Political career

Bosworth's political career started in 1890 when he was elected to serve on

the Middlesboro city council for two years. In 1893, he was elected judge of
Middlesboro, Kentucky. He was re-elected as judge in 1897 and served until
1902, when he was elected city attorney, a position he held until 1903.[1][2]
In 1905, Bosworth was elected Kentucky state representative from the 94th
district, which comprised Bell, Harlan, Leslie, and Perry counties. He served
until 1908. In 1907, was elected state senator from the 17th district, which
comprised Bell, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Pulaski, and Rockcastle counties. He
was re-elected as state senator in 1911 and served until 1916.[1]
In 1919, Bosworth was again elected to the Kentucky House of
Representatives, representing the 84th district, which consisted of Bell
County. This same election cycle, Republicans won a majority in the state
house and his peers chose Bosworth to be speaker, the rst Republican to
hold the of ce. He served as speaker for two years from 1920 to 1922 until
Republicans lost their majority.[1][3] He was the last Republican speaker until
the election of Jeff Hoover in 2017. He served as a representative until 1940.
[4][5][6]

During his time in of ce, Bosworth made several amendments to the

constitution of Kentucky. Over eight years, he introduced several
amendments to improve the quality of roads in Kentucky, earning him the
nickname "The Father of Good Roads". The amendments permitted the state
to loan its funds and credit to supplement the undertaking of road districts and
the building of highways. He also helped Middlesboro become a third-class
city instead of a fourth-class city, thus allowing it to have a circuit court.
Bosworth helped secure a law allowing all third-class cities to maintain a city
commission government. He helped passed a bill creating the 33rd and 34th
judicial districts. Other bills pioneered by Bosworth include the Kentucky Pure
Food and Drug Law, and the appropriation law, which completed the current
Kentucky State Capitol Building.[1][2][5][7]
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