Henry Clay Lewis

Henry Clay Lewis (1825–1850) was an American short-story writer and medical doctor whose work is largely attributed as the greatest example of humor in the Old Southwest.

Lewis wrote in the style of Old Southwest Humor for his only work, Odd Leaves from the Life of a Louisiana Swamp Doctor, which is a collection of skits he wrote and then organized under the pseudonym Madison Tensas. His book depicted humorous clashes between polite and primitive cultures while using dialect for comic effects. The subject matter of Lewis's work was derived from encounters with planters, farmers, slaves, swamp dwellers, and hunters in the region.

Early life Much of Lewis's life is known through the skit in his book "My Early Life" and tales from family members after his passing, leaving the authenticity to be questioned, especially because he was writing fictionally in his skits.