William Owsley was born in Virginia in 1782 and moved to Kentucky at a young age. He established a legal practice in Garrard County and was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1809. Owsley served on the Kentucky Court of Appeals and later returned to the state House and Senate. He held the position of Secretary of State under Governor James Turner Morehead and was elected Governor of Kentucky in 1844. Throughout his career, Owsley demonstrated a commitment to public service, including advocating for fiscal conservatism and public education.

William Owsley's political career reveals a man who balances fiscal conservatism with a cautious approach to military engagements. His reluctance to support the Texas militia and the Mexican–American War, despite their eventual necessity, highlights an ideological tension between his economic prudence and his wariness of federal overreach. Owsley's educational reforms, particularly through his appointment of Robert J. Breckinridge, showcase a commitment to public welfare that contrasts with his hesitation in rebuilding the state penitentiary. His involvement in the Old Court-New Court controversy and subsequent resignation from the Kentucky Court of Appeals underscore a willingness to take principled stands, even at personal cost.