Governor Shelby House and Family
Speaker: Wesley Francis
The Shelby family is closely tied to Kentucky’s history, with Isaac Shelby, a key figure in the American Revolutionary War, earning the title “The Hero of Kings Mountain” for his leadership. This fame led to his election as Kentucky’s first governor in 1792. Shelby acquired extensive land through military service and inheritance, establishing his estate, Traveller’s Rest, on the first preemption granted in Kentucky, reportedly found while he hunted buffalo for Fort Boonesborough.
