Henry Michael Hyams | |
|---|---|
| 7th Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana | |
| In office 1860–1864 | |
| Governor | Thomas Overton Moore |
| Preceded by | William F. Griffin |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin W. Pearce |
| Member of theLouisiana Senate | |
| In office 1855 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 4, 1806 Charleston, South Carolina |
| Died | June 25, 1875 (aged 69) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Resting place | Lafayette Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Laurel Matilda Smith |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Henry Michael Hyams (March 4, 1806 – June 25, 1875) was an American lawyer, planter andDemocratic politician. He served as the seventhlieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1860 to 1864 under GovernorThomas Overton Moore during theAmerican Civil War, when Louisiana joined theConfederate States of America. He was an advocate ofslavery in the United States.[1]
Henry M. Hyams was born on March 4, 1806, inCharleston, South Carolina.[1] His cousin wasJudah P. Benjamin (1811–1884).[2][3][4][5]
Hyams worked for the Canal Bank inDonaldsonville, Louisiana.[6] He was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1830, and he joined the law firm Dunbar and Elgee inAlexandria, Louisiana, becoming one of the first Jews living in Alexandria.[5] He also operated a plantation.[5]
Hyams moved toNew Orleans, Louisiana, in 1853,[6] where he practised the law.[1][5] He then served as a clerk of the District Court ofNatchitoches Parish, Louisiana. He was elected to theLouisiana State Senate as aDemocrat in 1855.[1] He then served as theLieutenant Governor ofLouisiana from 1862 to 1864.[2][3][4][7][8][9]
Hyams supportedslavery.[1] Indeed, as early as the 1830s, he joined avigilante group to defend the institution of slavery.[1]
Hyams was an observant Jew.[7] He married Laurel Matilda Smith and had thirteen children. His son, Henry M. Hyams Jr. (1846–1887), became a lawyer and practiced law in New Orleans.[10]
Hyams died on June 25, 1875, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His funeral was held by RabbiJames Koppel Gutheim, and he was buried inLafayette Cemetery in New Orleans.[11] His obituary inThe Times-Picayune described him as "a standard-bearer of theancient regime."[6]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William F. Griffin | Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana 1860-1864 | Succeeded by Benjamin W. Pearce |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
