The Political Graveyard: French ancestry Politicians in Kentucky

PoliticalGraveyard.com

French ancestry Politicians in Kentucky

James Dixon Black (1849-1938) — also known as James D. Black — of Barbourville, Knox County, Ky. Born in Knox County, Ky., September 24, 1849. Democrat. Lawyer; banker; member of Kentucky state house of representatives, 1876-77; candidate for U.S. Representative from Kentucky 11th District, 1896; Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, 1915-19; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1916 (member, Credentials Committee); Governor of Kentucky, 1919; defeated, 1919. Methodist. French ancestry. Member, Freemasons. Died in Barbourville, Knox County, Ky., August 4, 1938 (age 88 years, 314 days). Entombed in mausoleum at Barbourville Cemetery, Barbourville, Ky.

		Relatives: Son of John C. Black and Clarissa (Jones) Black; married 1875 to Mary Jeanett Pitzer.
		See also National Governors Association biography — Find-A-Grave memorial

John Buford, Sr. (1779-1848) — of Versailles, Woodford County, Ky.; Rock Island, Rock Island County, Ill. Born in Barren County, Ky., 1779. Farmer; merchant; member of Kentucky state house of representatives, 1824-27; member of Illinois state senate, 1843-47; postmaster at Rock Island, Ill., 1843-47. Presbyterian. French and English ancestry. Died in Rock Island, Rock Island County, Ill., March 25, 1848 (age about 68 years). Interment at Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island, Ill.

		Relatives: Son of Margaret (Kirtley) Buford and Simeon Buford, Sr.; married, September 6, 1799, to Nancy Hickman; married, January 4, 1825, to Ann Bannister (Howe) Watson; father of John Buford, Jr., Napoleon Bonaparte Buford, Thomas Jefferson Buford and James Monroe Buford.
		Political family: Buford family of Rock Island, Illinois.

Simeon Buford, Sr. (1756-1835) — of Barren County, Ky.; Warren County, Ky. Born in Culpeper County, Va., December 19, 1756. Served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War; farmer; member of Kentucky state house of representatives, 1801-03; a founder of the Kentucky horse racing industry. French and English ancestry. Died in 1835 (age about 78 years). Interment a private or family graveyard, Barren County, Ky.

		Relatives: Son of John Buford and Judith (Early) Buford; married 1777 to Margaret Kirtley; father of John Buford, Sr.; grandfather of Thomas Jefferson Buford and James Monroe Buford.
		Political family: Buford family of Rock Island, Illinois.

Etienne Girard — of Louisville, Jefferson County, Ky. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La. Tobacco leaf broker; Consul for Belgium in Louisville, Ky., 1889-1902. French ancestry. Burial location unknown.

Image source: Louisville Courier-Journal, August 8, 1897

George H. Proffit (1807-1847) — of Petersburg, Pike County, Ind. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., September 7, 1807. Merchant; lawyer; member of Indiana state house of representatives, 1831-33, 1836-39; U.S. Representative from Indiana 1st District, 1839-43; U.S. Minister to Brazil, 1843-44. French and English ancestry. Died in Louisville, Jefferson County, Ky., September 7, 1847 (age 40 years, 0 days). Interment at Walnut Hills Cemetery, Petersburg, Ind.

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