Woodson, Urey, 1859-1939

Newspaperman, politician.

Woodson was born in Madisonville, Ky. He had a long and varied dual career in newspaper publishing and in politics. He was editor and publisher of the OWENSBORO MESSENGER from 1888 to 1929, when he "retired" from the newspaper business. He was very active in the Democratic Party at both the state and national levels for an even longer period of time. He actively supported the careers of William Jennings Bryan, William Goebel and Alben Barkley in particular. He served on the Democratic National Committee from 1896 to 1916, and again from 1924 to 1928. He was committee secretary from 1904 to 1912. He was rewarded for his services to Franklin Roosevelt in the election of 1932 with the post of Alien Property Commissioner, a position he held from 1933 to 1939. Woodson published a biography of William Goebel, THE FIRST NEW DEALER, in 1939, shortly before his death.

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