Lloyd Hendrick

Lloyd Leroy Hendrick (October 30, 1908 – April 25, 1951)^[1] was a lawyer in Shreveport, Louisiana, who served from 1940 to 1948 as a member of the Louisiana State Senate from a combined Caddo and DeSoto parish district. His tenure paralleled the administrations of Governors Sam Houston Jones and Jimmie Davis.^[2]

Hendrick was born in Natchitoches Parish to Dr. Thaddeus Albert Hendrick (1878-1956) and the former Eva Lena McFerren (1882-1925).^[1] Hendrick graduated from Belcher High School in Belcher in Caddo Parish and Tulane University Law School in New Orleans.^[3]

His stepmother was the former Mary Lillian Harp (1900-2000).^[4] Hendrick was married to the former Gladys Pitts (1902-1979).^[1]

Political career

In his first year in the state Senate, Hendrick, tried to amend legislation submitted by Governor Jones to establish the state crime commission, which consisted of the governor, his executive counsel, and the state attorney general. With a $1 million appropriation, the agency was commissioned to pursue those who had stolen state funds or property. Jones suggested that up to $4 million might be recovered. In the state House, Representative James E. Bolin of Minden in Webster Parish sought to reduce the appropriation to $250,000. Senator Hendrick wanted to establish a legislative commission, rather than an executive body. Nevertheless, the measure easily passed both houses and was signed into law. A few lawmakers loyal to then former Governor Earl Kemp Long charged that the commission gave too much power to the governor and was "tyrannical" in nature. They sued in the 19th Judicial District Court, which subpoenaed Jones to testify. The governor refused to do so, having cited an executive privilege dating back to U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. The small number of opponents pursued the challenge to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which declared the Jones commission unconstitutional.^[5]

After his two Senate terms ended, Hendrick in the summer of 1948 waged, along with Shreveport attorney Harvey Locke Carey, the former clerk of the Louisiana House of Representatives and later a short-term U. S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for Louisiana's 4th congressional district seat in the United States House of Representatives. The primary election victor was, however, the incumbent Overton Brooks of Shreveport. In his campaign advertising, Hendrick said that as a state senator he had never "missed a day ... nor dodged any controversial issue which has arisen" and had opposed every tax increase before the chamber. A veteran of World War II, Hendrick described himself as "honest and independent".^[6] Hendrick decried the rising cost of living and urged federal action but not wage and price controls.^[7]

Hendrick died in the capital city of Baton Rouge at the age of forty-two.^[1]

References