Clark County, Kentucky Genealogy Trails
[Contributed by: Barbara Ziegenmeyer]

Mayor William Albert Attersall
Newspaper Articles

Lexington Herald 7/18/1907
MAYOR PROCLAIMS WINCHESTER DAY
Mass Meeting Called for Tomorrow to Discuss General Plans
Winchester Bureau of The Lexington Herald
WINCHESTER, Ky., July 17- Mayor Attersall today issued the following proclamation:
Whereas, The Jamestown Exposition has set apart August 23rd as Winchester Day; and
Whereas, The Board of Council of the City of Winchester and the Commercial Club have accepted the honor thus conferred upon Winchester, and have notified the officials of the Exposition that we would prepare an appropriate program for that occasion.
Now, by virtue of the authority in me vested, I do hereby call upon the request all of our citizens to attend the meeting held in the Opera House on Friday afternoon, July 19th, at 2:30 o'clock, to discuss plans for Winchester Day, and I further call upon and request all business houses to close from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m..  W.A.ATTERSALL, Mayor, S.B. Tracy, Clerk
 

CITY'S 5TH MAYOR FORCED TO RESIGN BECAUSE OF ILL HEALTH

William Albert Attersall became Winchester's fifth Mayor in 1906, but was able to serve only a part of his term. resigning in 1908 because of ill health. Attersall was a native of London, England and was born to Charles Franklin and Elizabeth Attersall in 1841. He had one sister Mrs. James Guyton.
When he was between 8 and 10 years old he followed an uncle to Paris Kentucky.
He later joined the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was during the war that he met his wife to be, Charlotte Boro, also a native of England. They were married in 1869. The couple moved to Winchester shortly after their marriage where Attersall entered the carriage business.
Attersall's shop was a two story frame building located on Fairfax Street ( which is now Lexington Avenue.) where the Employment Office is now located. He built and restored carriages and gained quite a reputation for his proficiency in the trade. Attersall also bought carriages in Louisville and Cincinnati for sale here.
The city's fifth Mayor was reported to be very civic minded and was called he father of the Winchester Fire Department. He served as fire chief for nearly 20 years. A member of the city's  council for many years. A member of the city's first board of education, he promoted the grade system here. In addition, he was a member of the city council for many years. Attersall was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Episcopal Church.
Mayor Attersall had six children, three boys, Charles, George, and William, and three girls Elizabeth, Mary, and Charlotte. One daughter, Miss Mary Attersall, 92 lives in a local nursing home. One son Charles, served as superintendent of the Winchester Water Company.
While Attersall was mayor in 1906, F.P. Pendleton was police judge; F.H. Haggard, city attorney; J.C. Tarpey, police chief; Mitchell Calm, city collector; S.B. Tracy, clerk; A.B. Baldwin, fire chief; M.B. Tarpey, Albert Tanner and John Ballard, deputy policemen. H.R. Martin served as mayor protem when Attersall became ill and could not preside over council meetings.
On April 3, 1908, Attersall sent this letter of resignation to the city council:
"Gentlemen: Owing to ill health, I have decided upon the advice of my physician, that I ought not in justice to myself or the city, longer retain the position of Mayor."
"I am not remindful of my obligations to the citizens of Winchester and to you gentlemen, that was conferred when I was chosen Mayor, but it is in great because of my regard for the welfare of the city that I
feel that the direction of its affairs should be turned over to me whose physical condition in better for the performance of the duties of the position"
"I respectfully tender my resignation as mayor to take effect at once."
The city council, composed of W.P. Hackett, J.S. Reese, Lee Todd, H.R. Martin, Doc Pigg, J.Q. Boone, J.D. Jones, G.D. McCullum and Sid Dinell accepted the resignation and appointed J.A. Hughes to fill the unexpired term of Attersall.
Attersall died Dec. 1, 1908, just eight months after his resignation.

Lexington Herald 2/27/1908
Mayor W.A. Attersall, of this city, has received a request from Mayor John Skain, of Lexington, asking him to announce to the citizens of Winchester that the tuberculosis exhibit is being held at the Y.M.C.A. building at Lexington this week and inviting all the citizens of Winchester to see the exhibit. Mayor Attersall has had this request put in all the Winchester papers and is doing all he can to induce citizens to attend.
 

Lexington Herald 4/4/1908
Attersall resigns as Mayor of Winchester
Councilman J.A. Hughs Is Elected to Succeed to the Office
WINCHESTER Ky., April 3 - Captain W.A. Attersall, resigned as Mayor of Winchester on account of ill health, and Councilman J.A. Hughes was to be elected Mayor to fill out the unexpired term of Mayor  Attersall and duly sworn in as such.
The City Council was called to order tonight by Clerk S.B. Tracy, Mayor Attersall being absent on account of illness. Councilman A.R. Martin was elected Mayor pro tem. The minutes of the former meeting  were read and adopted.F.P. Pendleton, Police Judge, reported 34 cases tried; fines, $178.00, and costs, $171.10. M.D. Tarpy, Chief of Police, reported fines assessed, $178.00 and fines collected, $166.40. F.H. Haggard, City Attorney, reported taxes collected $630.56. S.B. Tracy, City Clerk, reported $88.90 collected on licenses. C.H. ? Witherspoon, City Treasure, reported cash in the bank, $561.00; balance to making fund, $1,800.
Fifteen canceled coupons were destroyed, representing $300 interest paid by the school bonds. A motion was carried that the city purchase 100 feet of fire hose. The Fire Committee were instructed to build a reeel house in North Winchester.
 

Date: December 1, 1908
Location: Kentucky
Paper: Lexington Herald

EX-MAJOR ATTERSALL, OF WINCHESTER. DEAD
Honored  Citizen of Clark County Capital Passed to Rest, Aged 67.
(Winchester Bureau of The Herald WINCHESTER. Ky.. Nov. 30.
Capt. William  A.  Attersall. ex-Mayor of Winchester and one of the most prominent citizens of this city, died at his home in South Park after an illness at his home in South Park after an illness of over a year of consumption.
Captain Attersall was born in London, England, February 24, 1841, and came to this country when he was eleven years of age.  He first located in Cleveland, Ohio, and In 1855 moved to  Winchester, where he has since lived.   He was a Federal soldier in the Civil War and was captain of Company A of the Twentieth Kentucky Infantry.
After the war he engaged in the carriage business in this city, which he continued until about three years ago when he retired from business, and at one time was one of the largest manufacturers of his class In the State.
He organized the Winchester Fire Department and was Fire Chief for more than twenty years. He was elected Mayor of Winchester in 1905 and after two years of service he resigned ( on account  of illness ) and Mr. J. A Hughes, the present incumbent, was appointed to fill out his unexpired term. Captain Attersall also served for a number of years in the City Council and the public school board. No man ever lived in Winchester who gave more of his time to the public good and the upbuilding of Winchester than he and no man was held higher In the esteem of his fellow men in  the community in which he lived.
He is survived by his wife, who was formerly Miss Charlotte Boro, of Louisville, and two sons, George, of Jacksonville. Texas, and Charles Attersall.   Superintendent of the Winchester
Water Works Company of  this city, and three daughters. Mrs. Frank Gordon and Misses Lottie and Mary, of this city. The funeral services will take place at the residence Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock and will  be conducted by Revs. F. D. Wentworth and O. J. Chandler The burial will be under the auspices of Hickman Lodge, No. 72, I.O.O.F. A called meeting of the Fire Department was held tonight for the purpose of talking action on the death of their former chief.

Date: December 2, 1908
Location: Kentucky
Paper: Lexington Herald
 

CITY IS IN MOURNING
Mayor Issues Proclamation to  Honor  Memory  of Captain Attersall. City Honors Memory of Attersall.
Mayor J. A. Hughes issued a proclamation this morning directing that the city buildings be draped in mourning for a period of thirty days in honor of Captain  William Attersall, died  Sunday afternoon, and that all business houses in the city close tomorrow afternoon  during his funeral as a further mark of respect and regard for this honored and much loved public servant. A called meeting of the Fire Department  was held last night at which, it was decided that the members of the department should attend in a body the funeral of their former chief and  the father of that organization.  Captain Attersall  organized the fire department here and was chief for more than twenty years.