Augustus E. Willson

Augustus Everett Willson ( born October 13, 1846 in Maysville, Kentucky; † August 24, 1931 in Louisville, Kentucky ) was an American politician and the 36th Governor of the state of Kentucky.

Early youth and political rise

Augustus Willson received his education in New York State. He attended the Alfred Academy and Harvard University. He then studied at Harvard Law School Law and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He then worked as a lawyer for John Marshall Harlan, who later became chairman of the Supreme Court of the United States (Chief Justice of the United States ). The two remained lifelong friends.

Willson was a member of the Republican Party and was 1884-1916 present on almost all Republican National Convention as a delegate. He missed only the party conventions in 1896 and 1900. He found it difficult, however, to be elected to public office. Several attempts to reach the Congress, failed, as a candidate for the Senate from Kentucky. In 1903 he was defeated in the Republican primaries Morris B. Belknap. Four years later, he succeeded but then to get his party's nomination.

Governor of Kentucky

Given the fragmentation within the Democratic Party on the issue of Prohibition, he succeeded in the elections with 51.2 % of the vote against Samuel Hager ( 46.9%) to win. His term of office began on 10 December 1907, and ended four years later on 12 December 1911. Two events of his reign are worth mentioning. For one, he often made ​​use of his pardon rights. Almost all participants in the murder of former Governor William Goebel, including the suspect Ex - Governor William Taylor, were pardoned. This approach was not without controversy and had a party-political connotation. Secondly, it is worth mentioning that he declared a state of military emergency to quell unrest in the western part of the country ( Black Patch Tobacco Wars ). Otherwise, the governor had no great political success, whatever it was that he found no majority for his proposals. Nationwide, he was from 1908 to 1910 Chairman of the National Governor meetings.

After the end of his term he was re- attorney in Louisville. From 1910 to 1919 he was on the supervisory board of Harvard University. Willson died in August 1931. He was married to Mary Elizabeth Eklin.

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