Shelby, Isaac, 1750-1826

Isaac Shelby, Kentucky's first governor, was born in Maryland in 1750. As a young man, he served in Lord Dunmore's War and the Revolutionary War, from which he emerge as one of the heroes of the Battle of King's Mountain, South Carolina. Following the war, he and his bride, Susannah Hart, moved to Lincoln County, Kentucky, where he quickly became a leader in Kentucky politics. He was chosen as Kentucky's first governor, serving from 1792-1796. Just before the War of 1812, Shelby was persuaded by the public to run for governor again. He defeated Gabriel Slaughter and served as governor from 1812-1816. During the War of 1812, Shelby took steps to defend the state and raised troops for Gen. William Henry Harrison's Northwestern Army, even joining them for the Battle of the Thames on Oct. 15, 1813. After his second term as governor, he and Andrew Jackson negotiated with the Chickasaw Indians in 1818 to purchase for Kentucky the area west of the Tennessee River that became known as the Jackson Purchase. Shelby died at his farm, Travelers Rest, south of Danville, Kentucky, in 1826.

Soldier, and governor of Ky.

Chief of commissary stores, Confederate Department of Western Virginia and Eastern Tennessee.

Army officer and governor of Kentucky.

Born near Hagerstown, Md., Dec. 11, 1760; was surveyor in W. Virginia; lieut. in his father's Co. , 1774; captain, 1776; commissary, 1777; member of legislature, 1779; major; colonel, 1780; members of legislature of N. Carolina, 1781-82; settled at Traveler's Rest. Ky., 1788; first governor of Ky., 1792-96 & 1812-16; joined Genl. Harrison 1813; Secretary of War, 1817; comm. to treaty with Cherokees, 1818; died near Stanford, Ky., July 13, 1826. (from Appleton. Cycl. Am. Biog ; Herringshaw's Amer. Biogr.) (with portr.) (blue card index)

The Shelby and Hart families resided in Kentucky. Prominent family members include Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), a Revolutionary officer and the first governor of Kentucky, 1792-1796 and 1812-1816, and Nathaniel Hart (1734-1782), Revolutionary officer and pioneer. Nathaniel Hart's daughter, Susanna, married Isaac Shelby in 1783.

Governor of Kentucky, soldier.

Isaac Shelby was a militia officer, surveyor, Indian fighter, member of the Virginia legislature and member of the North Carolina legislature before removing to Kentucky in 1783, where, after participating in military affairs and in politics, including the first Kentucky Constitutional Convention, he was elected the newly-formed state's governor in 1792. During his administration some of Shelby's most important acts included stabilizing the government of the new state and lending support to General Anthony Wayne's campaigns in the Northwest Territory. Shelby declined to serve a second consecutive term, but was called from retirement in 1812 because of the war with Great Britain and was again elected governor.

In his second term Shelby aided the federal government in its prosecution of the war and personally led the Kentucky Volunteers in General William Henry Harrison's invasion of Canada, which resulted in a victory for the United States in the Battle of the Thames in 1813. After his second term as governor, Shelby continued to serve on various boards and committees, including those of Transylvania Seminary (now University) in Lexington and Centre College in Danville. In 1817 Shelby declined President James Monroe's offer of serving as the Secretary of War. The following year he served with General Andrew Jackson on a commission to negotiate with the Chicksaw Indians concerning their lands west of the Tennessee River. Shelby died and was buried at his home, "Traveler's Rest," near Danville in 1826.

Governor of Kentucky, soldier.

Isaac Shelby was a militia officer, surveyor, Indian fighter, member of the Virginia legislature and member of the North Carolina legislature before removing to Kentucky in 1783, where, after participating in military affairs and in politics, including the first Kentucky Constitutional Convention, he was elected the newly-formed state's governor in 1792. During his administration some of Shelby's most important acts included stabilizing the government of the new state and lending support to General Anthony Wayne's campaigns in the Northwest Territory. Shelby declined to serve a second consecutive term, but was called from retirement in 1812 because of the war with Great Britain and was again elected governor.

In his second term Shelby aided the federal government in its prosecution of the war and personally led the Kentucky Volunteers in General William Henry Harrison's invasion of Canada, which resulted in a victory for the United States in the Battle of the Thames in 1813. After his second term as governor, Shelby continued to serve on various boards and committees, including those of Transylvania Seminary (now University) in Lexington and Centre College in Danville. In 1817 Shelby declined President James Monroe's offer serving as Secretary of War. The following year he served with General Andrew Jackson on a commission to negotiate with the Chicksaw Indians concerning their lands west of the Tennessee River. Shelby died and was buried at his home, "Traveller's Rest," near Danville, in 1826.

Governor of Kentucky, soldier.

Isaac Shelby was a militia officer, surveyor, Indian fighter, member of the Virginia legislature and member of the North Carolina legislature before removing to Kentucky in 1783, where, after participating in military affairs and in politics, including the first Kentucky Constitutional Convention, he was elected the newly-formed state's governor in 1792. During his administration some of Shelby's most important acts included stabilizing the government of the new state and lending support to General Anthony Wayne's campaigns in the Northwest Territory. Shelby declined to serve a second consecutive term, but was called from retirement in 1812 because of the war with Great Britain and was again elected governor.

In his second term Shelby aided the federal government in its prosecution of the war and personally led the Kentucky Volunteers in General William Henry Harrison's invasion of Canada, which resulted in a victory for the United States in the Battle of the Thames in 1813. After his second term as governor, Shelby continued to serve on various boards and committees, including those of Transylvania Seminary (now University) in Lexington and Centre College in Danville. In 1817 Shelby declined President James Monroe's offer ofserving as the Secretary of War. The following year he served with General Andrew Jackson on a commission to negotiate with the Chicksaw Indians concerning their lands west of the Tennessee River. Shelby died and was buried at his home, "Traveler's Rest," near Danville, in 1826.