Day 49: Augustus E. Wilson

The 36th governor of Kentucky was born in Maysville.

According to Local Historian Ron Bailey, Augustus E. Wilson was born in Maysville as the son of Hiram and Ann Ennis Wilson on Oct. 13, 1846.

He was the younger brother of the poet, Forceythe Wilson.

According to Bailey, Wilson was orphaned at 12 years old and lived with his relatives in New York and Massachusetts.

He attended and graduated from Harvard University in 1869.

Later, Wilson returned to his home state in Louisville and studied law under John Marshall Harlan, who later became an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, Bailey said.

In 1875, the Maysville native was appointed chief clerk of the United States Treasury Department in Washington, D.C.

According to Bailey, Wilson “threw his hat into the political ring” in Kentucky in 1884, 1886, 1888 and 1892 when he ran for United States representative. Wilson was defeated each time, Bailey said.

As a Republican in a majority Democratic state, Wilson was defeated again in his first attempt at running for governor.

In 1907, Wilson prevailed over Democratic Candidate Samuel Hagar in the race for governor.

“The big issue in this race was the ongoing Black Patch Tobacco Wars in Western Kentucky. In the election, Willson won as strong support from the urban areas, especially Louisville carried the Maysville native as he became the 36th governor of Kentucky,” Bailey said.

Wilson’s lieutenant governor during his term was William Hopkinson Cox, who was also a Maysville native.

Bailey noted this was the only time a Kentucky governor and lieutenant governor were both natives of the same city in Kentucky.

According to Bailey, several of Wilson’s decisions as newly elected governor drew the “ire” of the Democratic General Assembly in Frankfort.

Wilson advocated for the sanctioning of temperance legislation, called for marital law in several western counties during the Black Patch War and pardoned former Gov. William S. Taylor and several others involved in the assassination of Gov. William Goebel.

“To say the least, the General Assembly never considered or passed any of the Governor’s agendas,” Bailey said.

On Dec. 12, 1911, Wilson left the office of Kentucky governor and returned to his Louisville law practice.

Bailey noted Wilson also served on the Harvard University Board from 1912 to 1919.

Wilson passed away on Aug. 24, 1931, and was buried at the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.