Wallace Wilkinson - Revision history

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BHathorn at 12:29, November 23, 2021

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BHathorn: Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder |name=Wallace Glenn Wilkinson, Sr. |image=Wallace Wilkinson of KY.jpg |office=57th Governor of Kentucky |term_start=December 8, 1987 |term_end=Decem..."

2021-11-23T12:26:04Z

Created page with "{{Infobox officeholder |name=Wallace Glenn Wilkinson, Sr. |image=Wallace Wilkinson of KY.jpg |office=57th Governor of Kentucky |term_start=December 8, 1987 |term_end=Decem..."

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{{Infobox officeholder
|name=Wallace Glenn Wilkinson, Sr.
|image=Wallace Wilkinson of KY.jpg
|office=57th [[Governor]] of Kentucky
|term_start=December 8, 1987
|term_end=December 10, 1991
|preceded=Martha Layne Collins
|successor=Brerton Chandler Jones
|birth_date=December 12, 1941
|birth_place=Casey County, Kentucky
|death_date=July 5, 2002 (aged 60)
|death_place=[[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], Kentucky.
|resting_place=Sarasota Memorial Park in Sarasota, [[Florida]]
|spouse=Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (married 1960-2002, his death)
|children=Wallace Wilkinson, Jr.>br>
Andrew Stafford Wilkinson
|alma_mater=Liberty (Kentucky) High School<br>
[[Campbellsville University|Campbellsville College]]<br>
[[University of Kentucky]] (did not graduate)
|occupation=[[Business]]man
|party= [[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
}}

'''Wallace Glenn Wilkinson, Sr.''' (December 12, 1941 – July 5, 2002), was a [[business]]man who served a single term from 1987 to 1991 as the 57th [[Governor]] of his native [[Kentucky]]. He was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]].<ref name=findagrave>Wallace Glenn Wilkinson (1941-2002) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>

A native of Casey County in central Kentucky, Wilkinson was the son of Hershel Wilkinson (1896-1974), a farmer and grocer, and the former Cleo Lay (1906-1986). He had two older brothers, Clarence (1924-1999) and Leonard Herschel (1929-1999) and a sister, Alma Lou Haggard (1945-2018).
,<ref name=findagrave/>

In 1959, he graduated from Liberty High School in the town of Liberty, the seat of Casey County, at which he played [[basketball]]. He worked in several jobs as a teenager, including co-ownership of a shoeshine stand. He studied at [[Campbellsville University|Campbellsville College]] in Campbellsville in neighboring Taylor County. In 1962, he enrolled at the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] but left college to start a nationally successful book retail business, which made a fortune selling used textbooks. Wilkinson earned great wealth through investments in [[real estate]], [[farming]], transportation, banking, [[coal]], and construction.<ref Roger C. Adams, "Wallace Glenn Wilkinson (1987–1991)," in Lowell H. Harrison, ed., ''Kentucky's Governors: Updated Edition'' (Lexington:University of Kentucky Press, 2004).

On April 10, 1984, Wilkinson was allegedly kidnapped by a business associate, Jerome B. Jernigan (1929-1984). In 1977, Wilkinson had provided Jernigan with start-up money to establish a wood veneer business. The company went defunct though Jernigan's son, Victor, continued to work for Wilkinson in another capacity until 1982.<ref>The Mystery of the Wilkinson Kidnapping - kentuckymonthly.com, accessed Novembr 22, 2021.</ref> Jernigan died in a Lexington motel just three months after the alleged kidnapping.<ref>Jerome B Jernigan (1929-1984) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>

==Political life==
In 1987, Wilkinson joined a crowded field in the Kentucky Democratic gubernatorial [[primary]]. He made little headway until he hired [[James Carville]] of [[New Orleans]] as his campaign consultant. He advocated a state lottery to raise money for the state's coffers, which he accomplished through a state constitutional amendment. He won the primary over two former governors, John Young Brown, Jr., and Julian Morton Carroll, and the sitting lieutenant governor and later governor, [[Steve Beshear]]. Wilkinson carried the support of Democratic power broker, former Governor and [[United States Senator]] [[A. B. "Happy" Chandler]], who in 1967 endorsed Louie B. Nunn. Wilkinson admired [[U.S. President]] [[Ronald Reagan]], although he said that he wished Reagan had remained a Democrat like himself. Reagan switched parties in 1962 and was elected governor of [[California]] four years later. He also tried to stay out of the public spotlight until he ran for governor.<ref>Andy Mead, "Man Who Covets Privacy Has Grown More Public," "Lexington Herald-Leader,'' April 12, 1984.</ref>

Then he polled nearly two thirds of the vote in the [[general election]], against his [[Republican Party|Republican]] challenger, state Representative John David Harper (1930-2001) of Shepherdsville in Bullitt County near [[Louisville]]<ref>John David Harper (1930-2001) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref> A [[Moderate Republican]], Harper was nominated when the conservative attorney Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Forgy, who had been the counsel to Republican former Governor [[Louie B. Nunn]], withdrew from the race because of fund-raising problems. In the general election, Wilkinson defeated Harper by a vote of 504,674 (65 percent) to 273,141. He exceeded the previous majority of 62.8 percent which Julian Carroll had set in 1975.<ref>Al Cross, "Wilkinson, Wallace Glenn," in Lowell H. Harrison, James C. Klotter, and Thomas D. Clark," ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1992), ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.</ref> Wikinson prevailed in 115 of Kentucky's 120 counties, 16 more than the record 99 that Julian Carroll took in 1975. Among the counties he lost is Fayette, his long-time place of residence.<ref>Cindy Rugely, "Low Turnout, Other Factors Temper Wilkinson Victory, ''Lexington Herald-Leader,'' November 4, 1987.</ref>.

Governor Wilkinson crafted an education reform bill. But his administration was plagued by political scandal and an uneasy relationship with the state legislature and with Lieutenant Governor Brereton Chandler Jones, a former [[West Virginia]] Republican-turned-Kentucky Democrat. The two disagreed on many points, and Wilkinson finished several thousand votes behind Jones. Wilkinson unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow him to pursue a second consecutive term as governor. Kentucky governors have since gained the right of succession, but for decades the commonwealth had a "one-term and out" rule. When the measure failed, his wife, Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014), whom he wed in 1960, attempted to run for governor to succeed him but soon withdrew because of diminished support for her candidacy. Mrs. Wilkinson's parents were also grocers. As First Lady, she was known as an advocate for adult literacy.<ref>Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>

After leaving office, Wilkinson encountered difficult financial times. In 2001, a group of creditors filed suit against him because of questionable business practices. He was accused of operating a [[Ponzi scheme]] to prop up his struggling businesses. He and Martha filed for bankruptcy later that year. Wilkinson died at the age of sixty of arterial blockages, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and a stroke. His wife withdrew life support in accordance with his previously-expressed wishes. The Wilkinson's are both interred at Sarasota Cemetery in Sarasota, [[Florida]].<ref name=findagrave/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Kentucky]]
[[Category:Florida]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:Kentucky Governors]]
[[Category:Former Governors]]
[[Category:Democrats]]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 |term_end=December 10, 1991
 |preceded=Martha Layne Collins
-|successor=Brerton Chandler Jones
+|successor=[[Brereton Jones|Brerton Chandler Jones]]
 |birth_date=December 12, 1941
 |birth_place=Casey County, Kentucky
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 '''Wallace Glenn Wilkinson, Sr.''' (December 12, 1941 &ndash; July 5, 2002), was a [[business]]man who served a single term from 1987 to 1991 as the 57th [[Governor]] of his native [[Kentucky]]. He was a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]].<ref name=findagrave>Wallace Glenn Wilkinson (1941-2002) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>
-A native of Casey County in central Kentucky, Wilkinson was the son of Hershel Wilkinson (1896-1974), a farmer and grocer, and the former Cleo Lay (1906-1986). He had two older brothers, Clarence (1924-1999) and Leonard Herschel (1929-1999) and a sister, Alma Lou Haggard (1945-2018).
+A native of Casey County in central Kentucky, Wilkinson was the son of Hershel Wilkinson (1896-1974), a farmer and grocer, and the former Cleo Lay (1906-1986). He had two older brothers, Clarence (1924-1999) and Leonard Herschel (1929-1999) and a sister, Alma Lou Haggard (1945-2018).<ref name=findagrave/>
 In 1959, he graduated from Liberty High School in the town of Liberty, the seat of Casey County, at which he played [[basketball]]. He worked in several jobs as a teenager, including co-ownership of a shoeshine stand. He studied at [[Campbellsville University|Campbellsville College]] in Campbellsville in neighboring Taylor County. In 1962, he enrolled at the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] but left college to start a nationally successful book retail business, which made a fortune selling used textbooks. Wilkinson earned great wealth through investments in [[real estate]], [[farming]], transportation, banking, [[coal]], and construction.<ref Roger C. Adams, "Wallace Glenn Wilkinson (1987–1991)," in Lowell H. Harrison, ed., ''Kentucky's Governors: Updated Edition'' (Lexington:University of Kentucky Press, 2004).
@@ Line 37: / Line 36: @@
 Then he polled nearly two thirds of the vote in the [[general election]], against his [[Republican Party|Republican]] challenger, state Representative John David Harper (1930-2001) of Shepherdsville in Bullitt County near [[Louisville]]<ref>John David Harper (1930-2001) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref> A [[Moderate Republican]], Harper was nominated when the conservative attorney Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Forgy, who had been the counsel to Republican former Governor [[Louie B. Nunn]], withdrew from the race because of fund-raising problems. In the general election, Wilkinson defeated Harper by a vote of 504,674 (65 percent) to 273,141. He exceeded the previous majority of 62.8 percent which Julian Carroll had set in 1975.<ref>Al Cross, "Wilkinson, Wallace Glenn," in Lowell H. Harrison, James C. Klotter, and Thomas D. Clark," ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'' (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 1992), ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.</ref> Wikinson prevailed in 115 of Kentucky's 120 counties, 16 more than the record 99 that Julian Carroll took in 1975. Among the counties he lost is Fayette, his long-time place of residence.<ref>Cindy Rugely, "Low Turnout, Other Factors Temper Wilkinson Victory, ''Lexington Herald-Leader,'' November 4, 1987.</ref>.
-Governor Wilkinson crafted an education reform bill. But his administration was plagued by political scandal and an uneasy relationship with the state legislature and with Lieutenant Governor Brereton Chandler Jones, a former [[West Virginia]] Republican-turned-Kentucky Democrat. The two disagreed on many points, and Wilkinson finished several thousand votes behind Jones. Wilkinson unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow him to pursue a second consecutive term as governor. Kentucky governors have since gained the right of succession, but for decades the commonwealth had a "one-term and out" rule. When the measure failed, his wife, Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014), whom he wed in 1960, attempted to run for governor to succeed him but soon withdrew because of diminished support for her candidacy. Mrs. Wilkinson's parents were also grocers. As First Lady, she was known as an advocate for adult literacy.<ref>Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>
+Governor Wilkinson crafted an education reform bill. But his administration was plagued by political scandal and an uneasy relationship with the state legislature and with Lieutenant Governor [[Brereton Jones]], a former [[West Virginia]] Republican-turned-Kentucky Democrat. The two disagreed on many points, and Wilkinson finished several thousand votes behind Jones. Wilkinson unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow him to pursue a second consecutive term as governor. Kentucky governors have since gained the right of succession, but for decades the commonwealth had a "one-term and out" rule. When the measure failed, his wife, Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014), whom he wed in 1960, attempted to run for governor to succeed him but soon withdrew because of diminished support for her candidacy. Mrs. Wilkinson's parents were also grocers. As First Lady, she was known as an advocate for adult literacy.<ref>Martha Carol Stafford Wilkinson (1941-2014) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed November 22, 2021.</ref>
 After leaving office, Wilkinson encountered difficult financial times. In 2001, a group of creditors filed suit against him because of questionable business practices. He was accused of operating a [[Ponzi scheme]] to prop up his struggling businesses. He and Martha filed for bankruptcy later that year.  Wilkinson died at the age of sixty of arterial blockages, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and a stroke. His wife withdrew life support in accordance with his previously-expressed wishes. The Wilkinson's are both interred at Sarasota Cemetery in Sarasota, [[Florida]].<ref name=findagrave/>

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 {{reflist}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkinson, Wallace]]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkinson, Wallace}}
 [[Category:Kentucky]]
 [[Category:Florida]]