims during the Forty-eighth Congress. He sponsored legislation advocating for a revised metric system to be adopted for U.S. coinage. Under President Grover Cleveland, Muldrow was appointed First Assistant Secretary of the Interior but resigned in 1889 to return to private law practice. He participated as a delegate in Mississippi’s 1890 Constitutional Convention, which implemented provisions such as poll taxes and literacy examinations that effectively disenfranchised many Black and impoverished white citizens, explicitly aiming to establish "white supremacy." In 1899, he was named chancellor for Mississippi's first district, a role he fulfilled until his death from heart and organ failure on March 1, 1905.
Honors
The town of Muldrow, Oklahoma and Colonel Muldrow Avenue located in Starkville, Mississippi are named in his honor.