Lorris M. Wimberly

Lorris May Wimberly, Sr. (March 4, 1898 — May 2, 1962), was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1928–1940 and again from 1948-1956. A native and resident of Arcadia, the seat of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, Wimberly was House Speaker from 1936–1940, 1950–1952, and from May 14-July 10, 1956. He was also the state highway department director during the 1940s and headed the Department of Public Works from 1956-1960. He was a member of the powerful Long political faction which dominated the state during most of Wimberly's public career.

Wimberly was born to Joseph Rush Wimberly, I (1873–1943) and the former Annie May Poland (1877–1960). Rush Wimberly was a member of the Louisiana House from 1900–1908, the Louisiana State Senate from 1908–1912, and was thereafter a judge. Wimberly graduated from Arcadia High School. He made his living as a cattleman and farmer and was affiliated with the former Daniel, Bryan, and Turner Insurance Agency in Arcadia.

He was twice married. From his union to Jessie Faye Sherard (June 6, 1899 — July 25, 1934) was born a daughter, Faye Wimberly Mary (born 1921), the widow of Richard M. Mary, Sr. (born 1922), of Baton Rouge. After the death of his first wife, Wimberly in 1936 married the former Dorothy Knox (December 25, 1911 — November 1981) of Baton Rouge. From that union came Lorris M. Wimberly, Jr. (born 1946), a United Methodist minister. Wimberly had five grandchildren: Richard Mary, Jr. (born 1951) and Mary's four half-cousins, Lorris Knox Wimberly (born 1975), Marianna Grace Wimberly (born 1978), Shelley Dawn Wimberly (born 1980), and Wesley Paul Wimberly (born 1982), all of Baton Rouge. Wimberly's siblings included J. Rush Wimberly, Jr. (1906–1982).

Wimberly supported state-funded textbooks, a plank in the original Huey Pierce Long, Jr., platform. The textbooks proposal was first advanced by the Longite John Sparks Patton of Claiborne Parish, adjacent to Bienville Parish, who was later a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Wimberly's first stint as Speaker occurred when Longite Speaker Allen J. Ellender of Houma, the seat of Terrebonne Parish in south Louisiana, was elected to the United States Senate. Wimberly served as the choice of Governor Richard Webster Leche of New Orleans (1936–1939), when Leche was forced to resign amid scandals known as the "Louisiana Hayride". From 1939-1940, Wimberly continued as Speaker under Governor Earl Kemp Long, who had succeeded to the top position from the lieutenant governorship with the departure of Leche.

Long called Wimberly back as Speaker — in Louisiana, the governor chooses the House speaker — in the middle of his second term in 1950. Governor Robert F. Kennon replaced Wimberly as Speaker in 1952 with his choice, conservative state Representative (and later lieutenant governor) Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock of Franklin, the seat of St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana. Long recalled Wimberly as Speaker only briefly in 1956 before naming him to head public works.

Long and Wimberly supported James Houston "Jimmie" Davis for governor in the 1959 Democratic runoff primary. Davis had north Louisiana roots, though he lived for years in Baton Rouge. He defeated then New Orleans Mayor deLesseps Story Morrison, Sr. Long had been an unsuccessful candidate in the 1959 primary for lieutenant governor, the post ultimately having gone to Aycock. Wimberly did not seek office that year, as he was completing his tenure at public works.

While he was in the legislature, Wimberly represented only Bienville Parish. Prior to 1968, all parishes had at least one seat in the legislature regardless of population. The last member to represent only Bienville Parish was Len Lacy of Castor, who served from 1964-1968.

Wimberly is interred beside his first wife at Arcadia Cemetery on Hazel Street (Louisiana State Highway 9) near the Bienville Parish Courthouse.

Wimberly was a cousin of D. C. Wimberly, a World War II prisoner of war and later an educator in Bienville and Webster parishes.

References

• Louisiana House Members Since 1880 (Louisiana Secretary of State: Baton Rouge)
• http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/wilsons-winford.html#05D0N8UIE