36 Facts About Gabriel Slaughter

Gabriel Slaughter was the seventh Governor of Kentucky and was the first person to ascend to that office upon the death of the sitting governor.

Gabriel Slaughter's family moved to Kentucky from Virginia when he was very young.

Gabriel Slaughter became a member of the Kentucky militia, serving throughout his political career.

Gabriel Slaughter received a citation from the state legislature in recognition of his service at the Battle of New Orleans.

Four years later, Gabriel Slaughter was again elected as lieutenant governor, serving under George Madison.

Madison died a short time into his term, whereupon Gabriel Slaughter became acting governor.

Gabriel Slaughter sought to be sworn in as governor, but public sentiment turned against him when he replaced Shelby's son-in-law with John Pope as Secretary of State.

Gabriel Slaughter died September 19,1830, and was buried in his family's cemetery.

Gabriel Slaughter was educated in the county's public schools and worked as a farmer.

Gabriel Slaughter's father visited Kentucky as early as 1776, and moved to Mercer County permanently in 1789.

Gabriel Slaughter became known for his generosity, and his large mansion on the turnpike to Lexington was nicknamed "Wayfarer's Rest" because of the vast number of travelers that he allowed to stay there.

In 1795, Gabriel Slaughter was appointed justice of the peace in Mercer County by Governor Isaac Shelby.

Gabriel Slaughter was named to the Committee on Enrollments, and probably served as chair, since he delivered the committee's reports to the Assembly.

Gabriel Slaughter was re-elected to the state House in 1799.

Gabriel Slaughter was re-elected to the state House in 1800, and from 1801 to 1808 he served in the Kentucky Senate.

Gabriel Slaughter had been commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in the Fifth Regiment of the Kentucky militia on December 24,1803.

Gabriel Slaughter was promoted to the rank of major in 1802 and colonel in 1803.

Units from Kentucky and Tennessee, including Gabriel Slaughter's regiment, bore the brunt of the British attack.

Gabriel Slaughter's troops were in reserve, behind the rest of Major General William Carroll's troops on the left wing Gabriel Slaughter was later recognized by the state legislature for his service.

In 1816, Gabriel Slaughter was again elected to the post of lieutenant governor over Richard Hickman and James Garrard.

Madison died October 14,1816, and Gabriel Slaughter ascended to the governorship.

Gabriel Slaughter did replace Todd with former Senator John Pope apparently as a political favor.

Yet Slaughter followed up with another unpopular decision, appointing Martin D Hardin, a member of the hated Federalist Party, to fill the Senate seat of William T Barry.

Nevertheless, Gabriel Slaughter was never officially given the title of governor and was referred to as "lieutenant governor" or "acting governor" throughout his administration.

Gabriel Slaughter's unpopularity led to the demise of many of his proposals, regardless of their merits.

Gabriel Slaughter suggested a comprehensive system of public schools and, though the idea had been proposed by previous governors, Slaughter devised a means of funding it.

Gabriel Slaughter further proposed a reform of the penal system and recommended internal improvements, including the creation of a state library.

Gabriel Slaughter's governorship was further complicated by the financial panic of 1819, and he spent the majority of his term working to stabilize that state's economy.

Gabriel Slaughter challenged the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States and the Supreme Court's ruling that individual states could not tax branches of the Bank.

Gabriel Slaughter voted to ask Congress for aid for the Deaf and Dumb School in the state, and opposed redirecting fines and forfeitures earmarked for the state's "Seminaries of Learning" into the state treasury.

Gabriel Slaughter was named to a joint committee to investigate the use of state appropriations to Transylvania University.

Concurrent with his political career, Gabriel Slaughter took a leading role in the affairs of his church.

Gabriel Slaughter was born into the tradition of the Church of England, but soon became associated with the Baptist congregation at Shawnee Run.

Gabriel Slaughter served as a messenger from this congregation to the various associations with which it was connected for over thirty years.

One such association was the South District Association; Gabriel Slaughter served as clerk at that body's annual meeting in 1808 and 1809, and later served as its moderator for nine years.

Gabriel Slaughter died on September 19,1830, and was interred in his family's cemetery in Mercer County.