Governor Augustus E. Willson

Term: 1907-1911

Party: Republican 

Resident KY County: Jefferson

Election Returns:

Augustus Willson 214,478 (51.2%)
Hager 196,428 (46.9%)

Members of Administration

Born: 10/13/1846 

Died: 8/24/1931 

State/County of Birth: Mason Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Declared martial law in Western Kentucky during the Black Patch War
• Worked toward establishing temperance legislation

Governor James B. McCreary

Term: 1911-1915 

Party: Democrat 

Resident KY County: Madison

Election Returns:

James McCreary 226,549 (53.7%)
E.C. Orear 195,672 (46.3%)

Members of Administration

Born: 7/8/1838 

Died: 10/8/1918 

State/County of Birth: Madison Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Soldier, Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Passed a mandatory primary election law
• Created restrictions on lobbying, including restrictions on access to the legislative chambers
• Created the Departments of Banking and Highways
• Allowed women to vote in school elections
• Enacted the Compulsory Attendance Act, requiring all children to attend school

Notes

• For whom McCreary County was named. (1912)

Governor Augustus Owsley Stanley

Term: 1915-1919 

Party: Democrat 

Resident KY County: Henderson

Election Returns:

Augustus Stanley 219,991 49.1%
Edwin Morrow 219,520 49.0%

Members of Administration

Born: 5/21/1867 

Died: 8/12/1958 

State/County of Birth: Shelby Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Teacher, Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Secured a Corrupt Practices Act, a Convict Labor Bill, and Worker’s Compensation Acts
• Enacted anti-trust measures
• Made Kentucky, a “wet” state, the first to enact prohibition

Notes

• Resigned from office to accept a U.S. Senate seat

Governor James Dixon Black

Term: 1919 

Party: Democrat 

Resident KY County: Knox

Election Returns: Succeeded Gov. Augustus Stanley, who resigned

Members of Administration

Born: 9/24/1849 

Died: 8/5/1938  

State/County of Birth: Knox Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Teacher, President of Union College, Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Paroled Henry Youtsey, convicted assassin of Gov. William Goebel

Governor Edwin P. Morrow

Term: 1919-1923 

Party: Republican 

Resident KY County: Pulaski

Election Returns:

Edwin Morrow 254,472 53.8%
James Black 214,134 45.3%

Members of Administration

Born: 11/28/1877 

Died: 6/15/1935 

State/County of Birth: Pulaski Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Centralized highway works
• Improved the public and post-secondary education systems
• Created the Board of Charities and the Board of Corrections
• Removed charities and penal institutions from politics
• Restricted actions of the Ku Klux Klan
• Created two state normal schools

Governor William J. Fields

Term: 1923-1927 

Party: Democrat 

Resident KY County: Carter

Election Returns:

William Fields 356,045 53.3%
Charles Dawson 306,277 45.8%

Members of Administration

Born: 12/29/1874 

Died: 10/21/1954 

State/County of Birth: Carter Co., Kentucky

Former Occupation(s): Farmer, Businessman, Lawyer

Accomplishments as Governor

• Created the state Purchasing Commission
• Raised the gas tax to fund road construction
• Established a state trade school for blacks in Paducah
• Established the Kentucky State Parks Commission