Appalachian Figures
The signature that traveled from Frankfort to Washington
On the first day of the 91st Congress, the U.S. Senate read the formal credentials for Kentucky’s newly chosen U.S. Senator, a routine ceremony that depends on states sending sealed, attested certificates. Kentucky’s attestation carried a familiar block: “ELMER BEGLEY, Secretary of State. By MARY R. GALVEZ, Assistant Secretary of State.”
Those same attestation lines appear again across the bound Congressional Record for late 1968 and early 1969, a small but concrete window into how a state office in Frankfort connected to the national stage.
What the Secretary of State actually did in Begley’s era
Look beneath the marble, and the Secretary of State’s hand shows up in the daily machinery of the Commonwealth. Water associations, utilities, and local non-profits filed their articles and amendments through the office. In Public Service Commission case files you can still find embedded certificates that read “ELMER BEGLEY, Secretary of State,” the rubber-stamp proof that a corporation had been properly organized or amended under Kentucky law.
Elections ran through the office as well. The official statewide tabulations and certifications for the 1968 election cycle were issued “From the Office of Elmer Begley, Secretary of State,” which is how Kentuckians of the period would have seen his name most often in print.
The paper trail is not only statistical. Western Kentucky University’s Special Collections holds an “Official Certification of Candidates for Nomination at May 26, 1970 Primary Election, presented by Secretary of State Elmer Begley,” an artifact-level example of the office’s seal and workflow in the months just before his death.
A working office, and a working family
Contemporary coverage shows how the Begleys made the office run. In early 1968, a small-town weekly reported Elmer Begley’s approach to staffing and titles at the start of his term, noting how he handled the question of appointing an assistant within the Secretary of State’s shop.
By mid-1970, as illness set in, news items around the state observed that ongoing projects in the Land Office and related divisions had been interrupted because of Begley’s condition, and that staff hoped to finish the work within his term. That kind of line is typical of community papers that quietly documented the practical reality of a statewide office.
September 1970, and a unique succession
Elmer Begley died in office on September 18, 1970. Three days later, on September 21, 1970, Governor Louie B. Nunn appointed Mrs. Elmer E. Begley, known publicly as Leila Feltner Begley, to complete the term. Louisville’s Courier-Journal carried the announcement plainly, identifying her as succeeding her husband and noting the timing of the appointment. The state’s own historical summary later emphasized the same sequence and still lists Elmer Begley as the only Kentucky Secretary of State to die in office.
Within weeks, federal litigation that touched on ballot access and filing deadlines captioned the new officeholder directly: Pratt v. Begley, naming “Leila Begley, Secretary of State of Kentucky,” which shows how quickly the routine of governance continued even amid a personal transition.
Why this matters for Appalachian political history
Begley’s story is not a tale of sweeping constitutional upheaval. It is a story about the connective tissue of government, the signatures that move between courthouse and Capitol, the certifications that allow businesses to operate, and the tallies that make elections official. That tissue held when it was stressed. The state’s credentials arrived in Washington properly attested. Corporate papers were processed and archived. Election results were compiled, certified, and returned to the counties.
If you want to see the work for yourself, you do not need to rely on reminiscence. You can read the Senate’s credential pages that carry his name, view PSC filings that embed his certifications, and examine election records that rolled out under his letterhead. That is the value of primary sources. They fix a person’s public life in ink, long after the headlines fade.
Sources and further reading
Congressional Record, January 3, 1969. U.S. Senate proceedings and credentials for newly seated Senators, attested “ELMER BEGLEY, Secretary of State. By MARY R. GALVEZ, Assistant Secretary of State.” Congress.gov+1
Public Service Commission case filings with embedded Kentucky Secretary of State corporate certificates bearing “ELMER BEGLEY, Secretary of State,” evidencing corporate organization and amendment functions during his tenure. psc.ky.gov
Statement of the Official Vote of Kentucky, 1968. Tabulations and certifications issued “From the Office of Elmer Begley, Secretary of State,” reflecting election administration during his term. elect.ky.gov
Western Kentucky University, Special Collections. Listing for “Official Certification of Candidates for Nomination at May 26, 1970 Primary Election, presented by Secretary of State Elmer Begley,” demonstrating artifact-level evidence of office practice. westernkentuckyuniversity.pastperfectonline.com
Carlisle Mercury, January 1968. Local coverage at the start of Begley’s term discussing staffing and titles within the office. teacher.nicholas.kyschools.us
Floyd County Times, July 23, 1970. Report noting that office work had been interrupted because of Begley’s illness, providing context for the months preceding his death. fclib.org
The Courier-Journal (Louisville), September 1970. News item announcing that Gov. Louie Nunn appointed Leila Feltner Begley to succeed her husband as Secretary of State. Newspapers
Pratt v. Begley, 352 F. Supp. 328, E.D. Ky. Oct. 9, 1970. Federal case captioned against “Leila Begley, Secretary of State of Kentucky,” documenting the office’s status and continuity after the succession. Justia Law
Kentucky Secretary of State, “Trivia and History.” Notes that Leila Feltner Begley was appointed after Secretary Elmer Begley died in office, and lists Elmer Begley as the only Secretary of State to die while serving. Secretary of State
National Association of Secretaries of State, historical roster. Summarizes Kentucky officeholders, including Leila Feltner Begley serving the unexpired term following Elmer Begley. NASS
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