John Overton | |
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| United States Senator fromLouisiana | |
| In office March 4, 1933 – May 14, 1948 | |
| Preceded by | Edwin S. Broussard |
| Succeeded by | William C. Feazel |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's8th district | |
| In office May 12, 1931 – March 3, 1933 | |
| Preceded by | James Aswell |
| Succeeded by | Cleveland Dear |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Holmes Overton Sr. (1875-09-17)September 17, 1875 Marksville,Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | May 14, 1948(1948-05-14) (aged 72) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Ada Dismukes |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Overton Brooks (nephew) |
| Education | Louisiana State University (BA) Tulane University (LLB) |
John Holmes Overton Sr. (September 17, 1875 – May 14, 1948), was anattorney andDemocraticU.S. representative andU.S. senator fromLouisiana. His nephew,Thomas Overton Brooks, was also a US representative, from theShreveport-based 4th district of Louisiana.
He was the youngest son of Judge Thomas Overton and the former Laura Waddill. His great-uncle was General and US RepresentativeWalter Hampden Overton. Another distant relative wasThomas Overton Moore, thegovernor of Louisiana during theAmerican Civil War.
Born inMarksville inAvoyelles Parish, Overton graduated in 1895 fromLouisiana State University inBaton Rouge and in 1897 fromTulane University Law School inNew Orleans.[1]
In 1905, Overton married the former Ada Ruth Dismukes ofNatchitoches. They had three daughters, Katharine (1910–1988), Ruth (1912–1973), and Mary Elizabeth (1916–1988), and a son, John H. Overton Jr. (1914–1946).
Overton was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1898. He established a law practice with four partners inAlexandria and was the city attorney as well. He was a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors.
In 1918, Overton ran for the US Senate but was defeated byEdward J. Gay, ofPlaquemine, inIberville Parish, nearBaton Rouge.
Overton became a staunch supporter ofHuey Long and served as Long's counsel in theimpeachment proceedings against the governor in the spring of 1929.
I've supported every governor that has been elected in Louisiana for twenty-five years, all on promises that they have made to the people. Not one of them has been able or, if able, willing to carry out what was expected of him. The present governor is throwing out of office the clique that all other governors promised to throw out. He is backed to the wall in his efforts to redeem his campaign pledges.[2]
In 1931, Overton was elected to fill the now-defunctLouisiana's 8th congressional district seat in theUnited States House of Representatives, which had been vacated by the death of RepresentativeJames B. Aswell, of Natchitoches. Overton served in the House for less than a term: from May 12, 1931, to March 4, 1933.
In 1932, Overton unseated the two-term US SenatorEdwin S. Broussard, ofNew Iberia, for the Democraticnomination, then equivalent to election in Louisiana. Overton was warmly endorsed by Long, who then became his Senate colleague. Six years earlier, Long had helped Broussard turn back a challenge from aconservative former governor,Jared Y. Sanders Sr., but the two had long since parted political alliances. In hisautobiography,Every Man a King, Long notes that Overton won all sixty-four parishes against Broussard, including the incumbent's ownIberia Parish. Long said that Overton had "always been very kind to me. [He] let me speak in his meetings every time he ran for the Senate."[3]
Despite his lopsided loss, Broussard allegedfraud and voter irregularities. A Senate investigating committee held months of hearings beginning in February 1933, but Overton was nevertheless seated without opposition on March 4, the first day of the congressional session. As a senator, Overton generally voted with theConservative Coalition of Midwestern Republicans and Southern Democrats, much like Broussard.[citation needed]
Overton was re-elected 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 re-election race in 1944. However, his Louisiana colleague,Allen J. Ellender, circulated a letter urging him to run. The letter was signed by all of the Senate Democrats.
Overton's last term was cut short by his death atNational Naval Medical Center inBethesda, Maryland.[citation needed] His remains were buried atMount Olivet Cemetery inPineville inRapides Parish.[4] In 1985, his house in Alexandria was added to theNational Register of Historic Places.[citation needed] It was at 1128 8th Street.[5] In 1998, Overton wasposthumously inducted into theLouisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame inWinnfield.[6]
| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator fromLouisiana (Class 3) 1932,1938,1944 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromLouisiana's 8th congressional district 1931–1933 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana 1933–1948 Served alongside:Huey Long,Rose McConnell Long,Allen J. Ellender | Succeeded by |
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