Kentucky. Governor (1907-1911 : Willson)

Augustus Everett Willson was elected Governor of Kentucky in 1907. A member of the Republican Party, he served until his term expired in 1911.

Willson was born in 1846 in Maysville, Kentucky. Upon being orphaned at the age of twelve, he moved east with relatives and eventually to Cambridge, Massachusetts where he received a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1869. He also studied law there for a short period of time.

Eventually, Willson began working for John Marshall Harlan, an attorney in Louisville who became a United States Supreme Court Justice in 1877. It was Harlan who introduced Willson to the Republican Party. Willson ran on the Republican Party ticket for a seat in the Kentucky Senate in 1879 and the House in 1884, 1886, 1888, and 1892, losing each time because of his Republican affiliations in a predominantly Democratic state.

In 1907, the Republican Party nominated him as their candidate for governor despite his never holding a major public office. The campaign leading up to that election was very hostile with temperance being the main issue. By election day, the Democrats were divided and the voters did not turn out in the numbers expected. Willson won with an absolute majority of votes.

Willson's entire term was also plagued with controversy. In western Kentucky, tobacco price-fixing was a problem. "Night Riders" used violence and intimidation to get independent tobacco growers to join their cooperatives. Willson tried to mediate but was unsuccessful. He eventually had to declare martial law in some areas and send in the State Guard. Even though it was successful, he was criticized for not discussing it with local authorities first.

Throughout the remainder of Willson's term, the liquor question was a major source of controversy. Because of partisan politics concerning this issue, very few pieces of progressive legislation were passed.

When Willson left office in 1911, he resumed his law practice in Louisville. He only ran for office one more time, in 1914, for the United States Senate, but lost. Willson died in 1931 and is buried in Cave Hill Cemetary in Louisville.

From the description of Subunit history. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145416646