# Isaac Goodnight

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**Isaac Herschel Goodnight** (January 31, 1849 – July 24, 1901) was a [United States representative](/source/United_States_representative) from [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky).

## Early life and family

Isaac Goodnight was born near [Scottsville, Kentucky](/source/Scottsville,_Kentucky) on January 31, 1849.[1] He was the son of Isaac and Lucinda (Billingsby) Goodnight.[2] He is the great nephew of Isaac Goodnight of [Harrodsburg, Kentucky](/source/Harrodsburg,_Kentucky), born January 1, 1782, who is believed to have been the first white male child born in what is now Kentucky.[2]

Goodnight attended the common schools of the area.[1] In 1870, his family moved to [Franklin, Kentucky](/source/Franklin,_Kentucky).[2] He matriculated to [Cumberland University](/source/Cumberland_University) in [Lebanon, Tennessee](/source/Lebanon,_Tennessee) earning a degree in 1872 a law degree in 1873.[2] He returned to Franklin, serving as deputy circuit clerk while [reading law](/source/Reading_law), and was [admitted to the bar](/source/Admission_to_the_bar_in_the_United_States) in 1874.[2] He commenced practice in Franklin.[1]

On March 12, 1879, Goodnight married Ella Hoy.[3] The couple had one son, Hoy Goodnight.[3]

## Political career

In 1877, Goodnight was elected to the [Kentucky House of Representatives](/source/Kentucky_House_of_Representatives), serving a single, two-year term.[2] He served as the chairman of the [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) Kentucky convention at [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville,_Kentucky) in 1891.[1] He was elected to represent the [Third District](/source/Kentucky's_3rd_congressional_district) in the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) in 1888.[2] He was twice re-elected, serving in the Fifty-first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third Congresses (March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1895).[1] During his tenure, he was a member of the [Judiciary Committee](/source/United_States_House_Committee_on_the_Judiciary), rising to third in seniority on that committee by the end of his third term.[2]

## Later life and death

Due to ill health and the fact that his absence from home was hurting his legal practice, Goodnight did not seek re-election in 1894.[2] After leaving Congress, he was elected a judge of the seventh Kentucky circuit in 1897 and served until his death in Franklin on July 24, 1901.[1] He was buried in Green Lawn Cemetery.[1]

His home in Franklin, the [Goodnight House](/source/Goodnight_House), is listed on the [National Register of Historic Places](/source/National_Register_of_Historic_Places).

## References

1. "Goodnight, Isaac Herschel". *Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*

1. *Biographical Cyclopedia*, p. 179

1. *Biographical Cyclopedia*, p. 180

### Bibliography

- [*Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky*](https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028804122). [Chicago, Illinois](/source/Chicago,_Illinois): J.M. Gresham Company. 1896.

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