William Owsley

Infobox Officeholder
name = William Owsley


order = 16^th
office = Governor of Kentucky
term_start = September 4, 1844
term_end = September 6, 1848
lieutenant = Archibald Dixon
predecessor = Robert P. Letcher
successor = John J. Crittenden
birth_date = birth date|1782|3|24|mf=y
birth_place = Virginia
death_date = death date and age|1862|12|9|1782|3|24|mf=y
death_place = Boyle County, Kentucky
party = Whig
spouse = Elizabeth Gill
profession = Lawyer
occupation = Teacher, Surveyor
religion = Presbyterian

William Owsley (March 24, 1782ndash December 9, 1862) was an American politician and jurist who became the sixteenth Governor of Kentucky.

Early life

Owsley was born March 24, 1782 in Virginia, the son of William and Catherine (Bolin) Owsley. In 1783, his family relocated to Lincoln County, Kentucky, settling near Crab Orchard, where he was educated in the public schools. He worked variously as a teacher, surveyor, and deputy sheriff. In 1803, he married Elizabeth Gill, one of his students; the couple had six children.Kleber, p. 702] He then studied law under John Boyle, and opened his legal practice in Garrard County in 1809.Powell, p. 42]

Political career

Owsley's political career began in 1809 when he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving one term. Governor Charles Scott first appointed him to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the state's highest court at the time, in 1810, but the court's membership was reduced soon after, costing Owsley his seat. He was elected to the state House again in 1811, and was re-appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Isaac Shelby in 1813.Sprague, p. 60]

On the Kentucky Court of Appeals

One of the court's most crucial decisions during Owsley's tenure was in the case of "Commonwealth of Kentucky v. James Morrison", which held that the Bank of the United States did not have the right to establish branches in Kentucky. The Supreme Court of the United States later overturned this ruling. A second important decision in which Owsley was a participant was the case of "Blair, etc. v. Williams", which invalidated the Kentucky Replevin Act of 1820 as unconstitutional. This decision was extremely unpopular with the Commonwealth's citizens, but it was affirmed by Owsley's opinion in the case of "Lapsley v. Brashcars and Barr".

Following these decisions, the General Assembly abolished the Court of Appeals and created a new one, beginning the Old Court-New Court controversy. The members of the old courtndash Owsley, John Boyle, and Benjamin Millsndash attempted to continue functioning in that role, but eventually gave way to the new court. In 1828, Mills and Owsley resigned from the defunct old court and were nominated for the new court, but failed to gain confirmation by the state Senate.

Owsley returned to the state House in 1831, and served in the state Senate from 1832 to 1834. He also served as a presidential elector for Henry Clay in 1833. Governor James Turner Morehead appointed him Secretary of State of Kentucky for his shortened term from 1834 to 1836. In 1843, he retired from the practice of law.

As governor of Kentucky

Owsley was elected Governor on the Whig ticket in 1844, defeating William O. Butler. A fiscal conservative, Owsley reduced the state's deficit slightly, and was reluctant to rebuild the state penitentiary, which was damaged by fire. He appointed Robert J. Breckinridge as public school superintendent in 1847, and urged the General Assembly to increase funding for public education. "Nothing but money will do it," proclaimed Owsley, "and it is left to the appropriate departmentndash the legislaturendash to determine on the expediency or inexpediency of raising it." Though he deplored the U.S.-Mexican War, he proudly announced that the Commonwealth had raised 13,700 volunteers, more than five times the number requested of her.

Owsley's tenure was marred by controversy. He pardoned Delia A. Webster, who had been convicted of abetting the escape of slaves. He also removed popular Secretary of State Benjamin Hardin from his post in 1846, replacing him with George B. Kinkead, but the Senate voted that no vacancy existed, and the Court of Appeals upheld this decision. Vindicated, Hardin then resigned, charging the governor with nepotism. [Kleber, pp. 702–703] In the Kentucky Constitution of 1850, the governor was stripped of his power to remove the Secretary of State from office.

Later life and death

Following his term as governor, Owsley retired to his farm in Danville, Kentucky, until the death of his wife in 1858. After this, he lived with his children until he died December 9, 1862. He is buried at Bellview Cemetery in Danville. Owsley County, Kentucky is named in honor of Governor Owsley.

ee also

*Governor William Owsley House

References

*cite web |url=http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=ada6c895ddf56010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD |title=Kentucky Governor William Owsley |publisher=National Governors Association |accessdate=2007-08-28
*cite book |last=Kleber |first=John E. |chapter=Owsley, William |editor=Kleber, John E. |others=Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter |title="The Kentucky Encyclopedia" |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=0813117720
*cite book |last=Powell |first=Robert A. |title="Kentucky Governors" |publisher=Bluegrass Printing Company |location=Danville, Kentucky |year=1976 |id=ASIN|B0006CPOVM, OCLC|2690774
*cite book |last=Sprague |first=Stuart Seely |chapter=William Owsley |title="Kentucky's Governors" |editor=Lowell Hayes Harrison |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |year=2004 |isbn=0813123267

External links

* [http://apps.sos.ky.gov/secdesk/sosinfo/default.aspx?id=23 Biography of Owsley from the Kentucky Secretary of State website]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7182048 Find-A-Grave profile for William Owsley]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/owenby-ozzard.html William Owsley at The Political Graveyard]