Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe)

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Thomas Metcalfe served as Kentucky's tenth governor. He was elected to office in 1828 and was affiliated with the National Republican (later Whig) Party.

Metcalfe was born March 20, 1780 in Fauquier County, Virginia. In 1804 his family moved to Fayette County, Kentucky, later settling in Nicholas County. Metcalfe received little education in the common schools before being apprenticed to his older brother as a stonemason at the age of sixteen. Among his handiwork is the oldest Kentucky courthouse at Greensburg in Green County. During this time he was given the nickname "Old Stonehammer" which stayed with him the rest of his life.

Metcalfe held various political positions. He served in the State House of Representatives from 1812 to 1816, taking time out to serve as a captain at the Battle of Fort Meigs during the War of 1812. In 1819, Metcalfe was elected to the United States Congress where he served until he resigned in 1828 in order to run for governor.

In 1827, Metcalfe became the first Kentucky gubernatorial candidate to be nominated by party convention rather than by caucus. Metcalfe ran for governor under the National Republican Party (later Whig) against the Jacksonian party's nominee, William T. Barry, at a time when Andrew Jackson was extremely popular. Because it was Metcalfe who exemplified the common man more than Barry, Metcalfe rode Jackson's coattails into office by a slim margin. The voters of the state did not elect Metcalfe's running mate, however, and his lieutenant governor, John Breathitt, was from the Jacksonian Democratic party.

While in office, Metcalfe's main concern was internal improvements. The establishment and repair of roads, canals, and railways dominated his administration and is visible in the number of internal improvement bills passed by the legislature during Metcalfe's four years in office despite the opposition of President Jackson to providing government money for improvements. Another issue of importance during Metcalfe's administration was education, since he wanted to improve the quality of common school education in Kentucky. While his concern was genuine, no action of any consequence concerning education occurred during his administration. He did call for reports on the state of the educational system, which eventually showed that only one-third of the state's children were in any kind of school, but the only bill that resulted from these reports was amended to make county participation nonobligatory, thus destroying any chance of bettering the school system.

Other major issues during Metcalfe's term concerned passage by the United States Congress of the 1828 tariff, known as the Tariff of Abominations, and South Carolina's nullification threat; the abolition of the branch banks of the Bank of the Commonwealth; prison reform; and Kentucky's support for the American Colonization Society.

Metcalfe's term in office ended in 1832. He then served as a state senator from 1834 to 1838 and was elected president of the State Board of Internal Improvements in 1840, a position which he held until 1848. In 1848 he was appointed to the United States Senate to complete the term of John J. Crittenden. While in the Senate, he denounced secession and declared that Kentucky would always uphold the Union.

Following his service in the Senate, Metcalfe retired to his Nicholas County farm, Forest Retreat. Metcalfe died of cholera on August 18, 1855, and was buried in the family graveyard.

From the description of Subunit history. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145415715

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Shuff, John. John and Angeline Lindsay Shuff papers, 1829-1840. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Requisitions for the return of fugitives from justice, 1830-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Randolph, Philip Grymes, 1801-1836. Philip G. Randolph letter, 1830 Oct. 1. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Military correspondence, 1829-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862. Printed letter signed M. Van Buren, to: "His Excellency, the Governor of Kentucky," April 16, 1829, Washington. Wellesley College
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Executive minute book, 1828-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Appointments by the governor - civil appointments, 1829-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Executive journal, 1828-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Proposed regimental boundary line changes, [1828-1832?]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Governor's correspondence, 1829-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Appointments by the governor - military appointments, 1828-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Letter book, 1829. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Petitions for pardons, 1829-1832. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, KDLA
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Daniel Smith military commission, 1831 May 7. Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Petitions for remissions, 1829-1832. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Messages to the General Assembly, [1828-1832?]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Special studies and reports to the governor, 1830-1831. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Subunit history. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Enrolled bills, 1828-1831. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
creatorOf Kentucky. Governor (1828-1832 : Metcalfe). Appprehension of fugitives from justice papers, 1829-1832 (bulk 1829, 1832). Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky State Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Bank of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky. Circuit Court (Lawrence County) corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky. General Assembly. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky. Militia. corporateBody
associatedWith Kentucky. Militia. Regiment, 22nd. 6th Brigade corporateBody
associatedWith Metcalfe, Thomas, 1780-1855. person
associatedWith Randolph, Philip Grymes, 1801-1836. person
associatedWith Shuff, John. person
associatedWith Smith, Daniel, fl. 1831. person
associatedWith Transylvania University corporateBody
associatedWith Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
United States
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Tennessee
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky--Lexington
Kentucky
Simpson County (Ky.)
Kentucky
Kentucky
Kentucky
Tennessee
Subject
Academic libraries
Education
Banks and banking
Bills, Legislative
Boundaries, State
Canals
Crime
Criminals
Election districts
Executive power
Extradition
Fines (Penalties)
Fugitives from justice
Governor
History
Incorporation
Inland navigation
Interstate controversies
Interstate relations
Military discipline
Military policy
Municipal incorporation
Munitions
Pardon
Public schools
Remission (Civil law)
Resolutions, Legislative
Roads
Roads
Runaway slaves
School districts
Statutes
Tariff
Taxation
Occupation
Activity
Administering armed forces
Administering state government
Appointing military personnel
Appointing public officers
Communicating
Documenting legislation
Extraditing
Law enforcing
Pardoning
Recording
Recording legislation

Corporate Body

Active 1829

Active 1832

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