Have you ever wondered about war heroes? Or perhaps someone in your family serves in the military. Military service usually requires people to be separated from their families for long periods of time. Often troops are cold, wet, lonely and doing a very dangerous job. Just as today, throughout history brave men and women have dedicated their lives to military service. Isaac Shelby, Kentucky's first governor was a hero in three wars. During his military service he too must have suffered sad, lonely dangerous times separated from his family.

Isaac Shelby was born near Hagerstown, Maryland in 1750; his family moved to VVirginia in 1772. At 24 years old Shelby fought in Lord Dumore's War, a frontier conflict with Native Americans. Then he served in the Revolutionary War, the war which established the United States as a separate country. Shelby was instrumental in winning the Revolutionary War Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina on October 7,1780.

In 1783, Shelby and his wife Susannah (Hart) Shelby moved to Lincoln County, where they raised ten children. In Lincoln County, Shelby became a leader in Kentucky politics. Kentucky was granted statehood in 1792, and Shelby was unanimously elected first governor, which he served as from June 4, 1792 through June 1, 1796.

Sixteen years later Kentuckians were becoming fearful of entering into war against Great Britain. Shelby was persuaded to run for governor, which he won easily based on his military experience. In 1813 while still governor he led troops into the Battle of Tahmes, where the British and their Native American allies were defeated. Shelby soon returned and finished his term in 1816,

The Legendary Andrew Jackson and Shelby worked together in 1818 when they negotiated with the Chickasaw Native Americans for the purchase of the land west of the Tennessee River that became known as the Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky.

Shelby retired to his farm called Travelers Rest, south of Danville, where he died in 1826 and is buried in the family cemetery next to Susannah.

 Source:

Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky1992.