William Goebel
| William Justus Goebel | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 34th Governor of Kentucky | |
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In office January 31, 1900 – February 3, 1900 |
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| Lieutenant | J. C. W. Beckham |
| Preceded by | William S. Taylor |
| Succeeded by | J. C. W. Beckham |
| President Pro Tempore of the Kentucky Senate | |
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In office 1896–1900 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 4, 1856 Carbondale, Pennsylvania |
| Died | February 3, 1900 (aged 44) Frankfort, Kentucky |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relations | Justus Goebel, brother |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
William Justus Goebel (January 4, 1856 – February 3, 1900) was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for four days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in. Goebel remains the only state governor in the United States to be assassinated while in office.
A skilled politician, Goebel was well able to broker deals with fellow lawmakers, and equally able and willing to break the deals if a better deal came along. His tendency to use the state's political machinery to advance his personal agenda earned him the nicknames "Boss Bill", "the Kenton King", "Kenton Czar", "King William I", and "William the Conqueror".
Goebel's abrasive personality made him many political enemies, but his championing of populist causes, like railroad regulation, also won him many friends. This conflict of opinions came to a head in the Kentucky gubernatorial election of 1899. Goebel, a Democrat, divided his party with self-serving political tactics at a time when Kentucky Republicans were finally gaining strength, having elected the party's first governor four years previously. These dynamics led to a close contest between Goebel and William S. Taylor. In the politically chaotic climate that resulted, Goebel was assassinated. Everyone charged in connection with the murder was either acquitted or eventually pardoned, and the identity of his assassin remains uncertain.
Wilhelm Justus Goebel was born January 4, 1856, in Albany Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, the son of Wilhelm and Augusta (Groenkle) Goebel, immigrants from Hanover, Germany. The first of four children, he was born two months premature and weighed less than three pounds. His father served as a private in Company B, 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War, and Goebel's mother raised her children alone, teaching them much about their German heritage. Wilhelm spoke only German until the age of six, but embraced the culture of his birth country as well, adopting the English spelling of his name.
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