Augustus E. Willson - Later Life

Later Life

In the gubernatorial election of 1911, Republicans were divided as to whether they should celebrate Willson's administration or downplay it. His actions to quell the violence in the Black Patch Wars and his pardons to Taylor and Powers were both unpopular with many voters. The eventual candidate, Edward C. O'Rear, was lukewarm at best to Willson's administration. Willson was upset by this hesitancy and lent O'Rear only modest support on the campaign trail. Former governor Bradley also disagreed with O'Rear's selection and engaged in minimal campaigning. The failure of the party to unite behind their candidate gave Democrat James B. McCreary an easy victory.

Following his term as governor, Willson returned to his legal practice in Louisville. From 1910 to 1919, he served on the Harvard University Board of Overseers. In 1914, he was a candidate for the Senate seat of Johnson Camden. It was the state's first senatorial election since passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, meaning the seat would be filled by popular vote rather than by a vote of the legislature. The seat had originally belonged to former governor Bradley, who had died in office. Governor McCreary appointed Camden to fill the unexpired term, but Camden had agreed not to seek re-election so that J. C. W. Beckham could run for the seat. In the Republican primary, Willson defeated Richard P. Ernst. In the general election, the unpopularity of Willson's gubernatorial administration combined with the overwhelming popularity of Democratic President Woodrow Wilson, ensured that Beckham won the seat by more than 32,000 votes. This campaign was Willson's last. He died on August 24, 1931, and is buried in the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.