Austin Peay
Encyclopedia
Austin Peay was Governor of Tennessee from 1923 until his death in 1927.
and opened a law practice in 1896. He was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives
in 1901 and re-elected in 1903. A strong supporter of public education
, Peay obtained the Democratic Party
nomination for governor in 1922 to oppose incumbent Republican
governor Alfred A. Taylor
.
Peay defeated Taylor in the election of November, 1922. Inaugurated as governor on January 16, 1923, Peay undertook a major reorganization of state government, partially to strengthen education, but also to improve transportation. The Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works (now Tennessee Department of Transportation
) was established as part of Peay's reorganizational efforts. He was re-elected in 1924.
Peay was governor during the Scopes Trial
. Although he had signed the Butler Act
banning the teaching of the theory of evolution, given his emphasis on and support for education
, it seems unlikely that he was pleased with the nature of the publicity that this event gave the state. (The state government had engaged William Jennings Bryan
to defend the law and prosecute Scopes
, however.) Peay was reelected to a third term in 1926. His health seemed to be declining, and many suggested that attempting to get the state legislature
to fund his education plans properly (which was difficult in view of the limited tax base in the Tennessee of the 1920s) was taking a toll on him. When he died in late 1927 after having had a particularly protracted battle over school funding with the legislature in the spring of that year, many citizens, especially the more progressive ones, reacted almost as if the legislature had killed him.
No Tennessee governor had ever died in office before (neither has any done so since). There was a tremendous outpouring of grief, particularly in some parts of the state, where schools were dismissed, flags flown at half-mast, and people, especially governmental officials, dressed in even more black than was already typical for the time, and all of the traditional symbols of mourning were employed. Peay was succeeded under the terms of the Tennessee State Constitution
by Speaker
of the Senate Henry Horton
. In honor of Peay's leadership in roadbuilding, a bridge over the Cumberland River
in Jackson County, Tennessee (now demolished) was named in his honor the next year. A newly-acquired normal school in Clarksville, Tennessee
(now Austin Peay State University
) was named in his honor in 1929. State Route (SR) 14
from Memphis
, to Cotton Lake, then SR 54
to Brownsville
, then SR 76
to Clarksville
is also named in his honor, as are buildings at most of the other state universities in Tennessee.
Biography
Peay, a native of Kentucky, moved to Clarksville, TennesseeClarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
and opened a law practice in 1896. He was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
in 1901 and re-elected in 1903. A strong supporter of public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
, Peay obtained the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for governor in 1922 to oppose incumbent Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
governor Alfred A. Taylor
Alfred A. Taylor
Alfred Alexander Taylor, nickname Alf Taylor , was a lawyer and politician, serving as United States Congressman from 1889–1895, and later elected the Governor of Tennessee, serving from 1921 to 1923. Notably, in 1886 he lost the gubernatorial race to his younger brother Robert, a Democrat.- Early...
.
Peay defeated Taylor in the election of November, 1922. Inaugurated as governor on January 16, 1923, Peay undertook a major reorganization of state government, partially to strengthen education, but also to improve transportation. The Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works (now Tennessee Department of Transportation
Tennessee Department of Transportation
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is a multimodal agency with statewide responsibilities in aviation, public transit, waterways and railroads...
) was established as part of Peay's reorganizational efforts. He was re-elected in 1924.
Peay was governor during the Scopes Trial
Scopes Trial
The Scopes Trial—formally known as The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes and informally known as the Scopes Monkey Trial—was a landmark American legal case in 1925 in which high school science teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act which made it unlawful to...
. Although he had signed the Butler Act
Butler Act
The Butler Act was a 1925 Tennessee law prohibiting public school teachers from denying the Biblical account of man’s origin. It was enacted as Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 Section 1922...
banning the teaching of the theory of evolution, given his emphasis on and support for education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
, it seems unlikely that he was pleased with the nature of the publicity that this event gave the state. (The state government had engaged William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
to defend the law and prosecute Scopes
John T. Scopes
John Thomas Scopes , was a biology teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, who was charged on May 5, 1925 for violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in Tennessee schools...
, however.) Peay was reelected to a third term in 1926. His health seemed to be declining, and many suggested that attempting to get the state legislature
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
to fund his education plans properly (which was difficult in view of the limited tax base in the Tennessee of the 1920s) was taking a toll on him. When he died in late 1927 after having had a particularly protracted battle over school funding with the legislature in the spring of that year, many citizens, especially the more progressive ones, reacted almost as if the legislature had killed him.
No Tennessee governor had ever died in office before (neither has any done so since). There was a tremendous outpouring of grief, particularly in some parts of the state, where schools were dismissed, flags flown at half-mast, and people, especially governmental officials, dressed in even more black than was already typical for the time, and all of the traditional symbols of mourning were employed. Peay was succeeded under the terms of the Tennessee State Constitution
Tennessee State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules of the U.S. State of Tennessee....
by Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Senate Henry Horton
Henry Hollis Horton
Henry Hollis Horton was Governor of Tennessee from 1927 to 1933.-Biography:Horton was born in Alabama into the family of a Baptist minister. He taught school for six years before being admitted to the bar in 1894. He served several terms in the legislature, and was elected speaker of the...
. In honor of Peay's leadership in roadbuilding, a bridge over the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
in Jackson County, Tennessee (now demolished) was named in his honor the next year. A newly-acquired normal school in Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
(now Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:...
) was named in his honor in 1929. State Route (SR) 14
Tennessee State Route 14
State Route 14 is a south–north route from the Mississippi border in Memphis, Tennessee to intersect with State Route 54 in Tipton County.- Route description :...
from Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, to Cotton Lake, then SR 54
Tennessee State Route 54
Tennessee State Route 54 is a rural highway which runs from Covington, TN to just north of Paris, TN....
to Brownsville
Brownsville, Tennessee
Brownsville is a city in Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Haywood County. The city is named after Jacob Jennings Brown, an officer who served during The War of 1812.-Geography:...
, then SR 76
Tennessee State Route 76
Tennessee State Route 76 is a state highway in Tennessee.At Brownsville it becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 79 and Alternate U.S. Route 70. At Atwood, U.S. 70A pulls away, and SR 76 continues to follow US 79....
to Clarksville
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
is also named in his honor, as are buildings at most of the other state universities in Tennessee.