Howard M. Jones (politician)

Howard M. Jones (June 11, 1900–July 24, 1980)^[1] was a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from St. Joseph in Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana, who served two terms from 1960 to 1968.

Jones' tenure corresponded with the second nonconsecutive administration of Governor Jimmie Davis and the first term of John J. McKeithen. In addition to Tensas Parish, his two-member district included Concordia, East Carroll, and Madison parishes. In his first term, his district colleague was Andrew L. Sevier of Tallulah, who died in 1962, and was succeeded by his wife, the former Irene Jordan (1901–1973).^[2] In his second term, Jones served with the Democrat Charles M. Brown, also of Tallulah, who became his successor in 1968, after further redistricting.^[3]

During Jones' Senate terms, his state representative colleagues were J. C. Seaman of Waterproof and then S. S. DeWitt of Newellton, who unseated Seaman in the 1963 Democratic primary. At this time, all sixty-four parishes had one member in the lower house regardless of their population. That advantage to the small parishes ended with the 1971-1972 legislative elections.^[4]

In 1944, Jones was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, which met in Chicago, Illinois, to nominate the Roosevelt-Truman ticket,^[5] a slate which easily prevailed in Louisiana.

Jones is interred at Legion Memorial Cemetery in Newellton. Beside his grave is a marker for his wife, Louise Jones (born July 30, 1921, still living in 2011).^[1]

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