september august 39th governor kentucky serving seven months ascended office governor elected black graduated taught school studying law admitted bar opened legal practice kentucky eventually son son law partners practice called deeply interested education served superintendent public schools years instrumental founding served president college black chosen democratic nominee lieutenant governor despite having previous political experience elected ticket elevated governor stanley resigned seat seven months governor spent election campaign unable answer charges corruption stanley administration opponent won election votes black returned legal practice served president bank founded older brother campaign manager campaign died pneumonia august early life family born september miles creek kentucky youngest children born jones black black older brother august october captain 49th union_army civil war black educated rural subscription schools graduated near tennessee bachelor_of_arts degree college black returned taught public schools years concurrently studied law admitted bar august opened legal practice black married december couple children members children graduated kentucky went study law admitted bar partner father law firm married partner firm educational career black elected represent counties democrat representing district majority republican voters served single year term black citizens purchased stock fund start new college black insisted college named hoped college unify community continued involved development college serving attorney fund deeply interested education served superintendent public schools returned law practice long time black served master local lodge seven different occasions twice high priest chosen grand master kentucky chosen kentucky governor commissioner representing kentucky forestry mineral departments september black named eighth president following year alma mater awarded honorary doctor laws degree served president political career black returned politics kentucky assistant attorney general chosen democratic nominee lieutenant governor black pro chosen balance ticket opposed prohibition black defeated opponent votes stanley republican votes closest gubernatorial election state history won election political allies time election service kentucky constitution prescribed lieutenant governor act governor time governor left state consequently stanley refused travel state vacation feared approve black appoint governmental offices gone black ascended governorship governor stanley resigned assume seat pro stand cost stanley supporters association stanley prohibition opponent caused support legislative session general_assembly black term potential conflicts legislature avoided black immediately faced accusations poor appointments stanley singled particular criticism ruled commission acted illegally selecting textbooks submitted dummy form black called commissioners resign refused claimed power remove fraud corruption pointed black replace stanley confirmed senate black refused believed black agreed retain stanley exchange stanley support black election campaign settlement state inheritance taxes estates plagued black case governor stanley compromise settlement taxes death compromise criticized black asked attorney general investigate case decided black tenure governor second case stanley appointed special attorneys collect inheritance taxes estate black wanted attorneys resign save state large fees refused remove outright action attorneys member black campaign staff black chosen democratic gubernatorial nominee chief justice votes republicans nominated voters right wrong black little record governor right campaigned attacking stanley administration corrupt cited evidence tax cases black black tried remain positive race focused national issues defending stanley administration touted support president declared support admission support wilson hurt german american voters wilson handling recent coal strikes hurt black traditionally democratic labor vote days election exposed contract approved state purchase cloth man named twice normal price black responded allegation temporarily campaign ordering investigation investigation revealed armstrong bidding behalf brother law prison official stanley administration despite revelation black refused remove members issue finally sank black candidacy won election votes final days office black considered requests executive december issued pardon recent served eighteen years conspiracy assassination governor serving lieutenant governor black assumed presidency named founded older brother chief prohibition inspector kentucky later served director working ninth congressional district campaign manager senator black developed pneumonia died august cemetery
James D. Black