List of Governors of Kentucky

Number of Governors of Kentucky by party affiliation
Party Governors
Democratic 34
Democratic-Republican 9
Republican 8
Whig 6
National Republican 2
Know Nothing 1

The following is a list of Governors of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As head of the executive branch of the state's government,[A] the governor is given broad appointment power, and names many state commissioners and department heads without the need for legislative approval. The governor is also empowered to reorganize the state government or reduce it in size.[B] He or she serves as commander-in-chief of the state's army, navy, and militia forces.[C] Historically, the office has been regarded as one of the most powerful executive positions in the United States.[B]

The original 1792 Kentucky Constitution had the governor chosen by an electoral college for a term of four years. The second constitution in 1799 changed this to a popular vote, and prevented governors from succeeding themselves within seven years of their terms. The third constitution in 1850 reduced the succession limitation to four years. A 1992 amendment to the constitution allowed governors to have a second term before being prevented from succeeding themselves for four years.

Fifty-six individuals have held the office of governor of Kentucky. Prior to a 1992 amendment to the state's constitution, the governor of Kentucky was prohibited from succeeding himself in office, though four men (Isaac Shelby, John L. Helm, James B. McCreary, and A. B. "Happy" Chandler) served multiple non-consecutive terms. Paul Patton, the first governor eligible for a second consecutive term under the amendment, won his reelection bid in 1999. James Garrard succeeded himself in 1800, before the constitutional provision existed.

William Goebel, who was elected to the office in the disputed election of 1899, remains the only governor of any U.S. state to die from assassination while in office.[D] Martha Layne Collins, who held the office from 1983 to 1987, was the first woman to serve as governor of Kentucky and was only the third woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state who was not the wife or widow of a previous governor.[B]

Steve Beshear (D) is the 61st and current governor, having served since December 11, 2007. He defeated incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) in the 2007 gubernatorial election held on November 6, 2007.

Contents

Governors

Kentucky was initially Kentucky County in Virginia. It achieved statehood and was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792; see the list of governors of Virginia for the period before statehood. There have been 56 governors, serving 61 distinct terms.

An unelected group proclaimed Kentucky's secession from the Union on November 20, 1861, and it was annexed by the Confederate States of America on December 10, 1861. The Confederate government elected two governors (listed separately), but it never held much control over the state, and the main line of governors was preserved.

Isaac Shelby, 1st and 5th Governor of Kentucky
John J. Crittenden, 17th Governor of Kentucky, and 15th and 22nd U.S. Attorney General
Beriah Magoffin, 21st Governor of Kentucky, and governor at the start of the American Civil War
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Sr., 30th Governor of Kentucky, and a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army
Happy Chandler, 44th and 49th Governor of Kentucky, and 2nd Commissioner of Baseball
Ernie Fletcher, 60th Governor of Kentucky
Steve Beshear, 61st Governor of Kentucky

      Democratic-Republican       National Republican       Democratic       Whig       Know Nothing       Republican

# Name Party Took office Left office Lt. Governor[1][E] Terms[2]
1 Isaac Shelby Democratic-Republican June 4, 1792 June 7, 1796 None 1
2 James Garrard Democratic-Republican June 7, 1796 September 5, 1804 None 2
Alexander Scott Bullitt
3 Christopher Greenup Democratic-Republican September 5, 1804 September 1, 1808 John Caldwell 1
Thomas Posey
4 Charles Scott Democratic-Republican September 1, 1808 August 24, 1812 Gabriel Slaughter 1
5 Isaac Shelby Democratic-Republican August 24, 1812 September 5, 1816 Richard Hickman 1
6 George Madison Democratic-Republican September 5, 1816 October 14, 1816 Gabriel Slaughter ½[3]
7 Gabriel Slaughter Democratic-Republican October 14, 1816 August 29, 1820 vacant ½[4]
8 John Adair Democratic-Republican August 29, 1820 August 24, 1824 William T. Barry 1
9 Joseph Desha Democratic-Republican August 24, 1824 August 26, 1828 Robert B. McAfee 1
10 Thomas Metcalfe National Republican August 26, 1828 September 4, 1832 John Breathitt 1
11 John Breathitt Democratic September 4, 1832 February 21, 1834 James T. Morehead ½[3]
12 James T. Morehead National Republican February 21, 1834 August 30, 1836 vacant ½[4]
13 James Clark Whig August 30, 1836 August 27, 1839 Charles A. Wickliffe ½[3]
14 Charles A. Wickliffe Whig August 27, 1839 September 2, 1840 vacant ½[4]
15 Robert P. Letcher Whig September 2, 1840 September 4, 1844 Manlius V. Thomson 1
16 William Owsley Whig September 4, 1844 September 6, 1848 Archibald Dixon 1
17 John J. Crittenden Whig September 6, 1848 July 13, 1850 John L. Helm ½[5]
18 John L. Helm Whig July 31, 1850 September 2, 1851 vacant ½[4]
19 Lazarus W. Powell Democratic September 2, 1851 September 4, 1855 John B. Thompson 1
20 Charles S. Morehead Know Nothing September 4, 1855 August 30, 1859 James G. Hardy 1
21 Beriah Magoffin Democratic August 30, 1859 August 18, 1862 Linn Boyd ½[6]
vacant
22 James F. Robinson Democratic August 18, 1862 September 1, 1863 vacant ½[7]
23 Thomas E. Bramlette Democratic September 1, 1863 September 3, 1867 Richard T. Jacob 1
24 John L. Helm Democratic September 3, 1867 September 8, 1867 John W. Stevenson ½[3]
25 John W. Stevenson Democratic September 8, 1867 February 3, 1871 vacant 1½[8][9]
26 Preston H. Leslie Democratic February 3, 1871 August 31, 1875 John G. Carlisle 1½[10]
27 James B. McCreary Democratic August 31, 1875 September 2, 1879 John C. Underwood 1
28 Luke P. Blackburn Democratic September 2, 1879 September 5, 1883 James E. Cantrill 1
29 J. Proctor Knott Democratic September 5, 1883 August 30, 1887 James R. Hindman 1
30 Simon B. Buckner Democratic August 30, 1887 September 2, 1891 James W. Bryan 1
31 John Young Brown Democratic September 2, 1891 December 10, 1895 Mitchell C. Alford 1
32 William O. Bradley Republican December 10, 1895 December 12, 1899 William J. Worthington 1
33 William S. Taylor Republican December 12, 1899 January 30, 1900 John Marshall ⅓[11]
34 William Goebel Democratic January 30, 1900 February 3, 1900 J. C. W. Beckham ⅓[11]
35 J. C. W. Beckham Democratic February 3, 1900 December 12, 1907 vacant 1⅓[12]
William P. Thorne
36 Augustus E. Willson Republican December 10, 1907 December 12, 1911 William H. Cox 1
37 James B. McCreary Democratic December 12, 1911 December 7, 1915 Edward J. McDermott 1
38 Augustus O. Stanley Democratic December 7, 1915 May 19, 1919 James D. Black ½[9]
39 James D. Black Democratic May 19, 1919 December 9, 1919 vacant ½[4]
40 Edwin P. Morrow Republican December 9, 1919 December 11, 1923 S. Thruston Ballard 1
41 William J. Fields Democratic December 11, 1923 December 13, 1927 Henry Denhardt 1
42 Flem D. Sampson Republican December 13, 1927 December 8, 1931 James Breathitt, Jr. 1
43 Ruby Laffoon Democratic December 8, 1931 December 10, 1935 A. B. "Happy" Chandler 1
44 A. B. "Happy" Chandler Democratic December 10, 1935 October 9, 1939 Keen Johnson ½[13]
45 Keen Johnson Democratic October 9, 1939 December 7, 1943 Rodes K. Myers 1½[8]
46 Simeon S. Willis Republican December 7, 1943 December 9, 1947 Kenneth H. Tuggle 1
47 Earle C. Clements Democratic December 9, 1947 November 27, 1950 Lawrence W. Wetherby ½[9]
48 Lawrence W. Wetherby Democratic November 27, 1950 December 13, 1955 vacant 1½[8]
Emerson Beauchamp
49 A. B. "Happy" Chandler Democratic December 13, 1955 December 8, 1959 Harry Lee Waterfield 1
50 Bert T. Combs Democratic December 8, 1959 December 10, 1963 Wilson Wyatt 1
51 Edward T. Breathitt Democratic December 10, 1963 December 12, 1967 Harry Lee Waterfield 1
52 Louie B. Nunn Republican December 12, 1967 December 7, 1971 Wendell H. Ford 1
53 Wendell H. Ford Democratic December 7, 1971 December 28, 1974 Julian M. Carroll ½[9]
54 Julian M. Carroll Democratic December 28, 1974 December 11, 1979 Thelma Stovall 1½[8]
55 John Y. Brown, Jr. Democratic December 11, 1979 December 13, 1983 Martha Layne Collins 1
56 Martha Layne Collins Democratic December 13, 1983 December 8, 1987 Steve Beshear 1
57 Wallace G. Wilkinson Democratic December 8, 1987 December 10, 1991 Brereton Jones 1
58 Brereton Jones Democratic December 10, 1991 December 12, 1995 Paul E. Patton 1
59 Paul E. Patton Democratic December 12, 1995 December 9, 2003 Steve Henry 2
60 Ernie Fletcher Republican December 9, 2003 December 11, 2007 Steve Pence 1
61 Steve Beshear Democratic December 11, 2007 incumbent Daniel Mongiardo 1[14]

Notes

  1. ↑ The office of lieutenant governor was created by the second Kentucky Constitution, ratified in 1799.
  2. ↑ The fractional terms of some governors are not to be understood absolutely literally; rather, they are meant to show single terms during which multiple governors served, due to resignations, deaths and the like.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Died in office.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  5. ↑ Resigned to take office as Attorney General of the United States.
  6. ↑ Resigned due to his disagreement with the state legislature over the American Civil War; he espoused neutrality.
  7. ↑ As president of the senate, filled unexpired term – at the time the previous governor resigned, there was no lieutenant governor.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  10. ↑ As president of the senate, filled unexpired term – at the time the previous governor resigned, there was no lieutenant governor; was later elected in his own right.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 William S. Taylor was sworn in to office, but the legislature challenged the validity of his election win, claiming ballot fraud. William Goebel, his challenger in the election, was shot on January 30, 1900. The next day, the legislature named Goebel governor. However, Goebel died from his wounds three days later. Taylor fled the state and never returned, and was pardoned by Governor Augustus Willson in 1909.
  12. ↑ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term until elected to fill it in a special election.
  13. ↑ Resigned to take an appointed seat in the United States Senate.
  14. ↑ Governor Beshear's first term expires December 13, 2011; he is not yet term-limited.

Confederate governors

George W. Johnson, 1st Confederate Governor of Kentucky

During the Civil War, a group of Confederate sympathizers met at the Russellville, Kentucky to form a Confederate government for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. While this government never successfully displaced the government in Frankfort, two men were elected governor of the Confederate government: George W. Johnson, who served from November 20, 1861 to his death on April 8, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh, and, on Johnson's death, Richard Hawes, who served until the Confederate surrender on April 9, 1865. The Confederate government disbanded shortly after the end of the war in 1865.[F]

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional seats, other federal offices, and other governorships held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Kentucky except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
Christopher Greenup 1804–1808 H
John Adair 1820–1824 H S
Joseph Desha 1824–1828 H
Thomas Metcalfe 1828–1832 H S
James T. Morehead 1834–1836 S
James Clark 1836–1839 H
Charles A. Wickliffe 1839–1840 H U.S. Postmaster General
Robert P. Letcher 1840–1844 H Ambassador to Mexico
John J. Crittenden 1848–1850 H S U.S. Attorney General* (twice)
Lazarus W. Powell 1851–1855 S
Charles S. Morehead 1855–1859 H
John W. Stevenson 1867–1871 H S*
Preston Leslie 1871–1875 Governor of Montana Territory
James B. McCreary 1875–1879, 1911–1915 H S
J. Proctor Knott 1883–1887 H
John Y. Brown 1891–1895 H
William O. Bradley 1895–1899 S
J. C. W. Beckham 1900–1907 S
Augustus O. Stanley 1915–1919 H S*
William J. Fields 1923–1927 H
A. B. "Happy" Chandler 1935–1939, 1955–1959 S*
Earle C. Clements 1947–1950 H S*
Bert T. Combs 1959–1963 Sixth Circuit Court Judge
Wendell H. Ford 1971–1975 S*
Ernie Fletcher 2003–2007 H

In addition, one Confederate governor, Richard Hawes, served as a U.S. Representative.

Living former governors

As of June 2008, seven former governors were alive, the oldest being Wendell H. Ford (1971–1975, born 1924). The most recent governor to die was Louie B. Nunn (1967–1971), on January 29, 2004. The most recently-serving governor to die was Wallace G. Wilkinson (1987–1991), on July 5, 2002.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
Wendell H. Ford 1971–1975 September 8, 1924
Julian Carroll 1975–1979 April 16, 1931
John Y. Brown, Jr. 1979–1983 December 28, 1933
Martha Layne Collins 1983–1987 December 7, 1936
Brereton Jones 1991–1995 June 27, 1939
Paul E. Patton 1995–2003 May 26, 1937
Ernie Fletcher 2003–2007 November 12, 1952

References

General
Specific
  • [A] ^ "Kentucky Constitution, Section 69". Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
  • [B] 1 2 3 Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Governor, Office of". 'The Kentucky Encyclopedia'. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720. 
  • [C] ^ "Kentucky Constitution, Section 75". Legislative Research Commission. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
  • [D] ^ Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Goebel Assassination". 'The Kentucky Encyclopedia'. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720. 
  • [E] ^ "Kentucky's Officials". Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives (2005-04-08). Retrieved on 2007-03-06.
  • [F] ^ Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Confederate Government". 'The Kentucky Encyclopedia'. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720. 
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 – G.W. Johnson – Robinson – Hawes – Bramlette · Helm · Stevenson · Leslie · McCreary · Blackburn · Knott · Buckner · Brown · Bradley · Taylor · Goebel · Beckham · Willson · McCreary · Stanley · Black · Morrow · Fields · Sampson · Laffoon · Chandler · K. Johnson · Willis · Clements · Wetherby · Chandler · Combs · E. Breathitt · Nunn · Ford · Carroll · Brown Jr. · Collins · Wilkinson · Jones · Patton · Fletcher · Beshear
 State Seal of Kentucky
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