AHGP Transcription Project
|
James T. Morehead
Ex-Gov. James T. Morehead was born May 24, 1797, near Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky, and died in Covington, Kentucky, December 28, 1854, aged 57; when 3 years old, removed with his father to Russellville, Logan County, where he enjoyed the advantages of the village schools; was at Transylvania University, 1813-15; studied law with Judge H. P. Broadnax, and afterwards with John J. Crittenden, who was then living at Russellville; settled at Bowling Green, and began the practice of law, in the spring of 1818; was elected to the legislature, 1828, '29, '30; while attending the convention at Baltimore which nominated Henry Clay for the presidency and John Sergeant for the vice presidency, was nominated for lieutenant governor, and elected Aug., 1832; upon the death of Gov. John Breathitt, February, 1834, was inaugurated governor, serving until Sept., 1836; was made ex-officio president of the board of internal improvement, Feb., 1835, and afterwards, under a change of the law, in 1838, commissioned by Gov. Clark to the same office, having already, since March, 1837, been the state agent for the sale of bonds for internal improvement purposes; resumed the practice of law at Frankfort, in the fall of 1836, and was elected to the legislature from Franklin county, Aug., 1837; in the winter of 1839-40, he and Colonel John Speed Smith were elected by the legislature commissioners to the state of Ohio, to obtain the passage of a law for the protection of the property of citizens of Kentucky in their slaves, which mission was entirely successful; was U. S. senator from Kentucky, 1841-47, and on his retirement resumed the practice of law, at Covington. In the U. S. senate as a debater, few men ranked higher; whenever announced to speak, the lobbies and galleries were filled with spectators. As a speaker, he was remarkably fluent and energetic, with a manner eminently graceful and dignified. As a statesman, he was sound and conservative, and his political and general information was extensive and varied. His library, embracing the largest collection then known of works relating to the history of Kentucky, was purchased by the Young Men's Mercantile Association of Cincinnati. His address at the anniversary of the first settlement of Kentucky at Boonesborough, in 1840, was an invaluable historical summary, and rescued from oblivion a number of documents not elsewhere preserved.
|
