Eugene Siler, Sr. was the ultimate ‘man of the people’

Pat Jones and Eugene Siler, Jr.

Over time, it has become somewhat of a cliché to refer to a public servant as a man, or woman, of the people. However, in the case of Eugene Siler, Sr., it is most definitely not lip service.

For decades, Siler’s name was synonymous with both Whitley County and the old Whitley Republican newspaper that served the area. The News Journal, of course, traces its lineage back to the days of the Whitley Republican, meaning in 2024 we will be celebrating our 115th year of publication.

During the 50’s and 60’s, Whitley Republican front pages commonly included coverage of the exploits of Congressman Eugene “Gene” Siler, Sr. During his time in Washington, he proved to be a strong and useful advocate for working-class families back home, but he continued to be a voice for the voiceless for many years after his political career came to an end.

From the mid-sixties through the early eighties, Siler wrote an incredibly popular column in the Whitley Republican called Heads or Tales. In these columns, he would regularly bring to light issues being faced by his fellow Whitley Countians. He would raise awareness about important causes, discuss the most pressing political matters of the day, offer history lessons on the families and communities found within the county, and he would discuss his religious beliefs as a staunch supporter of the Baptist Church, among other things.

I myself have seen Siler’s name in the pages of old Whitley Republicans countless times, as I am constantly scanning our archives in order to conduct research for a historical feature, or to compile information for a “This Week in History” box. Trust me when I say that he is a very, very important figure in the history of Whitley County.

For anyone who might want to see for themselves why Siler’s Heads or Tales columns were so popular, I have some great news for you… Just this past weekend, Siler’s son, Eugene Siler, Jr., made an amazing donation to the Whitley County Historical and Genealogical Society that I was honored to be there for in person.

I will let Mr. Siler’s prepared statement about the donation tell the story. It said: “Eugene Siler, Jr. and wife, Chris Siler, are pleased to present these artifacts from the estate of the late Eugene Siler, Sr. of Williamsburg. Eugene Siler, Sr. served as the United State Congressman from Whitley County and surrounding counties from 1954 until 1964 in Washington. Eugene Siler, Sr. previously served as a judge on the old Kentucky Court of Appeals, now the Kentucky Supreme Court, from 1946-49, and was the moderator (now President) of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. He was also the Republican nominee for Governor in 1951.”

“These [Heads or Tales] columns were written mostly for the old Whitley Republican newspaper in Williamsburg and were compiled by his late daughter, Carolyn Siler Browning, of Louisville. The articles contain many interesting stories about Whitley County lineage, politics, and public affairs. The family wanted these available in the museum so that persons who wish to review them would have access to these historical documents.”

Wow, what a gift!

As I saw on Saturday, dozens of old Heads or Tales columns have been organized neatly into a series of binders. They are grouped into the categories of People, Places, Religion, Topical and Politics, so if there is one topic in particular that you are interested in, you can go right to it.

Pat Jones, current President of the Whitley County Historical and Genealogical Society, was clearly thrilled with this development. “This is absolutely the best thing that could have happened,” Jones told me. “This is not only his life and legacy, but these columns touch the lives of so many families in this area.”

“He never lost touch with the common man, which is what I find so appealing about him,” Jones added. I couldn’t agree with her more.

As a columnist for this newspaper now, I look to what Siler accomplished with Heads or Tales all those years ago as a sort of blueprint for what I hope to accomplish in my own career. Of course, much of what he and I discuss on the pages of our respective publications will differ, and in some cases differ greatly, but I look up to this man that I never knew personally as someone who was a master at using the written word to develop and cultivate a meaningful connection with his neighbors in the community. I may never be as effective as he was in that regard, but this is a part of the job that I take very seriously.

As far as role models go, I think a person could certainly do a lot worse than trying to pattern themselves after a Eugene Siler, Sr.

Siler Jr. described his father as a “man of high integrity,” and said that his family’s main goal in providing this collection of columns to the Historical Society is so that anyone can come in to find out more about who he was, and the important work that he did.

I would certainly encourage folks to do just that by taking the time to stop by the Historical Society offices, located at 529 Main Street in Williamsburg. The doors should be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and special meeting times may be able to be arranged by calling (606) 549-7089.

Eugene Siler, Sr. lived from June 26, 1900 – Dec. 5, 1987, meaning this week is 123 years since his birth. I plan on having much more to say about his life and various contributions in the future, so stay tuned.