Successful lawyer. Effective politician. Governor, judge, and the true personification of the American Dream. The proud Kentuckian, Bert T. Combs.
Before solidifying his status as an accomplished attorney and politician, Combs had to overcome humble beginnings. Bert Combs was born in Manchester, Kentucky, on August 13, 1911, one of six children born to a schoolteacher mother and logger father. From an early age, Combs’ parents emphasized the importance of a good education. His education began at Beach Creek Grade School, a two-room schoolhouse. When Combs reached seventh grade, he began attending Oneida Baptist Institute, as the school remained in session longer than most schools in the area. When Bert grew older, his mode of transportation to Clay County High School was a donkey his family kept on their property. Combs thrived academically in high school, and after skipping multiple grades, he graduated, aged 15, as valedictorian of the class of 1927.
Like many families of the time, Combs and his family were not able to afford college tuition. Undeterred, Combs began working at a local drug store and performed odd jobs for the residents of his community. Eventually, he was able to afford three semesters at the University of the Cumberlands (then Cumberland College) by completing on-campus custodial work. By the mid-1930s, Combs was working as a clerk for the Kentucky Highway Department, a position he kept for three years. The money he saved working for the state provided him with the funds to attend law school at the University of Kentucky.
At UK Law, Combs worked as the managing editor for the Kentucky Law Journal. In 1937, he graduated second in his class. After gaining admission to the bar, Combs returned to Manchester to begin his legal career. Newly settled, Combs quickly found that he had too many friends and family who expected favors. f he charged them for his services, he knew hurt feelings would arise. In 1938, however, Combs took an opportunity to further his career in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, a location proximate to his wife’s home of Knott County. In Prestonsburg, Combs joined a law firm run by the family of a former UK Law classmate, LeRoy Combs (no relation).
Combs practiced law until December 22, 1943, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. His basic training was completed at Fort Knox, and in 1945, he was sent to the South Pacific. There, Combs served as the Chief of War Crimes Investigating Department alongside Douglas MacArthur. Following the war, Combs returned to Prestonsburg and established a law firm with partner, Woodford Howard. He also assumed a new role as president of the Junior Bar Association of Kentucky.
In 1950, Combs entered the realm of politics, using his legal background to win his first election. He was elected City Attorney of Prestonsburg, and by the end of the year, then-governor Wetherby appointed Combs to the Office of Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 31st Judicial District of Kentucky.The next year, Combs was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. When the time came to seek the full eight-year judgeship, Combs defeated Simeon Willis, a popular former Republican governor, by a margin of nearly 3,000 votes. Combs later attributed the victory to many of Willis’s supporters failing to turn out on election day, as they had believed Wills would easily win the election with or without their votes.
For the 1955 gubernatorial race, Democrat Happy Chandler announced his intention to run for a second term. Members of an “anti-Chandler” faction quickly searched for formidable candidate to run against Chandler. The faction, led by Earle Clements, who had previously served as both governor and senator, selected Combs as the nominee. Accordingly, Combs resigned from the Court of Appeals and entered the race to be governor of Kentucky. Although Chandler had little to campaign against, he made an effort to push the notion that Combs was nothing more than a pawn for the former Governor Clements. In the weeks leading up to the primary, former Vice President Alben Barkley endorsed Combs. Unfortunately, this support was too little too late. Happy Chandler defeated Combs by a margin of roughly 18,000 votes and went on to win his second term as governor. Combs returned to Prestonsburg to continue his law practice.
Throughout Happy Chandler’s term, he lost credibility for various reasons, the main factor being his push to raise taxes after he had promised to do the opposite during his campaign. As a result, Combs earned a reputation as a courageous and honest politician.
In 1958, Combs declared his intention to run for governor again. One week later, he was again endorsed by former Governor Clements. Combs’ primary opponent was Harry Lee Waterfield. Waterfield, who had served as Chandler’s lieutenant governor, was chosen by Chandler to be his preferred successor.
In early 1959, Clements held a meeting in Louisville to cut a deal between Combs and one of his fellow Democratic opponents, Wilson Wyatt (who was also a part of the anti-Chandler faction). As a condition of the deal, Combs would run for governor while Wyatt would run for lieutenant governor. In return for dropping out of the race, Clements promised Wyatt his full support in future elections. At this point, all that stood between Combs and a win in the Democratic primary was Happy Chandler’s lieutenant governor, Harry Waterfield.
Throughout his primary campaign, Combs attacked the Chandler administration. He also emphasized a rumor that Chandler had lost state funds he had deposited in Cuban banks. Ultimately Combs was successful in his attempts to unite anti-Chandler voters, as he defeated Waterfield in the Democratic primary by 25,000 votes. After the primary, Combs went on to win the governorship, defeating John Robinson by over 180,000 votes. The victory was a landslide and the greatest margin to exist in a Kentucky gubernatorial race. Bert T. Combs became the first World War II veteran to hold the office and the first governor from Eastern Kentucky since 1927.
Combs accomplished much in his term as governor of Kentucky. After raising the sales tax, he became the first governor to preside over a one-million-dollar budget. When Combs took office, Kentucky had the highest percentage of one-room schools along with a significant school dropout rate. He quickly worked to solve these problems by pouring money into all levels of education, including universities. Kentucky’s roads were also in dire condition when Combs assumed the office. Over two thirds of Kentucky’s roadways were found to be below standards. n response, Combs increased funding for highways and roadways; many roadways were repaired, and others were newly created. In honor of Combs’ contributions, the Mountain Parkway was received a name revision: the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway.
During Combs’ term as governor, he focused heavily on improving lodging and facilities at the Kentucky State Parks. Resultantly, out-of-state tourism doubled during his administration’s tenure. This trend was so dramatic that Kentucky residents complained at the lack of availability at state parks and their lodges. Perhaps the most iconic physical reminder of the Combs administration is the floral clock on the lawn of the State Capitol in Frankfort, which Combs arranged to be built after seeing a similar structure in Scotland. Initially, Combs’ political opponents made fun of the clock. In time, though, the clock became a popular landmark and is now the most-visited location in all of Frankfort.
Many ethical reforms took place during Combs’ time as governor. He formed the first Human Rights Commission in Kentucky and implemented a merit-based system for state government workers that prevented employees and applicants from being hired or fired based on political affiliations. Combs even drew the attention of President John F. Kennedy in 1961 when he called for the desegregation of all Kentucky public schools. As Combs’ term ended, he chose Edward Breathitt as his preferred successor. When Breathitt won the election, he became the only chosen successor of the 20th century to win the Kentucky governorship.
When Combs’ time as governor had concluded, he resumed his legal practice. During this time, he served as chairman of the Eastern Kentucky Historical Society and a trustee at Campbellsville University (then Campbellsville College). In 1964, Combs was selected as Kentucky’s Outstanding Attorney. Throughout that year, he worked as a professor in the political science department at the University of Massachusetts, and in 1965, he was inducted in the University of Kentucky’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Combs to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Combs’ tenure in the federal judiciary was rife with frustration, with Combs vexed that many of the opinions rendered by the Sixth Circuit were appealed to the Supreme Court, which he believed failed to respect the decisions that had been made. Combs resigned from the Sixth Circuit in 1970.
1970 was an especially busy year for Combs, as he also reentered the world of politics. He ran for his second term as Kentucky governor but lost in the Democratic primary. fter this defeat, Combs officially retired from politics, resuming his role as an attorney. For nearly two decades, Combs worked as a successful lawyer.
Sadly, in 1991, Combs was caught in a flash flood in Powell County, Kentucky. This event took his life. He was returned to his final resting place at Beech Creek Cemetery in his original home of Manchester, Kentucky.
Combs’ legacy can be observed through physical landmarks throughout the Bluegrass State. Clay County has the Bert T. Combs Lake, and the campus of Morehead State University in Rowan County is home to the Bert T. Combs Building. In 2007, two life-size statues of Combs were dedicated. One can be found in Stanton, Kentucky, near his namesake Mountain Parkway; the second is housed in the Floyd County Courthouse in Prestonsburg. The pinnacle of his political career was his successful campaign to be the 50th governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Throughout his career in politics, Combs worked tirelessly to improve the lives of Kentuckians. The impact of his unwavering dedication can still be felt in the Bluegrass State.
Bert T. Combs amassed an amazing legacy. He used his talents to shine a light on the most vulnerable areas of the Commonwealth. Combs’ dedication to bettering the lives of all Kentuckians will not be forgotten.