William Morgan BECKNER, Congress, KY (1841-1910)

BECKNER, William Morgan, a Representative from Kentucky; born in Moorefield, Nichols County, Ky., June 19, 1841; attended the public schools, Rand and Richeson Seminary, Maysville, Ky., and Centre College, Danville, Ky.; worked on a farm and was subsequently a clerk in a country store at Bethel, Bath County, Ky.; became a private tutor and taught school for two years in Orangeburg and Maysville; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1864 and commenced practice in Winchester, Ky.; city judge in 1865; served as prosecuting attorney in 1866 and 1867; was elected judge of Clark County in 1870; established the Clark County Democrat in 1867, which he owned and edited for a number of years; appointed State prison commissioner in 1880; served as State railroad commissioner from 1882 until 1884, when he resigned; president of the interstate educational conventions held in Louisville in 1883 and 1885; member of the State constitutional convention in 1890; member of the State house of representatives in 1893; chairman of the Democratic State convention in 1893; elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-third Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Marcus C. Lisle and served from December 3, 1894, to March 3, 1895; unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1894; resumed the practice of law; died in Winchester, Ky., March 14, 1910; interment in Winchester Cemetery.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present