Ford E. Stinson

Ford Edwards Stinson, Sr. (August 24, 1914—September 22, 1989),^[1] was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1940–1944 and again from 1952-1972. In his last legislative term from 1968–1972, he served in a two-member district covering Bossier Parish with fellow Democrat Walter O. Bigby. Prior to 1968, he had been the only Bossier Parish representative in the Louisiana House. Stinson, a resident of the parish seat of Benton, did not run again in 1972 and was succeeded by fellow Benton Democrat Jesse C. Deen.^[2]

Stinson first served during the administration of Governor Sam Houston Jones. He left the house in 1944, and fellow Democrat Jimmy Boyd succeeded him for eight years. Boyd won his first term in a close vote over the future State Senator Herman "Wimpy" Jones of Bossier and Webster parishes.

In 1948, Stinson lost a race for district attorney of Bossier and Webster parishes to James E. Bolin, Stinson's former legislative colleague and fellow Democrat. Bolin prevailed, 4,474 votes to Stinson's 2,561.^[3]Future State Representative R. Harmon Drew, Sr., of Minden would have been the assistant DA, based in Webster Parish, had Stinson won the election.

Stinson returned to the House in 1952 under the administration of Governor Robert F. Kennon. He served through the subsequent administrations of Earl Kemp Long, Jimmie Davis, and John J. McKeithen.^[2]

In the Davis administration, Stinson endorsed the doctrine of interposition, which was struck down by the United States Supreme Court, and he spoke out against desegregation of public schools. Stinson called the court ruling "claptrap" and added, "We are only saved from the rulings of the demagogues by the hand of the Lord when He takes them." Stinson urged "full steam ahead, let's keep going" in resisting desegregation.^[4]

Stinson's son, Ford Stinson, Jr. (born November 7, 1952), is a 26th Judicial District judge based in Benton.^[5]

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