Beriah Magoffin

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Beriah Magoffin
21st Governor of Kentucky
In office August 30, 1859 – August 18, 1862
Lieutenant(s)	Linn Boyd
Preceded by	Charles S. Morehead
Succeeded by	James F. Robinson
Born	April 18, 1815 Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Died	February 28, 1885 Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anna Nelson Shelby
Profession	Lawyer

Beriah Magoffin (April 18, 1815 – February 28, 1885) was the Governor of Kentucky from 1859 to 1862.

Magoffin was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Serving as the Governor of Kentucky at the outbreak of the Civil War, he was sympathetic to the South and attempted to steer a course of secession for the commonwealth. The incursion of Confederate troops and lopsided majorities against him in the Kentucky General Assembly eventually brought Kentucky around to the Union despite Magoffin's convictions. After this occurred he presided over Kentucky's extra-constitutional secession convention at Russellville, Kentucky.

He died in Harrodsburg and was buried in the town's Spring Hill Cemetery.

Magoffin County, Kentucky was named after Governor Beriah Magoffin.

Preceded by Charles S. Morehead

Governor of Kentucky 1859 – 1862

Succeeded by James F. Robinson

[edit] See also

• History of Kentucky
• Kentucky in the Civil War

Governors of Kentucky

Shelby • Garrard • Greenup • Scott • Shelby • Madison • Slaughter • Adair • Desha • Metcalfe • J. Breathitt • J. Morehead • Clark • Wickliffe • Letcher • Owsley • Crittenden • Helm • Powell • C. Morehead • Magoffin • Robinson • Bramlette • Helm • Stevenson • Leslie • McCreary • Blackburn • Knott • Buckner • Brown • Bradley • Taylor • Goebel • Beckham • Willson • McCreary • Stanley • Black • Morrow • Fields • Sampson • Laffoon • Chandler • Johnson • Willis • Clements • Wetherby • Chandler • Combs • E. Breathitt • Nunn • Ford • Carroll • Brown Jr. • Collins • Wilkinson • Jones • Patton • Fletcher Kentucky also had two Confederate Governors: George W. Johnson and Richard Hawes.