Thomas Z. Morrow

Thomas Zanzinger Morrow (September 3, 1836 – August 25, 1913) was a lawyer, judge, and politician from Kentucky. He was one of twenty-eight men who founded the Kentucky Republican Party. His brother-in-law, William O. Bradley, was elected governor of Kentucky in 1895, and his son, Edwin P. Morrow was elected to that same office in 1919.

Morrow actively campaigned for Abraham Lincoln for president in 1860, and served in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly. During the Civil War, he raised and commanded the 32nd Kentucky Infantry Regiment of the Union Army, which was in active service from 1862 to 1863. After the war, he remained active with the Republican Party, and was its nominee for governor in 1883, losing to J. Proctor Knott. He served seventeen years as a circuit court judge for Kentucky's 8th circuit. He died August 25, 1913, after a long illness.

Early life Thomas Morrow was born in Boyle County, Kentucky, on September 3, 1836. He was one of six children born to Alexander S. and Margaret (Boyd) Morrow. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Scotland to Pennsylvania before the Revolutionary War.

Alexander Morrow relocated to Paris, Kentucky, before coming to Flemingsburg. Thomas Morrow matriculated to Centre College and graduated in 1855. Morrow then enrolled in the law school at Transylvania University, graduating in 1856.

Morrow married Catherine Virginia Bradley on December 24, 1858. Bradley was a sister to William O. Bradley, who was elected the first Republican governor of Kentucky in 1895 and later served as a U. S. Senator. The couple had eight children—7 boys and 1 girl. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1861 and served until 1863.

Morrow helped recruit part of the 32nd Kentucky Infantry for the Union Army, though three of his brothers enlisted in the Confederate Army. His opponent was popular six-term congressman J. Proctor Knott. Morrow charged that the Democrats had, since the end of the Civil War, squandered the state's money and accomplished little. He cited as evidence that in 1865, the state's debt was $6 million and the state sinking fund contained $9 million in resources, but by 1883, the sinking fund was exhausted with the state debt still standing at $400,000. Knott won the election by a vote of 133,615 to 89,181. He was elected circuit court judge for Kentucky's 8th circuit in 1886, winning by a margin of 862 votes. Also in 1886, he was chosen division commander of the C. A. Zachary post of the Grand Army of the Republic in Somerset. He was also a member of the Somerset Elks Lodge and a charter member of the Somerset Odd Fellows Lodge. Morrow died at the home of his son, W. Boyd Morrow, on August 25, 1913, after a long illness. He was buried in the city cemetery in Somerset.

Footnotes

Some sources give the name as "Zantzinger".