John L. Helm
John LaRue Helm (July 4, 1802 – September 8, 1867) was the 18th and 24th governor of the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky, although his service in that office totaled less than fourteen months.In 1838, his sole bid for federal office ended in defeat when his opponent, Willis Green, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.He invested thousands of dollars of his own money in the project and convinced residents along the line's main route to buy stock in the company.Although he openly opposed secession during the American Civil War, federal military forces labeled Helm a Confederate sympathizer.In September 1862, he was arrested for this alleged sympathy, but Governor James F. Robinson recognized him as he was being transported to a prison in Louisville and had him released.[4][12] One of his sons, Benjamin Hardin Helm, was a Confederate general in the Civil War and was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga.In response, the Kentucky General Assembly passed an act that granted debtors a grace period of two years in repaying their debts unless their creditors would accept payment in the devalued notes of the Bank of the Commonwealth.[13] Throughout 1825, Helm made speeches and distributed pamphlets in Hardin and surrounding counties, espousing the Old Court position.[14] Helm won the election, and at the age of twenty-four became one of the youngest members to serve in the Kentucky General Assembly.[16] Helm made his only run for federal office in 1838 and was defeated by Willis Green for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.[21] Governor Crittenden resigned on July 31, 1850, to accept President Millard Fillmore's appointment as attorney general, and Helm ascended to the governorship.[14][25] Rising labor costs and troubles transporting materials raised expenses far above the projected budget, and at one point Helm personally redeemed $20,000 ($680,000 as of 2025) of the company's bonds.[26] The company's fortunes improved in 1857 when the city of Louisville provided $300,000 ($9.81 million as of 2025) in financial aid and the line was completed on October 18, 1859.[28] By the time the line was finished, there were public calls from inside and outside the company for Helm to resign, mostly because of his support for a proposed Memphis branch of the railroad.[30] Supporters believed the branch would economically help both Louisville and Memphis and would lessen their dependence on trade along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.[1][9] Helm was an outspoken opponent of secession, but also denounced the election of Abraham Lincoln and his use of military force to subdue the southern states.[9] Because Helm did not condemn his son, Benjamin, for joining the Confederate Army, federal authorities classified him as a southern sympathizer.By chance, Kentucky governor James F. Robinson recognized Helm in the group and negotiated with General Jeremiah Boyle to have him released.[39] On January 29, 1867, Helm introduced legislation to organize a meeting in Louisville to rally support for President Andrew Johnson and his efforts to restore the Union.
Governor of KentuckyLieutenantThomas E. BramletteJohn W. StevensonJohn J. CrittendenLazarus W. PowellLieutenant Governor of KentuckyArchibald DixonJohn Burton ThompsonKentucky SenateKentucky House of RepresentativesHardin County, KentuckyElizabethtown, KentuckyDemocratBenjamin HardinBenjaminLucindaHelm PlacePoliticianlawyer18th and 24th governorCommonwealth of KentuckyHardin CountyKentucky General AssemblySpeaker of the Kentucky House of RepresentativesWillis GreenU.S. House of Representativesstate senateWhig Partylieutenant governorCrittenden CompromiseUnited States Attorney GeneralMillard FillmoreLouisville and Nashville RailroadMemphis, TennesseesecessionAmerican Civil WarConfederateJames F. RobinsonLouisvilleDemocratic PartyFrankfortPrince William County, VirginiaRebecca LaRue HelmDuff Greencircuit courtread lawMeade County, Kentuckycounty attorneyRepresentativelove at first sightcourtedBenjamin Hardin HelmCivil WarBattle of ChickamaugaOld Court-New Court controversypanic of 1819Kentucky Court of AppealsContract ClauseU.S. Constitutionimpeachtwo-thirds majorityJohn Adairboth housesSpeaker of the HouseJames Turner MoreheadRobert P. LetcherUnited States House of RepresentativesLaRue CountyJohn Preston Martinattorney generalsinking fundinternal improvementspresidential electorWinfield Scott1852 presidential electionaldermenMemphisBowling GreenGuthrie, KentuckyClarksville, TennesseeMississippiLogan CountyJames GuthrieAbraham LincolnCharles S. MoreheadWarner UnderwoodJeremiah BoyleUnited States CongressReconstruction AmendmentsFreedmen's BureauAndrew JohnsonproscriptionsRepublicansecretary of statesuffrageNational Register of Historic PlacesHarrison, Lowell H.Thomas D. ClarkLowell H. HarrisonAppletons' Cyclopædia of American BiographyCharles A. WickliffeDemocraticGovernors of KentuckyShelbyGarrardGreenupMadisonSlaughterMetcalfeJ. BreathittJ. T. MoreheadWickliffeLetcherOwsleyCrittendenPowellC. S. MoreheadMagoffinG. W. JohnsonRobinsonBramletteStevensonLeslieMcCrearyBlackburn