Stafford, Frank Douglas, Sr.
(born: July 11, 1934 - died: October 24, 2016)In 2016, retired African American coal miner Frank Stafford had been the mayor of Mortons Gap, KY, for 26 years. Frank Stafford died in October of 2016. He was mayor longer than any other mayor in Hopkins County, and he was one of the longest serving mayors in Kentucky. Stafford was initially appointed interim mayor in 1990, fulfilling the unexpired term of the previous mayor who had stepped down due to controversy. After his term as interim mayor, Stafford won the election for mayor when he ran against the previous mayor's brother in 1991 [only 4% of Mortons Gap residents were African American]. Frank Stafford was also a pastor at Lively Stone Church in Nortonville, KY. The Frank Stafford Boulevard in Mortons Gap is named in his honor.
Frank Douglas Stafford, Sr. was born in Nortonville, the son of Willie R. and Fannie Cooley Stafford.
For more see A. Cross, "Rural Democrats think Obama can win state," Courier-Journal, 6/08/2008, Forum section, p.3H; Brittany Harry, "Remembering Frank Stafford, Kentucky's longest running mayor," 14 News [Evansville, IN], October 26, 2016; see Frank Douglas Stafford Sr. (1934-2016) at Find A Grave.