Recent from talks
Flem D. Sampson
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Flem D. Sampson
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson (January 23, 1875 – May 25, 1967) was the 42nd governor of Kentucky, serving from 1927 to 1931. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1894 and opened a law practice in Barbourville, Kentucky. He formed a political alliance with future Representatives Caleb Powers and John Robsion, both prominent Republicans in the eastern part of the state. By 1916, he was serving on the Kentucky Court of Appeals (the state's highest court at the time) and had previously served as a county judge and circuit court judge. In 1923, he was elevated to chief justice of the Court of Appeals. He served until 1927, when he became the Republican gubernatorial nominee.
The Democrats nominated former governor and senator J. C. W. Beckham to challenge Sampson. The primary issue in the campaign was whether to outlaw parimutuel betting at the state's racetracks. Beckham favored the ban, and Sampson opposed it. A political machine, known as the Jockey Club, backed Sampson, and several key Democrats bolted the party after Beckham's nomination. Sampson won the governorship by over 32,000 votes, but every other Republican on the ticket lost by small majorities. The results suggested that some careful vote fraud had been coordinated to ensure Beckham's defeat, but none was ever proved.
Sampson's term in office was tumultuous. The 1928 legislature was dominated by Democrats and was not particularly responsive to Sampson's proposals. After the session, Sampson was indicted for accepting gifts from textbook companies, but the charges were later dropped. In 1929, Sampson removed Democratic political boss Ben Johnson from his post as highway commissioner. When legislators reconvened in 1930, they retaliated by stripping Sampson of many of his appointment powers and reinstalling Johnson to his post. Later in the session, Sampson proposed to allow Samuel Insull to dam the Cumberland Falls to generate hydroelectric power. The General Assembly instead voted to accept an offer from T. Coleman du Pont to purchase the falls and turn them into a state park. The Assembly voted to restrict further Sampson's powers in 1930. The end of Sampson's term was complicated by the economic realities of the Great Depression. He called out the Kentucky National Guard to quell a violent mine strike in Harlan County, known as the Battle of Evarts. Following his term, Sampson returned to Barbourville and was re-elected as a circuit court judge. He died May 25, 1967, and was buried in Barbourville Cemetery.
Flem Sampson was born in a log cabin near London, Kentucky in Laurel County, the ninth of ten children born to Joseph and Emoline (née: Kellam)[a] Sampson. He was educated in the county's public schools and John T. Hays School. The family moved to Barbourville, Kentucky when Sampson was 13.
By 16, Sampson was teaching at Indian Creek School in Laurel County. He attended Union College in Barbourville and then enrolled at Valparaiso University. He was class president for three years and earned an A.B. in 1894. Per university policy, he was also awarded an LL.B. because prior to graduation, he had studied for at least one year in a law office. He returned to Kentucky and was admitted to the bar in June 1895.
Sampson established his legal practice in Barbourville, where he became the city attorney. Caleb Powers, who had been Sampson's college roommate, now joined him as a partner in his law firm. Powers would later be accused of complicity in the assassination of Governor William Goebel. Because Powers was convicted by a partisan jury, he became a political martyr to many Republicans, and Sampson's connection to him became a boon in heavily Republican eastern Kentucky.
Sampson later served as president of Barbourville's First National Bank and was the youngest person ever to hold that position. He also served as president of the Barbourville Water-works Company. On September 20, 1897,[b] he married Susie Steele; the couple had three daughters—Pauline, Emolyn, and Helen Katherine.
Sampson's political career began in 1906 when he was elected county judge of Knox County, Kentucky, a position that he held for four years. In 1911, he was elected to the circuit court of the 34th Judicial District. He was re-elected to this post in 1916, but later that year, he was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which was then the court of last resort in Kentucky. He represented Kentucky's Seventh Appellate District, and he was elevated to chief justice on January 1, 1923. He was re-elected to the court in 1924.
Hub AI
Flem D. Sampson AI simulator
(@Flem D. Sampson_simulator)
Flem D. Sampson
Flemon Davis "Flem" Sampson (January 23, 1875 – May 25, 1967) was the 42nd governor of Kentucky, serving from 1927 to 1931. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1894 and opened a law practice in Barbourville, Kentucky. He formed a political alliance with future Representatives Caleb Powers and John Robsion, both prominent Republicans in the eastern part of the state. By 1916, he was serving on the Kentucky Court of Appeals (the state's highest court at the time) and had previously served as a county judge and circuit court judge. In 1923, he was elevated to chief justice of the Court of Appeals. He served until 1927, when he became the Republican gubernatorial nominee.
The Democrats nominated former governor and senator J. C. W. Beckham to challenge Sampson. The primary issue in the campaign was whether to outlaw parimutuel betting at the state's racetracks. Beckham favored the ban, and Sampson opposed it. A political machine, known as the Jockey Club, backed Sampson, and several key Democrats bolted the party after Beckham's nomination. Sampson won the governorship by over 32,000 votes, but every other Republican on the ticket lost by small majorities. The results suggested that some careful vote fraud had been coordinated to ensure Beckham's defeat, but none was ever proved.
Sampson's term in office was tumultuous. The 1928 legislature was dominated by Democrats and was not particularly responsive to Sampson's proposals. After the session, Sampson was indicted for accepting gifts from textbook companies, but the charges were later dropped. In 1929, Sampson removed Democratic political boss Ben Johnson from his post as highway commissioner. When legislators reconvened in 1930, they retaliated by stripping Sampson of many of his appointment powers and reinstalling Johnson to his post. Later in the session, Sampson proposed to allow Samuel Insull to dam the Cumberland Falls to generate hydroelectric power. The General Assembly instead voted to accept an offer from T. Coleman du Pont to purchase the falls and turn them into a state park. The Assembly voted to restrict further Sampson's powers in 1930. The end of Sampson's term was complicated by the economic realities of the Great Depression. He called out the Kentucky National Guard to quell a violent mine strike in Harlan County, known as the Battle of Evarts. Following his term, Sampson returned to Barbourville and was re-elected as a circuit court judge. He died May 25, 1967, and was buried in Barbourville Cemetery.
Flem Sampson was born in a log cabin near London, Kentucky in Laurel County, the ninth of ten children born to Joseph and Emoline (née: Kellam)[a] Sampson. He was educated in the county's public schools and John T. Hays School. The family moved to Barbourville, Kentucky when Sampson was 13.
By 16, Sampson was teaching at Indian Creek School in Laurel County. He attended Union College in Barbourville and then enrolled at Valparaiso University. He was class president for three years and earned an A.B. in 1894. Per university policy, he was also awarded an LL.B. because prior to graduation, he had studied for at least one year in a law office. He returned to Kentucky and was admitted to the bar in June 1895.
Sampson established his legal practice in Barbourville, where he became the city attorney. Caleb Powers, who had been Sampson's college roommate, now joined him as a partner in his law firm. Powers would later be accused of complicity in the assassination of Governor William Goebel. Because Powers was convicted by a partisan jury, he became a political martyr to many Republicans, and Sampson's connection to him became a boon in heavily Republican eastern Kentucky.
Sampson later served as president of Barbourville's First National Bank and was the youngest person ever to hold that position. He also served as president of the Barbourville Water-works Company. On September 20, 1897,[b] he married Susie Steele; the couple had three daughters—Pauline, Emolyn, and Helen Katherine.
Sampson's political career began in 1906 when he was elected county judge of Knox County, Kentucky, a position that he held for four years. In 1911, he was elected to the circuit court of the 34th Judicial District. He was re-elected to this post in 1916, but later that year, he was elected to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which was then the court of last resort in Kentucky. He represented Kentucky's Seventh Appellate District, and he was elevated to chief justice on January 1, 1923. He was re-elected to the court in 1924.