Sam H. Jones

Sam H. Jones
46th Governor of Louisiana
In office May 14, 1940 – May 9, 1944
Lieutenant	Marc M. Mouton
Preceded by	Earl K. Long
Succeeded by	Jimmie Davis
Personal details
Born	Sam Houston Jones (1897-07-15)July 15, 1897 Merryville, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	February 8, 1978(1978-02-08) (aged 80) Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S.
Resting place	Prien Memorial Park Cemetery in Lake Charles
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Louise Gambrell Boyer
Alma mater	Louisiana State University (LLB)
Occupation	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Battles/wars	World War I

Samuel Houston Jones (July 15, 1897 – February 8, 1978) was an American lawyer and 46th Governor of Louisiana for the term from 1940 to 1944. He defeated the renowned Earl Kemp Long in the 1940 Democratic runoff primary election. Eight years later, Long then in a reversal of 1940 defeated Jones in the 1948 party primary.

Early life

Sam Jones was born in Merryville in Beauregard Parish and grew up in nearby DeRidder. He served in the United States Army during World War I. Much of his service was spent at nearby Camp Beauregard in Pineville, Louisiana. After the war, he studied law at the Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge. He practiced law in DeRidder before moving in 1924 to Lake Charles, the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish, where he practiced law and served as assistant district attorney for nine years. Jones was a delegate to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention of 1921 and an assistant district attorney in the 14th Judicial District from 1925 to 1934. Jones married the former Louise Gambrell Boyer (1902–1996), and they had two children, Robert G. Jones and Carolyn Jelks Jones. He adopted Mrs. Boyer's children from her previous marriage, James G. Boyer and William E. Boyer. He also had a tabby (cat) named Katt.

Election of 1940

Main article: 1940 Louisiana gubernatorial election

In August 1939, Jones was approached by members of the political faction opposed to the policies of the late Huey Pierce Long Jr. to run for governor in 1940 against Huey's brother, Earl Long. Though initially reluctant, Jones agreed, and ran on a platform promising a return to honest efficient government after the corruption and excesses of the Long years. He particularly emphasized "the scandals" involving Huey Long's successor as governor, Richard W. Leche. Earl Long led in the primary round of voting, but with support from defeated third-place candidate and disgruntled former Long supporter James A. Noe, Jones won a close victory in the runoff election and became governor.

References

• Conrad, Glenn R. (1988) A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Louisiana Historical Association.
• Davis, Edwin Adams (1961) Louisiana: The Pelican State. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. LCCN 59:9008.
• Jeansonne, Glen, "Sam Houston Jones and the Revolution of 1940." Red River Valley Historical Review 4 (1979).
• Nash, Bill. High Hat Sam: The Life and Times of Louisiana Governor Sam Houston Jones. Springfield, Missouri : James E. Cornwell, 2014.
• Reeves, Miriam G. (1998), The Governors of Louisiana. Gretna: Pelican Publishing.
• Sanson, Jerry Purvis. "Sam Jones, Jimmie Noe, and the Reform Alliance, 1940–1942" Louisiana History 27 (1986).

External links

• State of Louisiana – Biography
• Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries
• Political Graveyard