Harrison, William Benjamin (1889-1948) Scrapbook, 1931

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: William Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1948

Title: Scrapbook, 1931

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection: 1 volume (1 cubic foot)

Locator Number: Mss./A/H323

Biographical Note

William Benjamin Harrison was born in Louisville in1889. He was educated at Louisville Male High School and the University of Virginia, graduating with a law degree in 1910. He served as a Captain in the army during World War I and returned to Louisville work for Kentucky Refrigerating Company and Foundry Products Co. In 1927 he was elected to a two year term as Mayor of Louisville after the Kentucky Court of Appeals threw out the election of Republican Arthur A Wills. He was elected to a full term in 1929 and served as Mayor until 1933. During his administration he arranged funding for the municipal bridge across the Ohio River, the Clark Memorial Bridge.

Harrison was the Republican candidate for governor of Kentucky in 1931. He was defeated by the Democratic candidate, Ruby Laffoon. After his term as Mayor ended, he became the President of the Louisville Industrial Foundation. He served as President for 14 years before retiring. He died of lung cancer in 1948 and is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery.

Scope and Content Note

A large scrapbook of newspaper clippings collected by the Harrison campaign in his 1931 bid for Governor of Kentucky on the Republican ticket. The race included Harrison and John C. Worsham on the Republican ticket and Ruby Laffoon and Happy Chandler on the Democratic ticket. The scrapbook has clippings discussing the issues of the day such as the Highway Commission scandal and the fraud in the Louisville DMV. There are also political cartoons and editorial articles discussing both candidates and articles about women’s political clubs for both parties.

Subject Headings

Barkley, Alben William, 1877-1956

Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991

Democratic Party (Ky.)

Governors – Elections

Harrison, William Benjamin, 1889-1948

Johnson, Ben

Kentucky – Politics and government – 1865-1950

Laffoon, Ruby, 1869-1941

Mayors – Kentucky – Louisville

Morrow, Edwin Porch, 1877-1935

Political cartoons

Republican Party (Ky.)

Roads – Kentucky

Sampson, Flemon Davis, 1875-1967

Scandals – Kentucky – Louisville

Socialist Labor Party

Women in politics – Kentucky

Worsham, John C., 1879-1939