Henry Clay Lewis (1825–1850) was an American short story writer and medical doctor[1] whose work is largely attributed as the greatest example of humor in the Old Southwest.
The subject matter of Lewis's work was derived from encounters with planters, farmers, slaves, swamp dwellers, and hunters in the region.
[3][2] Joseph's meager fortune ran out during the depression in 1837 and Henry was forced to return to work to make ends meet, this time as farmhand.
[2] He published under the pseudonym Madison Tensas, M.D., The Louisiana Swamp Doctor and he was only ever properly attributed as the true writer 75 years after his death when John Q Anderson compiled a documentary and found proof of Lewis' authorship.
[2] His writing was popular, but it was not without criticism of sometimes being too grotesque with Lewis' fascination with gore and death and his morbid humor.