A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians (Extract)

By E. Polk Johnson, Lewis Publishing Company (1912)

Everett E Winn:- Thorough learning in his profession and well directed effort have gained to Mr Winn definite precedence as one of the representative members of the bar of his native country, and he is established in successful practice at Warsaw, besides which he is at present time the efficient incumbant of the office of commonwealth attorney for the fifteenth judicial district.

Everett Ellsworth Winn was born on a farm near Warsaw, Gallatin County, on the 16th March 1869 and is the son of Thomas J.& Harriet (Gilbert) Winn., the former of whom was likewise a native of Gallatin County and the latter of whom was born in Harrison County. The genealogy in the agnatic line is traced back to staunch Welsh origin, and on the maternal side the lineage is of Scots-Irish extraction.

William Winn, great grandfather of him who initiates this sketch, was a native of Culpepper County, Virginia, in which historic commonwealth the family was founded in Colonial days, and prior to the opening of the nineteenth century he came to Kentucky and located a tract of land in the present county of Gallatin, about 5 miles distant from Warsaw, the county seat. here he developed a farm and on the old homestead he continued to reside until his death. There was born his son William, next in line of descent to the present commonwealth attorney of Gallatin County. William Winn (II) was here reared to maturity under the scenes and conditions of the pioneer epoch and his entire active career was one of close and duly successful identification with agricultural pursuits. He lived to a goodly old age and his wife, whose name was Margaret Flick (FLACK), attained to the venerable age of ninety-two years. They became the parents of six sons and two daughters, and of the number Thomas J is the eldest.

Thomas J Winn has long been numbered among the representative agriculturists of his native country and for many years he has been extensively engaged in the growing of tobacco, a line of enterprise which was also followed by his father and grandfather. His cherished and devoted wife, who was summoned to the life eternal in 1904, was a daughter of William Gilbert, who was born in Ireland, whence he emigrated to America when a young man. He established his home in Harrison County, Kentucky, and was numbered among the sterling pioneers of that section of the state. Thomas J & Harriet (Gilbert) Winn became the parents of two sons and four daughters, and one of the number died in infancy. The other 5 are still living and the youngest of the number is he to whom this article is dedicated.

Everett E Winn (long section about education, studies and admittance to the bar - cut out - sorry).

Mr Winn has ever given an intelligent and staunch alliance to the cause of the Democratic Party and in 1894, after completion of his college work, he was made party nominee for the office of sheriff of Gallatin County. He was elected by a gratifying majority and was the first to hold this office in Gallatin County under the new state constitution. Upon the expiration of his term he was succeeded by his brother William N Winn.

In 1901 he appeared as a candidate for the office of County Judge, but was defeated in the primary election by only thirty-five votes. In 1903 he was elected to represent his native county in the lower house of the state legislature, in which he served one term and in which connection he made a splendid record as an active and effective worker in the deliberations of the floor and the committee rooms. He was accorder the unusual recognition of being made a member of the committee on rules, chairman of the railway committee and a member of three other important committies.

In the spring of 1909 Mr Winn was made the candidate of his party for the office of commonwealth attorney for the fifteenth judicial district, comprising the counties of Caroll, Grant, Owen, Gallatin and Boone, and he was vitorious at the polls. He assumed the duties of this important office on the 1st Jan 1910 for a term of six years, and he has the distinction of being the first man elected to this position from Gallatin County. In the primary electionhe received all but eighty-four votes, and as a public prosecutor he has made a record for able and efficient service, through which he has added materially to his professional laurels.

Mr Winn is affiliated with the Warsaw lodge and chapter of the Masonic fraternity and has passed the various official chairs in each. He has maintained an impregnable hold upon popular confidence and esteem and his careful observance of professional ethics has gained to him the high reagrd of his confrers at the bar.

In the year 1898 Mr Winn was united in marriage to Miss Mary Alice Montgomery, who was born in Franklin County, this state, and who is a daughter of Captain James Montgomery, a gallant soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war. Mrs Winn is a prominet factor in the best social life of her home city and is a zealous worker in the Christian church, of which both she and her husband are members, Mr and Mrs Winn have two children:- Montgomery Ellsworth, who was born on the 1th July 1899, and Robinson McConnell, who was born on the 25th July 1906.

Document extract ends here - 24 Feb 2009