If you live in Kentucky, you are probably familiar with the name Bullitt. William Marshall Bullitt, the son of former attorney and Civil War officer Colonel Thomas Walker Bullitt, was one of the most influential Kentucky attorneys in the 19th and 20th centuries. His decorated career included stints as an author, attorney, and even the Solicitor General of the United States.
William Marshall Bullitt was born on March 4th, 1873, in Louisville, Kentucky. Bullitt was exposed to the field of law at a young age. He was a descendant of former Supreme Court Justice John Marshall and the son of Thomas Walker Bullitt, one of the most well-respected lawyers in the region. In 1894, Bullitt earned his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University. Unsurprisingly, he followed his bachelor’s degree with a law degree from the University of Louisville in 1895. After graduating, Bullitt wasted no time and began practicing law for the firm Bullitt, Dawson, and Tarrant the same year.
By the early 1900’s, Bullitt had begun getting his feet wet in politics. Bullitt held strong Republican views. In 1908, he served as a delegate-at-large for the Republican National Convention in Chicago. Bullitt also led William Taft’s election forces in the state of Kentucky leading up to Taft’s 1908 presidential election. Bullitt showed tremendous dedication to the cause, even at times having election officials arrested if their performance didn’t meet his standards. Bullitt was actively involved in local politics as well, giving many speeches on behalf of Louisville Republicans.
William Bullitt’s campaign efforts did not go unnoticed by President Taft. In 1912, Bullitt’s hard work was rewarded when President Taft appointed him as the U.S. Solicitor General. During his tenure, Bullitt argued a wide range of cases in front of the US Supreme Court. Topics included enforcement of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, mail rates associated with newspapers, federal judicial salaries, income tax, the Federal Farm Act, and many more. Bullitt’s time as Solicitor General concluded at the end of President Taft’s term. After serving as Solicitor General, Bullitt ran for a spot in the Senate, but he was ultimately defeated. This marked the end of his career in government.
Bullitt worked a variety of jobs following his career in government. He continued practicing law but also served as a banker, author, and professor at Harvard. Bullitt was an active member of multiple groups including the mathematics committee at Harvard, the Louisville Bar Association, the Amateur Astronomy Association, the American Math Association, and the American Law Institute. He also spent years expanding his Oxmoor Farm Estate and purchasing surrounding parcels of his family’s land. Bullitt passed away from a heart attack in 1957 and was buried in Oxmoor Cemetery.
Throughout his life, Bullitt was heavily involved in the whiskey industry. He argued against Prohibition in front of the Supreme Court and represented almost 90% of Kentucky distilleries at one point. Bullitt also worked alongside President Taft to prepare the 1909 Taft decision. The ruling established a clear legal definition of whiskey and requirements for branding whiskey products. In 2009, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association celebrated the 100-year anniversary of this landmark ruling. Today, Bullitt’s Oxmoor estate is home to Oxmoor Bourbon Company. The company offers tastings along with tours of the Bullitt family home.
William Marshall Bullitt’s legacy continues to live on in the Bluegrass State. Having argued more than 50 cases before the Supreme Court, he became one of the most recognizable attorneys of his generation and one of the most famous attorneys in Kentucky history.
Bullitt is also the namesake of an award at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Each year, the William Marshall Bullitt Memorial Award is presented for outstanding performance in constitutional law. Bullitt’s Oxmoor estate continues to serve as a physical reminder of his life. Although much of the land has been developed (including the site of Oxmoor Mall), the Bullitt’s family home and cemetery have been preserved. Despite significant development throughout the years, most of the land is still owned by family and descendants of William Marshall Bullitt.
