Louisiana governors : rulers, rascals, and reformers

Walter Greaves Cowan and Jack B. McGuire, veteran authorities on the Louisiana political scene, trace the history of the state's leaders from the French and Spanish colonial eras to the present day. Using a variety of sources, including personal interviews with the recent governors, they describe unforgettable personalities. Such early figures as Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville set the tone for later colonial governors. They had their troubles, fending off protesting Indians and other French and Spanish leaders vying for power. Following the Louisiana Purchase, American politics took control. The Whigs, Know Nothings, Republicans, and Democrats have all waxed and waned through times of slavery, secession, suffrage, and segregation. The early twentieth century saw the rise of Huey P. Long, who established himself as a virtual dictator. An assassin's bullet ended Long's life in 1935, but his followers managed to hold on to the governorship until 1940. In 1948 his brother, Earl Long, brought the family back into power. Over the years, two governors were impeached but were not removed from office, and two governors were jailed in federal prison. The experiences, decisions, and conflicts of Louisiana governors have reflected and influenced the history of the state, often in dramatic and fascinating ways. In forty years of journalism, Walter Greaves Cowan was reporter and editor of the New Orleans States-Item and also vice-president of the Times-Picayune Publishing Corporation. He coauthored New Orleans Yesterday and Today and Louisiana Yesterday and Today . Jack B. McGuire, public relations director for the city of New Orleans from 1964 to 1970, is vice president of Union Savings and Loan Association. He is the author of Uncle Earl Deserved Better . Walter Greaves Cowan And Jack B. Mcguire, Veteran Authorities On The Louisiana Political Scene, Trace The History Of The State's Leaders From The French And Spanish Colonial Eras To The Present Day. Using A Variety Of Sources, Including Personal Interviews With The Recent Governors, They Describe Unforgettable Personalities -- Inside Cover. Machine Derived Contents Note: Contents -- Acknowledgments 000 -- Preface 000 -- Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur D'iberville Et D'ardillieres (1699 1702) -- 000 -- Sieur De Sauvole (1699 1700) 000 -- Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur De Bienville (1701 1713; 1716 1717; -- 1718 1725; 1733 1743) 000 -- Antoine De Lamothe, Sieur De Cadillac (1713 1716) 000 -- Jean Michel De L'epinay (1717 1718) 000 -- Pierre Sidrac Dugu¿, Sieur De Boisbriant (1725 1727) 000 -- Etienne De Perier (1727 1733) 000 -- Pierre De Rigaud De Cavagnial, Marquis De Vaudreuil (1743 1753) -- 000 -- Louis Billouart, Chevalier De Kerlerec (1753 1763) 000 -- Jean Jacques Blaise D'abbadie (1763 1765) 000 -- Charles Philippe Aubry (1765 1766) 000 -- Antonio De Ulloa De La Torre-guiral (1765 1768) 000 -- Alejandro O'reilly (1769) -- Luis Unzaga Y Amerzaga (1769 1777) 000 -- Bernardo De Galvez (1777 1782) 000 -- Esteban Rodriguez Miro (1782 1791) 000 -- Francois-louis Hector, Baron De Carondelet Et Noyelles -- (1791 1797) 000 --^ Manuel Gayoso De Lemos (1797 1799) 000 -- Sebastian Calvo De La Puerta Y O'fariel, Marquis De Casa Calvo -- (1799 1801) 000 -- Juan Manuel De Salcedo (1801 1803) 000 -- Transfer 000 -- William Charles Cole Claiborne (1803 1812; 1812 1816) 000 -- Jacques Philippe Villere (1816 1820) 000 -- Thomas Bolling Robertson (1820 1824) 000 -- Five Governors (1824 1831) 000 -- Andre Bienvenu Roman (1831 1835; 1839 1843) 000 -- Edward Douglass White (1835 1839) 000 -- Alexandre Mouton (1843 1846) 000 -- Isaac Johnson (1846 1850) 000 -- Joseph Marshall Walker (1850 1853) 000 -- Paul Octave Hebert (1853 1856) 000 -- Robert C. Wickliffe (1856 1860) 000 -- Thomas O. Moore (1860 1864) 000 -- George F. Shepley (1862 1864) 000 -- Michael Hahn (1864 1865) 000 -- Henry Watkins Allen (1864 1865) 000 -- James Madison Wells (1865 1867) 000 -- Benjamin Franklin Flanders (1867 1868) 000 -- Joshua Baker (1868) 000 -- Henry Clay Warmoth (1868 1872) 000 -- P. B. S. Pinchback (1872 1873) 000 --^ John Mcenery (1873) 000 -- William Pitt Kellogg (1873 1876) 000 -- Francis R. T. Nicholls (1877 1880; 1888 1892) 000 -- Louis Alfred Wiltz (1880 1881) 000 -- Samuel D. Mcenery (1881 1888) -- Murphy J. Foster (1892 1900) 000 -- William Wright Heard (1900 1904) 000 -- Newton Crain Blanchard (1904 1908) 000 -- Jared Y. Sanders (1908 1912) 000 -- Luther E. Hall (1912 1916) 000 -- Ruffin G. Pleasant (1916 1920) 000 -- John M. Parker (1920 1924) 000 -- Henry L. Fuqua (1924 1926) 000 -- Oramel H. Simpson (1926 1928) 000 -- Huey P. Long (1928 1932) 000 -- Alvin O. King (1932) 000 -- Oscar K. Allen (1932 1936) 000 -- James A. Noe (1936) 000 -- Richard W. Leche (1936 1939) 000 -- Earl K. Long (1939 1940; 1948 1952; 1956 1960) 000 -- Sam Houston Jones (1940 1944) 000 -- Jimmie H. Davis (1944 1948; 1960 1964) 000 -- Robert F. Kennon (1952 1956) 000 -- John J. Mckeithen (1964 1972) 000 -- Edwin W. Edwards (1972 1980; 1984 1988: 1992 1996) 000 -- David Treen (1980 1984) 000 --^ Buddy Roemer (1988 1992) 000 -- Murphy J. Mike Foster Jr. (1996 2004) 000 -- Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (2004 2008) 000 -- Bobby Jindal (2008 ) 000 -- Index 000. Walter Greaves Cowan And Jack B. Mcguire. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents ......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d’Iberville et d’Ardillieres......Page 20 Sieur de Sauvole......Page 25 Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville......Page 27 Antoine de Lamothe, Sieur de Cadillac......Page 38 Jean Michel De l’Epinay......Page 40 Pierre Sidrac Dugué, Sieur de Boisbriant......Page 41 Etienne de Perier......Page 42 Pierre de Rigaud de Cavagnial, Marquis de Vaudreuil......Page 46 Louis Billouart, Chevalier de Kerlerec......Page 48 Jean Jacques Blaise d’Abbadie......Page 50 Charles Philippe Aubry......Page 52 Antonio de Ulloa de la Torre- Guiral......Page 54 Luis Unzaga y Amerzaga......Page 59 Bernardo de Galvez......Page 61 Esteban Rodriguez Miro......Page 63 Francois- Louis Hector, Baron de Carondelet et Noyelles......Page 65 Manuel Gayoso de Lemos......Page 67 Sebastian Calvo de la Puerta Y O’Fariel, Marquis de Casa Calvo......Page 69 Juan Manuel de Salcedo......Page 71 Transfer......Page 72 William Charles Cole Claiborne......Page 74 Jacques Philippe Villere......Page 80 Thomas Bolling Robertson......Page 83 Five Governors......Page 85 Andre Bienvenu Roman......Page 87 Edward Douglass White......Page 90 Alexandre Mouton......Page 92 Isaac Johnson......Page 94 Joseph Marshall Walker......Page 96 Paul Octave Hebert......Page 98 Robert C. Wickliffe......Page 100 Thomas O. Moore......Page 102 George F. Shepley......Page 105 Michael Hahn......Page 107 Henry Watkins Allen......Page 110 James Madison Wells......Page 113 Benjamin Franklin Flanders......Page 116 Joshua Baker......Page 118 Henry Clay Warmoth......Page 119 P. B. S. Pinchback......Page 124 John McEnery......Page 127 William Pitt Kellogg......Page 131 Francis R. T. Nicholls......Page 136 Louis Alfred Wiltz......Page 140 Murphy J. Foster......Page 143 William Wright Heard......Page 146 Newton Crain Blanchard......Page 149 Jared Y. Sanders......Page 153 Luther E. Hall......Page 159 Ruffi n G. Pleasant......Page 163 John M. Parker......Page 166 Henry L. Fuqua......Page 175 Oramel H. Simpson......Page 178 Huey P. Long......Page 183 Alvin O. King......Page 197 Oscar K. Allen......Page 200 James A. Noe......Page 205 Richard W. Leche......Page 211 Earl K. Long......Page 218 Sam Houston Jones......Page 237 Jimmie H. Davis......Page 242 Robert F. Kennon......Page 251 John J. McKeithen......Page 260 Edwin W. Edwards......Page 265 David Treen......Page 271 Buddy Roemer......Page 276 Murphy J. “Mike” Foster Jr.......Page 287 Kathleen Babineaux Blanco......Page 295 Bobby Jindal......Page 302 Index......Page 314 Walter Greaves Cowan and Jack B. McGuire, veteran authorities on the Louisiana political scene, trace the history of the state's leaders from the French and Spanish colonial eras to the present day. Using a variety of sources, including personal interviews with the recent governors, they describe unforgettable personalities.

Such early figures as Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville set the tone for later colonial governors. They had their troubles, fending off protesting Indians and other French and Spanish leaders vying for power. Following the Louisiana Purchase, American politics took control. The Whigs, Know Nothings, Republicans, and Democrats have all waxed and waned through times of slavery, secession, suffrage, and segregation. The early twentieth century saw the rise of Huey P. Long, who established himself as a virtual dictator. An assassin's bullet ended Long's life in 1935, but his followers managed to hold on to the governorship until 1940. In 1948 his brother, Earl Long, brought the family back into power.

Over the years, two governors were impeached but were not removed from office, and two governors were jailed in federal prison. The experiences, decisions, and conflicts of Louisiana governors have reflected and influenced the history of the state, often in dramatic and fascinating ways.