S. M. Morgan, Jr.

Samuel Moore Morgan, Jr., known as S. M. Morgan, Jr. (July 29, 1922 – January 1982), was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Coushatta, Louisiana. His service extended for a single term from 1964 to 1968 during the first administration of Governor John McKeithen.^[1]Morgan was the last member to represent only Red River Parish in the state House. Beginning in 1968, Red River was combined with neighboring DeSoto and Sabine parishes with two members from a combined but temporary districting scheme.^[1]

Family background

Morgan was the son of Samuel Moore "Sammie" Morgan, Sr. (1897-1974), and the former Mary Zelma Hankins (1898-1978). He had two siblings, Rufus Lamar Morgan and Mary Ellon Morgan, who died in 1926, the year of their births. A second sister, Sibyl Beth Morgan Alexander (1934-2012), a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville, was until 1981 a business education teacher at the former Fairview Alpha High School in the Fairview Alpha community in Natchitoches Parish. She was then principal of the former Farivew Alpha Independent School. She and her husband, Richard Gray "Dickie" Alexander (1933-1996), who were the parents of five children, operated Red River Butane Company in Coushatta.^[2]Morgan was married to the former Sue Almond (1927-1993), daughter of the former Elma Adams (1894-1975) and Reno Arrenis Almond, Sr. (1896-1969), who was the founder of the Almond Brothers Lumber Company in Coushatta.^[3]

Victory in 1964

On December 6, 1959, Morgan ran unsuccessfully for representative against the incumbent, his fellow Democrat Lester Vetter of Coushatta.^[4]

On December 7, 1963, Morgan led a five-candidate field for representative. The incumbent, Henry Bethard, Vetter's one-term successor, trailed in second place, and the two met in a runoff contest on January 11, 1964. The Coushatta barber and landowner, Oneld Walter Driggers (1921-2011), a native of Saline in Bienville Parish.^[5] finished in third place in the primary. Harvey Gates and L. S. Huckaby completed the field of candidates.^[6] On January 11, 1964, Morgan won the runoff election for the state House held in conjunction with the Democratic gubernatorial showdown between Louisiana Public Service Commissioner John McKeithen and deLesseps Story Morrison, the former mayor of New Orleans. Morgan obtained 1,590 votes to Bethard's 1,531^[7]

Death

Morgan, who died at the age of fifty-nine, is interred with other family members at Zion Baptist Cemetery in Fairview Alpha.^[8]Sue Almond Morgan, who outlived her husband by more than twelve years, is interred at Springville Cemetery in Coushatta beside the couple's son, Ronnie Morgan (1949-2001).^[9]

References