John H. Overton

John H. Overton
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office March 4, 1933 – May 14, 1948
Preceded by	Edwin S. Broussard
Succeeded by	William C. Feazel
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 8th district
In office May 12, 1931 – March 3, 1933
Preceded by	James B. Aswell
Succeeded by	Cleveland Dear
Personal details
Born	John Holmes Overton (1875-09-17)September 17, 1875 Marksville, Avoyelles Parish Louisiana, USA
Died	May 14, 1948(1948-05-14) (aged 72) Bethesda, Maryland
Resting place	Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Pineville, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ada Ruth Dismukes
Children	Katharine Overton Ruth Overton John H. Overton, Jr. Mary Elizabeth Overton
Alma mater	Louisiana State University Tulane University

John Holmes Overton (September 17, 1875 – May 14, 1948) was an attorney and Democratic United States representative and U.S. senator from Louisiana. His nephew, Thomas Overton Brooks, was also a congressman—from the Shreveport-based Fourth District of Louisiana.

Life and career

Born in Marksville in Avoyelles Parish, Overton was the youngest son of Judge Thomas Overton and the former Laura Waddill. His great-uncle was the politician Walter Hampden Overton. He graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in 1895 and Tulane University Law School in New Orleans in 1897, where his classmates included the future state Attorney General Bolivar Edwards Kemp, Jr., and the state representative E. L. Stewart of Minden in Webster Parish. Tulane listed Overton as a resident of Opelousas in St. Landry Parish.^[1]

Overton was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1898. He established a law practice with four partners in Alexandria and was the city attorney as well. He was a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors. In 1905, he married the former Ada Ruth Dismukes of Natchitoches, and they had three daughters, Katharine (1910-1988), Ruth (1912-1973) and Mary Elizabeth (1916-1988), and a son, John H. Overton, Jr., (1914–1946).

In 1918, Overton ran for the U.S. Senate but was defeated by Edward J. Gay of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Overton became a staunch supporter of Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and served as Long's counsel in the impeachment proceedings against the governor in 1929.

He was elected to Congress to fill the Eighth District U.S. House seat vacated by the death of Representative James B. Aswell of Natchitoches. He served in the House for slightly less than one term: from May 12, 1931, to March 4, 1933.

In 1932, he ran successfully for the U.S. Senate. He defeated the incumbent Edwin S. Broussard of New Iberia for the Democratic senatorial nomination, then equivalent to election in Louisiana. Broussard charged fraud and voter irregularities. A Senate investigating committee held months of hearings beginning in February 1933. Overton was nevertheless seated without opposition on the then first day of the congressional session, March 4. As a senator Overton generally voted with the conservative coalition of Midwestern Republicans and Southern Democrats.

Overton was reelected in 1938 and 1944, as has been traditional with incumbent Democratic senators in Louisiana. His committee memberships included Appropriations, Manufactures, Commerce, and Irrigation and Reclamation. His chief area of interest was in flood control and river and harbor development.

Overton attempted to withdraw from reelection race in 1944. However, his Louisiana colleague, Allen J. Ellender, circulated a letter urging him to run. The letter was signed by all Democrats then in the Senate.

Overton's last term was cut short by his death at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. His remains were buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Pineville in Rapides Parish. His house in Alexandria was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In 1998, Overton was posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.^[2]

References

• "John Holmes Overton" A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography, Vol. II (1988), p. 623
• John H. Overton at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Alexandria Daily Town Talk, May 17, 1948
• Alcee Fortier, Louisiana (1909)
• T. Harry Williams, Huey Long (1969)
• New Orleans Times-Picayune, February 26, 1933; November 5, 1944
• Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum at www.cityofwinnfield.com
• Biographical Directory of the American Congress: 1774-1971, p. 1500.
• maternal grandson: Edward Overton Cailleteau
• maternal granddaughter: Elizabeth Hood Brazelton
• great-nephew Malcolm Lafargue

External links

• Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries

United States Senators from Louisiana Class 2 Destréhan Posey Brown Claiborne Johnson Bouligny Livingston Waggaman Nicholas Barrow Soulé Downs Benjamin Harris West Kellogg Gibson Caffery Foster Ransdell H. Long R. M. Long Ellender Edwards J. B. Johnston Landrieu Cassidy Class 3 Magruder Fromentin Brown J. S. Johnston Porter Mouton Conrad Porter Johnson Soulé Slidell Kellogg Eustis Jonas Eustis White Blanchard McEnery Thornton R. Broussard Guion Gay E. Broussard Overton Feazel R. B. Long Breaux Vitter

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana 1st district E. Livingston White Johnson White Slidell Sére St. Martin Dunbar Eustis Bouligny Sypher Lawrence Gibson Hunt St. Martin Wilkinson Meyer Estopinal O'Connor Fernández Hébert Tonry R. Livingston Vitter Jindal Scalise 2nd district Gurley Thomas Ripley Chinn Dawson la Branche Thibodeaux Conrad Bullard J.A. Landry Hunt Taylor Mann Sheldon Ellis Hahn Wallace Lagan Coleman Lagan Davey Buck Davey Gilmore Dupré Spearing Maloney T.H. Boggs Maloney T.H. Boggs L. Boggs Jefferson Cao Richmond 3rd district Brent Overton Bullard Garland Moore Dawson Harmanson Penn Perkins Davidson Newsham Darrall Acklen Darrall Kellogg Gay Price Broussard Martin Montet Mouton Domengeaux Willis Caffery Treen Tauzin Melancon J.M. Landry Boustany 4th district Bossier Morse Moore Jones Sandidge Landrum Vidal Newsham McCleery Boarman Smith Levy Elam Blanchard Ogden Breazeale Watkins Sandlin Brooks Waggonner Leach Roemer McCrery Fields McCrery Fleming 5th district Blackburn Morey Spencer Leonard Young King Newton Boatner Baird Ransdell Elder Wilson Mills McKenzie Passman Huckaby McCrery Cooksey Alexander McAllister Abraham 6th district Nash E. Robertson Lewis Irion E. Robertson S. Robertson Favrot Wickliffe Morgan Sanders, Sr. Favrot Kemp Sanders, Jr. Griffith Sanders, Jr. Morrison Rarick Moore Baker Cazayoux Cassidy Graves 7th district Pujo Lazaro De Rouen Plauche Larcade Thompson Edwards Breaux Hayes John Boustany 8th district Aswell Overton Dear Allen Doc McSween G. Long S. Long G. Long C. Long Holloway At-large Robertson Butler Johnston Sheridan Territory Clark Poydras