James D. Black
James D. Black | |
---|---|
Augustus O. Stanley | |
Preceded by | Edward J. McDermott |
Succeeded by | S. Thruston Ballard |
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | |
In office 1876 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Tusculum College | September 24, 1849
Profession | Attorney |
Signature | |
James Dixon Black (September 24, 1849 – August 5,
Black graduated from
Black was chosen as the
Early life and family
Black was born on September 24, 1849, nine miles from
Black was educated in the rural and subscription schools in and around Barbourville.
Black married Mary Jeanette "Nettie" Pitzer on December 2, 1875, in Barbourville.[7] The couple had three children: Pitzer Dixon, Gertrude Dawn, and Georgia Clarice. All were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.[7] All three children graduated from what is now Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. Pitzer then went on to study law at the University of Virginia.[8] After being admitted to the bar, he became a partner in his father's law firm.[8] Georgia Black married Hiram Hercules Owens, who also became a partner in the Barbourville firm of Black, Black, and Owens.[8]
Educational career
Black was elected to represent Knox and Whitley counties in the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1876.[8] A Democrat representing a district with a majority of Republican voters, he served a single, one-year term.[4]
In 1879, Black and other citizens of Barbourville purchased stock to fund the start up of a new college in Barbourville.
A long-time
On September 10, 1910, Black was named the eighth president of Union College.
Political career
Black returned to politics in 1912 when he became Kentucky's first assistant attorney general.
Though Stanley and Black won the election, they never became political allies.
Black ascended to the governorship on May 19, 1919, when Governor Stanley resigned to assume a seat in the U.S. Senate.[6] His pro-temperance stand cost him many of Stanley's supporters, while his association with Stanley, a prohibition opponent, caused his support to wane among prohibitionists.[14] There was no legislative session of the General Assembly during Black's term, so potential conflicts with the legislature were avoided.[14]
Black immediately faced accusations of poor appointments by Stanley. The School Textbook Commission was singled out for particular criticism. The
The settlement of state
In 1919, Black was chosen as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee over John D. Carroll, chief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, by more than 20,000 votes.[13] The Republicans again nominated Edwin P. Morrow, who implored voters to "Right the Wrong of 1915".[15] Since Black had very little record as governor in his own right, Morrow campaigned against him by attacking Stanley's administration as corrupt.[5] Morrow cited as evidence the tax cases of Mr. Harkness and Mrs. Bingham and Black's inaction against the State Textbook Commission.[5][13]
Black tried to remain positive in his race, and focused on national issues rather than defending Stanley's administration. He touted his support of
Days before the election, Morrow exposed a contract approved by the state Board of Control to purchase cloth from a man named A. S. J. Armstrong at twice its normal price. Black responded to the allegation by temporarily suspending his campaign and ordering an investigation. The investigation revealed that Armstrong was a plumber who was bidding on behalf of his brother-in-law, a former prison official in the Stanley administration. Despite this revelation, Black refused to remove members of the Board of Control. This issue finally sank Black's candidacy; Morrow won the election by more than 40,000 votes.[16]
In his final days in office, Black considered many requests for executive
In 1918, while still serving as lieutenant governor, Black had assumed the presidency of the John A. Black National Bank of Barbourville, named for and founded by his older brother.
References
- ^ Hay, p. 151; some sources give August 4.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hay, p. 149.
- ^ a b c Kerr, p. 3
- ^ a b c Johnson, p. 1552
- ^ a b c d e f Harrison in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, p. 83
- ^ a b c d e "Kentucky Governor James Dixon Black"
- ^ a b Johnson, p. 1553
- ^ a b c d e f g Kerr, p. 4
- ^ Johnson, pp. 1552–1553
- ^ "Past Presidents". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ Powell, p. 84
- ^ Harrison in A New History of Kentucky, pp. 285–286
- ^ a b c d e f Klotter, p. 232
- ^ a b c Hay, p. 150
- ^ Klotter, p. 233
- ^ a b c Hay, p. 151.
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
- ISBN 0-8131-2008-X. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
- Hay, Melba Porter (2004). Lowell H. Harrison (ed.). Kentucky's Governors. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2326-7.
- Johnson, E. Polk (1912). A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians: The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities. Lewis Publishing Company. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- Kerr, Charles; William Elsey Connelley; Ellis Merton Coulter (1922). History of Kentucky. Vol. 4. The American Historical Society. ISBN 9780598572998. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
- ISBN 0-916968-24-3. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
- "Kentucky Governor James Dixon Black". National Governors Association. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- Powell, Robert A. (1976). Kentucky Governors. Danville, Kentucky: Bluegrass Printing Company. OCLC 2690774.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-8131-2253-8. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
External links