 isaac shelby (december 11, 1750&nbsp;â july 18, 1826) was the first and fifth governor of the u.s. state of kentucky and served in the state legislatures of virginia and north carolina. he was also a soldier in lord dunmore's war, the revolutionary war, and the war of 1812. while governor, he personally led the kentucky militia in the battle of the thames, an action that was rewarded with a congressional gold medal. counties in nine states, and several cities and military bases, have been named in his honor. his fondness for john dickinson's the liberty song is believed to be the reason kentucky adopted the state motto "united we stand, divided we fall". shelby's military service began when he served as second-in-command to his father at the battle of point pleasant, the only major battle of lord dunmore's war. he gained the reputation of an expert woodsman and surveyor, and spent the early part of the revolutionary war gathering supplies for the continental army. later in the war, he and john sevier led expeditions over the appalachian mountains against the british forces in north carolina. he played a pivotal role in the british defeat at the battle of king's mountain. for his service, he was presented with a ceremonial sword and a pair of pistols by the north carolina legislature, and the nickname "old king's mountain" followed him the rest of his life. following the war, shelby reloc
1750_births 1826_deaths American_Presbyterians American_military_personnel_of_the_War_of_1812 American_people_of_Welsh_descent Congressional_Gold_Medal_recipients Deaths_from_stroke Democratic-Republican_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States Governors_of_Kentucky Kentucky_Democratic-Republicans Members_of_the_North_Carolina_General_Assembly Members_of_the_Virginia_House_of_Delegates North_Carolina_militiamen_in_the_American_Revolution People_from_Danville,_Kentucky People_from_Hagerstown,_Maryland People_from_Kentucky_in_the_War_of_1812 People_of_Kentucky_in_the_American_Revolution Virginia_militiamen_in_the_American_Revolution