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For other people named John Adair, see John Adair (disambiguation).

John Adair
8th Governor of Kentucky
In office 1820 – 1824
Preceded by	Gabriel Slaughter
Succeeded by	Joseph Desha
Born	January 9, 1757 Chester County, South Carolina
Died	May 19, 1840 Mercer County, Kentucky
Political party	Democratic Republican
Profession	Soldier
Religion	Protestant[1]

John Adair (January 9, 1757 – May 19, 1840) was an American pioneer, soldier and statesman of Mercer County, Kentucky. He was governor of Kentucky and represented the state in both the U.S. House and Senate. Adair County, Kentucky, Adair County, Missouri, Adair County, Iowa, and the town of Adair, Iowa were named after him.

John was born in Chester County, South Carolina to a Scottish immigrant, William Adair. He served in the state militia in the American Revolutionary War, them moved to the Kentucky frontier in 1788. In Kentucky, he continued his participation in the militia, serving as Captain, Major, Lt. Colonel, and ultimately as a Brigadier General. He fought in several campaigns against various Indian tribes, including service with Arthur St. Clair's forces in Ohio in 1791.

During the War of 1812 he again took service, and saw action at the Battle of the Thames in Ontario in 1813. The following year, he led 1,100 Kentucky riflemen in support of General Jackson's expedition that ended with the victory in the Battle of New Orleans.

Adair had been a delegate in the convention when South Carolina ratified the United States Constitution in 1788. His new neighbors in Kentucky sent him to their convention in 1792 to draft the first state Constitution. He was first elected to the Kentucky state House of Representatives for their 1793 session. He would be elected to this office by Mercer County for a thirteen different sessions, the last in 1817. He served as the Speaker of the House from 1801 to 1803.

In 1805 he was elected to the United States Senate to finish the term of John Breckinridge. But, about this time his career ran into trouble. While he was never indicted or even accused, his close association with Aaron Burr caused people to doubt him, and he lost the election for a full term in the next year. He immediately left the Senate, resigning on November 18, 1806.

His participation in the War of 1812 restored his reputation. He returned to the state's House, and was elected as its Governor, serving from 1820 to 1824. His term was not particularly distinguished, as several banking crisis and recession brought the state government near to failure. He did manage to begin the state's University system, and pushed for major improvement in highways and commerce.

John made one more appearance in national affairs, when he was elected to the U.S. House as a Jackson Democrat for the 1831 to 1833 term. He died at home in Harrodsburg, but in 1872 his grave was moved to the Frankfort Cemetery in the state capital.

• This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Preceded by John Breckinridge	United States Senator (Class 3) from Kentucky 1805–1806 Served alongside: Buckner Thruston	Succeeded by Henry Clay
Preceded by Gabriel Slaughter	Governor of Kentucky 1820 - 1824	Succeeded by Joseph Desha

Governors of Kentucky

Shelby • Garrard • Greenup • Scott • Shelby • Madison • Slaughter • Adair • Desha • Metcalfe • J. Breathitt • J. Morehead • Clark • Wickliffe • Letcher • Owsley • Crittenden • Helm • Powell • C. Morehead • Magoffin • Robinson • Bramlette • Helm • Stevenson • Leslie • McCreary • Blackburn • Knott • Buckner • Brown • Bradley • Taylor • Goebel • Beckham • Willson • McCreary • Stanley • Black • Morrow • Fields • Sampson • Laffoon • Chandler • Johnson • Willis • Clements • Wetherby • Chandler • Combs • E. Breathitt • Nunn • Ford • Carroll • Brown Jr. • Collins • Wilkinson • Jones • Patton • Fletcher Kentucky also had two Confederate Governors: George W. Johnson and Richard Hawes.