William Clark Hughes

William Clark Hughes (January 31, 1868 August 29, 1930) was an American Democrat who served from 1926 to 1928 as the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He represented Bossier Parish in the lower house of the legislature from 1904 until his accidental death in 1930.[1]

William Clark Hughes
The 19th century Hughes boyhood home in Rocky Mount was moved in 1995 to Benton Square in Benton, Louisiana.
Louisiana State Representative from Bossier Parish
In office
1904–1930
Preceded byAt-large members:

J. T. Manry

L. T. Sanders
Succeeded byJ. E. Walker
Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office
1926–1928
Preceded byJames Stuart Douglas
Succeeded byJohn B. Fournet
Personal details
Born(1868-01-31)January 31, 1868
Rocky Mount, Bossier Parish,
Fifth Military District, USA
DiedAugust 29, 1930(1930-08-29) (aged 62)
Kingston Plantation
Bossier Parish
Cause of deathLightning
Resting placeRocky Mount Cemetery in Bossier Parish
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)(1) Lula Dubois Holt (died 1899)
(2) Annie Oliver (married 1904-1930, his death)
ChildrenFrom first marriage:

Mary Virginia Hughes
Martha "Mattie" L. Hughes Dowdell
Margery Hughes O'Kelley
From second marriage:

Annie Hughes Hale Tucker
OccupationFarmer

Hughes was born in the Rocky Mount community of Bossier Parish[2] to William Josiah Hughes (1837-1921), a captain in the Confederate Army, and the former Mary Ann Clark (1843-1923). His home in Rocky Mount remained in the family until 1972, when it was donated to the Bossier Restoration Foundation.[3] In 1995, the house was relocated to Benton, the seat of Bossier Parish government. There the Hughes House sets in Benton Square near the Bossier Parish School Board office.[4]

Hughes and his first wife, Lula Dubois Hughes (1869-1899), had three daughters: Mary Virginia (born and died 1894), Martha "Mattie" L. Hughes Dowdell (1895-1970), and Margery Hughes O'Kelley (1896-1973). Hughes later married Annie Oliver, who was born 1882 in Giles County, Tennessee. They had one daughter, Annie Elizabeth Hughes Hale Tucker, who was born in 1906 in Shreveport, Louisiana.[5]

Hughes' legislative service traversed the administrations of seven governors from Newton C. Blanchard to Huey Pierce Long, Jr. He was Speaker of the House under Long's short-term predecessor, Oramel H. Simpson; in Louisiana despite the presumed separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, the governor handpicks the Speaker. Long chose his lieutenant, John B. Fournet, a freshman member from Jeff Davis Parish in southwestern Louisiana, who later became the long-term Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.[6]

Hughes operated the Kingston Plantation in the Bossier Parish community known as Hughes Spur, presumably named for Hughes' father.[2] In 1930, at the age of sixty-two and still serving in the legislature, he was struck dead by touching a metal cistern which had been electrically charged in a lightning storm. He had intended to use the cistern to fight a lightning-induced fire on his farm.[7]

Hughes is interred at the Rocky Mount Cemetery.[8]

References

  1. "Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2012" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  2. "Kay McMahan, "Bossier Parish, LA, Towns"". usgwarchives.net. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  3. "Louisiana Confederate Monuments and Markers". scvtaylorcamp.com. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  4. "Hughes House - Benton, Louisiana". waymarking.com. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  5. "William Clark Hughes". findagrave.com. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  6. Harnett Thomas Kane, Huey Long's Louisiana Hayride: The American Rehearsal for Dictatorship, 1928-1940. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company (1941 and 1998). 1971. pp. 70–71. ISBN 9781455606115. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  7. Clifton D. Cardin, Images of America: Bossier Parish, p. 17. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. 1999. ISBN 9780738501727. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  8. "Rocky Mount Cemetery". files.usgwarchives.net. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
Preceded by
At-large members:

J. T. Manry
L. T. Sanders

Louisiana State Representative from Bossier Parish
19041930
Succeeded by
J. E. Walker
Preceded by
James Stuart Douglas
Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
19261928
Succeeded by
John B. Fournet
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