Edwin P. Morrow

Edwin P. Morrow
40th Governor of Kentucky
In office December 9, 1919 – December 11, 1923
Lieutenant(s)	Thruston Ballard
Preceded by	James D. Black
Succeeded by	William J. Fields
Born	November 28, 1877 Somerset, Kentucky
Died	June 15 1935 (aged 57) Frankfort, Kentucky
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Katherine Waddle
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Presbyterian

Edwin Porch Morrow (November 28, 1877 – June 15, 1935) was a Republican Governor of Kentucky from 1919 – 1923. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 1915, but lost by 471 votes to Augustus O. Stanley. Stanley was replaced mid-term by James D. Black, whom Morrow defeated for Governor in the 1919 race, 53% to 45%. Morrow was born in Somerset, Kentucky and is the only governor from Pulaski County. His father was Thomas Zantzinger Morrow, who was a member of Kentucky state senate, a circuit judge in Kentucky, and a candidate for Governor in 1883. Edwin's mother was Virginia Bradley, whose brother William O'Connell Bradley was the first Republican governor of Kentucky, elected in 1895. The Somerset Public Library, built as a U.S. Post Office in 1912, stands on the former site of the house that Edwin P. Morrow was raised in. Morrow and his twin brother Charles attended Williamsburg Baptist College in Williamsburg, Kentucky and served together in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. After the war, Charles remained in the Army and Edwin went to the University of Cincinnati Law School. He graduated in 1902 and practiced in Lexington. He became city attorney in Somerset then President Taft appointed him U.S. District Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky in 1909. He served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Kentucky several times before and after his term as governor. As governor, Morrow centralized highway works, improved the education system, created the Board of Charities and the Board of Corrections, restricted activities of the Ku Klux Klan, and created two state normal schools. After his term as governor, he served on the United States Railroad Labor Board and the Railway Mediation Board. He resigned from the board to run for Congress in the Ninth District in 1934, but he lost to John M. Robsion. He died unexpectedly of a heart attack the next year. He was married to childhood playmate Katherine Waddle. They had two children, Edwina and Charles Robert. He is buried in Frankfort, Kentucky.

References

• Kentucky Governors 1907-1927
• Pulaski County Historical Fact Book II, Chapter Nine, Biographical Sketches. Published by Somerset Community College.

External links

• Political Graveyard
• Reis, Jim. "Politicians found track a winning combination" The Kentucky Post. Feb. 28, 2005