The Adjutant General of Kentucky is the senior-most officer and head of the Kentucky National Guard, second only to the governor acting as commander-in-chief as leader of Kentucky's armed forces.

The current adjutant general is Major General Haldane B. Lamberton, who was appointed by Governor Andy Beshear on December 10, 2019.

History

Formation The first constitution of Kentucky, ratified in April 1792, named the Governor of Kentucky as commander-in-chief of the army, navy, and militia of the commonwealth and granted them the authority to appoint field and staff officers.

While the exact date is unknown, Governor Isaac Shelby appointed Percival Pierce Butler as Kentucky's first adjutant general. The first official act taken by General Pierce is recorded to have been in March 1793.

Notable adjutants general and events In 1851, Governor John L. Helm appointed future Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan to the position at the age of 18 despite the fact that he had no prior experience serving in public office, and his only military experience was limited training for the Mexican–American War.

Samuel Ewing Hill, who served in the position from 1887 to 1891, is sometimes pointed to as the origin of the euphemism, "Sam Hill." General Hill was tasked by Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner to investigate the Hatfield-McCoy feud following a threat by West Virginia Governor Emanuel Willis Wilson to send the state militia across the Kentucky border to resolve the situation. From this, some newspapers began to question "what in the Sam Hill is going on," when reporting on the feud.

From February 3 to May 22, 1900, the office of adjutant general was contested as part of the wider disputes that resulted from the assignation of Governor William Goebel. General Daniel Collier –who was appointed by Governor William S. Taylor– and General John Breckinridge Castleman –appointed by Governor J. C. W. Beckham– each claimed the office. Following the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Taylor v. Beckham, Collier conceded the office to Castleman. Notably, both men had previously served as adjutant general in past administrations.

Beginning with the promotion of Adjutant General Roscoe L. Murray in 1950, all future adjutants general would automatically be commissioned as a major general.

Appointment and qualifications Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 36.020 stipulates each governor must appoint an adjutant general immediately upon taking office. For the appointee to be eligible for the position they must have:

Served at least 10 years in the Kentucky National Guard; Have attained the rank of lieutenant colonel; Have not been separated from the Kentucky National Guard for more than five years; and Meet the federal requirements for their current rank as well as the ranks of brigadier general and major general.

List of adjutants general +No.PortraitNameTerm of officeGovernor(s) served1Percival Pierce Butler1793 – 1817Isaac Shelby James Garrard Christopher Greenup Charles Scott Isaac Shelby George Madison Gabriel Slaughter2Oliver G. Waggener1817 – 1828Gabriel Slaughter John Adair Joseph Desha3Preston S. Loughborough1828 – 1829Joseph Desha4Peter Dudley1829 – 1851Thomas Metcalf John Breathitt James T. Morehead James Clark Charles A. Wickliffe Robert P. Letcher William Owsley John J. Crittenden John L. Helm5John Marshall Harlan1851 – 1859John L. Helm Lazarus W. Powell Charles S. Morehead6Scott Brown1859 – 1861Beriah Magoffin7John William Finnell1861 – 1863Beriah Magoffin James F. Robinson8John Boyle1863 – 1864Thomas E. Bramlette9Daniel Weisiger Lindsey1864 – 1867Thomas E. Bramlette10Frank Lane Wolford1867 – 1870John W. Stevenson11Josiah Stoddard Johnston1870 – 1871John W. Stevenson12James Allen Dawson1871 – 1875Preston H. Leslie13John Montgomery Wright1875 – 1879James B. McCreary14Joseph Preyer Nuckols1879 – 1883Luke P. Blackburn15John Breckenridge Castleman1883 – 1887J. Proctor Knott16Samuel Ewing Hill1887 – 1891Simon Bolivar Buckner17Andrew Jackson Gross1891 – 1893John Y. Brown18John Crepps Wickliffe1893 – 1894John Y. Brown19Andrew Jackson Gross1894 – 1895John Y. Brown20Daniel Ray Collier1895 – 1898William O'Connell Bradley21Wilbur Rush Smith1898William O' Connell Bradley22Daniel Ray Collier1898 – 1900William O' Connell Bradley Williams S. Taylor William Goebel J. C. W. Beckham23John Breckenridge Castleman1900William Goebel J. C. W. Beckham24David Rodman Murray Jr.1900 – 1903J. C. W. Beckham25William Purcell "Percy" Dennis Haly1903 – 1906 J. C. W. Beckham26Henry Robert Lawrence1906 – 1907J. C. W. Beckham27Philip Preston Johnston1907 – 1912Augustus E. Wilson28William Birch Haldeman1912 – 1914James B. McCreary29James Tandy Ellis1914 – 1919Augustus O. Stanley James D. Black30James Madison DeWeese1919 – 1920Edwin P. Morrow31Isaac Wilder1920 Edwin P. Morrow32Jackson Morris1920 – 1923Edwin P. Morrow33Jouett Henry1923 – 1924William J. Fields34James Arthur Kehoe1924 – 1927William J. Fields35William Henry Jones Jr.1927 – 1932Flem D. Sampson Ruby Laffoon36Henry H. Denhardt1932 – 1935Ruby Laffoon37George Lee McLain1935 – 1939Albert "Happy" Chandler38John Arthur Polin1939 – 1944Keen Johnson39Gustavus Herbert May1944 – 1947Simeon Willis40Roscoe Lee Murray1947 – 1951Earle C. Clements Lawrence W. Wetherby41Jesse Scott Lindsey1951 – 1955Lawrence W. Wetherby42John Jacob Bethurum Williams1955 – 1959Albert "Happy" Chandler43Arthur Young Lloyd1959 – 1967Bert Combs Edward T. Breathitt44Allan Kenneth Carrell1967 – 1968Louie Nunn45Larry Clark Dawson1968 – 1971Louie Nunn46Richard L. Frymire Jr.1971 – 1977Wendell Ford Julian Carroll47Billy Gene Wellman1977 – 1987Julian Carroll John Y. Brown Jr. Martha Layne Collins48Michael Walker Davidson1987 – 1991Wallace G. Wilkinson49Tebbs Shewmaker Moore1991 Wallace G. Wilkinson50Robert Louis DeZarn1991 – 1995Brerton C. Jones51John Russell Groves Jr.1995 – 2001Paul Patton52Dean Allen Youngman2001 – 2003Paul Patton53Donald C. Storm2003 – 2007Ernie Fletcher54Edward W. Tonini2007 – 2015Steve Beshear55Stephen R. Hogan2015 – 2019Matt Bevin56Haldane B. Lamberton2019 – PresentAndy Beshear

References

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