The Residents
Twenty three Governor's have lived in the "new" Governor's Mansion. Each one of them has left their own mark or piece of history within the Bowling Green Limestone walls. Some have appreciated the opportunity to live in the house while others found it a burden as they've served their respective terms and left their own legacies.
It is usually assumed that the Governor's spouse will serve as the "official" hostess of events at the Governor's Mansion. Some spouses took the "job" and its obligations as their mandated task. Others simply tried to make the stately and very public house a private home for their families.
Governor McCreary's wife had died before he could move into Kentucky's new home for its Governors. So his granddaughter served as the Mansion's first official hostess. Governor Collins was Kentucky's first female Governor. So she served not only as the state's Chief Executive, but also as the hostess of the state's house. Her husband, Dr. Bill Collins, continued to work as a dentist.
To view the actual portraits of the Kentucky Governors, please visit the Hall of Governors at the Kentucky History Center.
THE GOVERNORS
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Governor
James B.
McCreary
1914 to 1915
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Governor
Augustus O.
Stanley
1915 to 1919
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Governor
James D.
Black
1919
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Governor
Edwin P.
Morrow
1919 to 1923
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Governor
William J.
Fields
1923 to 1927
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Governor
Flem D.
Sampson
1927 to 1931
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Governor
Ruby
Laffoon
1931 to 1935
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Governor
A.B. Chandler
1935 to 1939 &
1955 to 1959
|
|
Governor
Keen
Johnson
1939 to 1943
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Governor
Simeon S.
Willis
1943 to 1947
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Governor
Earle C.
Clements
1947 to 1950
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Governor
Lawrence W.
Wetherby
1950 to 1955
|
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Governor
Bert T.
Combs
1959 to 1963
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Governor
Edward
Breathitt
1963 to 1967
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Governor
Louie B.
Nunn
1967 to 1971
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Governor
Wendall
Ford
1971 to 1974
|
|
Governor
Julian
Carroll
1974 to 1979
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Governor
John Y.
Brown, Jr.
1979 to 1983
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Governor
Martha Layne
Collins
1983 to 1987
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Governor
Wallace
Wilkinson
1987 to 1991
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|
Governor
Brereton C.
Jones
1991 to 1995
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Governor
Paul E.
Patton
1995 to 2003
|
Governor
Ernie
Fletcher
2003 to 2007
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THE SPOUSES
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Harriet Newberry McCreary
1914 to 1915
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Sue Soaper
Stanley
1915 to 1919
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Jeanette Pitzer
Black
1919
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Katherine Hale Waddle Morrow
1919 to 1923
|
|
Dora McDavid
Fields
1923 to 1927
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Susan Stele Sampson
1927 to 1931
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Mary Nisbit
Laffoon
1931 to 1935
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Mildred Watkins Chandler
1935 to 1939 &
1955 to 1959
|
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Eunice Nichols Johnson
1939 to 1943
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Ida Lee Millis
Willis
1943 to 1947
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Sara McGoodwin Blue Clements
1947 to 1950
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Helen Dwyer Wetherby
1950 to 1955
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Mabel Hall
Combs
1959 to 1963
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Frances Holleman Breathitt
1963 to 1967
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Beula Cornelius
Nunn
1967 to 1971
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Jean Neal
Ford
1971 to 1974
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Charlann Harting Carroll
1974 to 1979
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Phyllis George
Brown
1979 to 1983
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Dr. Bill
Collins
1983 to 1987
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Martha
Wilkinson
1987 to 1991
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Elizabeth "Libby" Lloyd Jones
1991 to 1995
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Judi Conway
Patton
1995 to 2003
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Glenna Foster Fletcher
2003 to 2007
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