Julian Carroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julian Carroll
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Official portrait, 1975
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| Member of the Kentucky Senate from the 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – January 1, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Lindy Casebier |
| Succeeded by | Adrienne Southworth |
| 54th Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office December 28, 1974 – December 11, 1979 |
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| Lieutenant | Thelma Stovall |
| Preceded by | Wendell Ford |
| Succeeded by | John Y. Brown Jr. |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 29, 1978 – July 10, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | William Milliken |
| Succeeded by | Otis Bowen |
| 46th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office December 7, 1971 – December 28, 1974 |
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| Governor | Wendell Ford |
| Preceded by | Wendell Ford |
| Succeeded by | Thelma Stovall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Julian Morton Carroll
April 16, 1931 West Paducah, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 2023 (aged 92) Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Charlann Harting
(m. 1951; died 2014) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Paducah Junior College University of Kentucky (BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
Julian Morton Carroll (born April 16, 1931 – died December 10, 2023) was an American lawyer and politician from Kentucky. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 54th Governor of Kentucky from 1974 to 1979. He took over after Wendell H. Ford resigned to join the U.S. Senate. Later, Carroll was a member of the Kentucky Senate. He represented areas like Anderson, Franklin, and Woodford counties.
Julian Carroll was the first Kentucky governor from the state's far-western Jackson Purchase region. His lieutenant governor, Thelma Stovall, was the first woman ever elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky. After finishing college and serving as an Air Force lawyer, Carroll returned home. He became well-known for helping bring lower-cost electricity to his county. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives five times starting in 1962. He even served as the Speaker from 1968 to 1970.
In 1971, he ran for lieutenant governor and won. He became governor in December 1974 when Governor Ford moved to the U.S. Senate. Carroll then won a full term as governor in 1975. As governor, he helped public education and encouraged using coal during the energy crisis. He also changed the state's court system. Many natural disasters happened during his time, which led to better safety rules. In 2004, he was elected to the Kentucky Senate and served until 2021. He passed away in 2023 at 92 years old.
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Early Life and Education
Julian Carroll was born in West Paducah, Kentucky in McCracken County, Kentucky. He was one of eleven children. His family moved to Heath, where his father opened an auto repair shop. When he was young, Carroll lived with his grandparents to help care for his grandfather.
In 1949, Carroll was chosen to attend Kentucky Boys/Girls State. This is a summer camp where high school students learn about government. At the camp, Carroll was elected governor of the mini-government. He graduated from Heath High School in 1950 as the second-best student in his class.
Carroll married Charlann Harting in 1951. They had four children together. Their daughter, Ellyn, was the first child born to a Kentucky First Family while they lived in the Kentucky Governor's Mansion.
Carroll earned a degree from Paducah Junior College in 1952. He then moved to Lexington and attended the University of Kentucky. He worked to pay for his studies. In 1954, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. In 1956, he earned a law degree.
After college, Carroll joined the Air Force. He worked as an Air Force lawyer for three years. Then, he returned to Paducah and became a lawyer. He was also active in community groups.
Leading the TVA Campaign
In 1960, local business leaders asked Carroll to help bring the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to McCracken County. TVA offered cheaper electricity. Voters needed to approve buying out the current power company. Carroll led the campaign, and nine months later, voters strongly approved the change.
Political Career Highlights
Serving in the State Legislature
The TVA campaign made Carroll well-known. In 1962, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives. He served five terms there. From 1968 to 1970, he was the Speaker of the House.
As Speaker, Carroll wanted to make the House more orderly. He stopped people from eating on the floor and kept outsiders out during debates. He even broke his gavel several times trying to get everyone's attention! His efforts worked, and the House became much more organized.
Becoming Lieutenant Governor
In 1971, Carroll decided to run for Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky. He teamed up with former governor Bert T. Combs. Even though Combs lost the governor's primary, Carroll won his primary race for lieutenant governor. He then won the general election against Republican Jim Host.
As lieutenant governor, Carroll led important committees. He also chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors.
Leading as Governor of Kentucky
In 1974, Governor Ford ran for the U.S. Senate and won. This meant Carroll became governor. In 1975, he ran for a full term as governor and won the Democratic nomination.
In the main election, Carroll faced Republican Robert E. Gable. Carroll won by a very large margin, setting a record for the Kentucky governor's race. His running mate, Thelma Stovall, became the first woman elected lieutenant governor in Kentucky's history.
Carroll had a lot of experience in the state legislature. This helped him guide new laws. He helped make big changes to Kentucky's court system. Voters approved an amendment in 1975 to reorganize the courts. The state's highest court was renamed the Kentucky Supreme Court. A new Court of Appeals was also created. This made Kentucky's legal system a model for other states.
A major focus for Carroll was improving public schools. He used money from a coal tax and a better economy to increase teacher salaries. He also made textbooks free and helped poor school districts build new schools. Programs for special education and gifted students were also started. Because of these changes, Kentucky's schools improved a lot.
Carroll also focused on energy. As governor of a top coal-producing state, he supported using coal to help with the 1973 energy crisis. He advised President Jimmy Carter on energy issues. He also created a state energy department.
During his time as governor, Kentucky faced many challenges. There were floods and extreme cold, including the Great Blizzard of 1978. Two mine explosions and the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire also happened. These events led to stronger safety laws and better fire marshal services in the state.
Carroll served as chairman of the National Governors Association in 1978. He received honorary degrees from several universities.
Later Political Career
After being governor, Carroll went back to practicing law in Frankfort, Kentucky. In 1987, he tried to run for governor again but did not win the primary election. In 2001, a highway in Kentucky was renamed the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway in his honor.
Serving in the State Senate
In 2004, Carroll was elected to the Kentucky Senate. He represented District 7. He won by a large margin. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2012. In 2016, he won a fourth term without anyone running against him. He announced in 2019 that he would not run for re-election in 2020. Julian Carroll passed away in December 2023 at the age of 92.
