Charles Lucas (Missouri)

Charles Lucas (September 25, 1792 – September 27, 1817) was an entrepreneur and legislator in Missouri Territory who was killed in a duel with U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

Lucas was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved with his father John B. C. Lucas to St. Louis, Missouri in 1805. He received a college degree from Jefferson College in 1810.

Lucas engaged in considerable land speculation including buying much of the land in the wake of the New Madrid earthquake in 1811. He also received a large land grant in Normandy, Missouri in what is now suburban St. Louis.

He was the law partner to Rufus Easton in St. Louis and St. Charles and remained in this position until he was killed in a duel. He joined a volunteer Army unit in the War of 1812.

After the war he served on the Legislature of the Missouri Territory.

In August 1817 Lucas and Benton as attorneys were opposite sides of a court case and accused each other of lying. When they encountered each other again in an August 1817 election, the 24-year-old Lucas challenged whether 35-year-old Benton owned property and could legally vote. Benton replied he owned slaves and paid taxes on them and could vote and then called Lucas according to one version an "insolent puppy." Another slightly different witness account said Benton told the judges, "Gentlemen, if you have any questions to ask, I am prepared to answer, but I do not propose to answer charges made by any puppy who may happen to run across my path."

Lucas then challenged Benton on August 11 to a duel with a note, "I am informed you applied to me on the day of the election the epithet of 'Puppy.' If so I shall expect that satisfaction which is due from one gentleman to another for such an indignity." The challenge arrived to Benton after he had spent the night at the wake of his dead friend Edward Hempstead. Benton accepted but said that he wanted to complete the funeral. The terms of the duel called for it to be held at 6 a.m. and the shots to be fired from 30 feet.

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