View source for John H. Overton

{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = John Overton
|image        = John Overton.jpg
|jr/sr        = United States Senate
|state        = [[Louisiana]]
|term_start   = March 4, 1933
|term_end     = May 14, 1948
|predecessor  = [[Edwin S. Broussard]]
|successor    = [[William C. Feazel]]
|state1       = [[Louisiana]]
|district1    = [[Louisiana's 8th congressional district|8th]]
|term_start1  = May 12, 1931
|term_end1    = March 3, 1933
|predecessor1 = [[James Benjamin Aswell|James Aswell]]
|successor1   = [[Cleveland Dear]]
|birth_name   = John Holmes Overton Sr.
|birth_date   = {{birth date|1875|9|17}} 
|birth_place  = [[Marksville, Louisiana|Marksville]], [[Louisiana]], U.S.
|death_date   = {{death date and age|1948|5|14|1875|9|17}}
|death_place  = [[Bethesda, Maryland]], U.S.
|restingplace = [[Mt. Olivet Episcopal Church and Cemetery|Mount Olivet Cemetery]]
|party        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse       = Ada Dismukes
|children     = 4
|relatives    = [[Overton Brooks]] (nephew)
|education    = [[Louisiana State University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Tulane University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
}}
'''John Holmes Overton Sr.''' (September 17, 1875 – May 14, 1948), was an [[lawyer|attorney]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[U.S. representative]] and [[U.S. senator]] from [[Louisiana]]. His nephew, [[Thomas Overton Brooks]], was also a US representative, from the [[Shreveport]]-based 4th district of Louisiana.

==Family==
He was the youngest son of Judge Thomas Overton and the former Laura Waddill. His great-uncle was General and US Representative [[Walter Hampden Overton]]. Another distant relative was [[Thomas Overton Moore]], the [[governor of Louisiana]] during the [[American Civil War]].

==Early life==
Born in [[Marksville, Louisiana|Marksville]] in [[Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana|Avoyelles Parish]], Overton graduated in 1895 from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] and in 1897 from [[Tulane University Law School]] in [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yag4AAAAMAAJ&q=Edmond+Lee+Stewart+will+in+Louisiana&pg=RA3-PA148|title=May 17, 1897|year=1892|page=28|publisher=The Register of Tulane University|access-date=March 13, 2015}}</ref>

In 1905, Overton married the former Ada Ruth Dismukes of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]]. They had three daughters, Katharine (1910–1988), Ruth (1912–1973), and Mary Elizabeth (1916–1988), and a son, John H. Overton Jr. (1914–1946).

==Career==
Overton was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1898. He established a law practice with four partners in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] 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 by [[Edward James Gay (1878–1952)|Edward J. Gay]], of [[Plaquemine, Louisiana|Plaquemine]], in [[Iberville Parish, Louisiana|Iberville Parish]], near [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]].

Overton became a staunch supporter of [[Huey Long]] and served as Long's counsel in the [[impeachment]] proceedings against the governor in the spring of 1929.
<blockquote>
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.<ref>[[Huey Long]], ''Every Man a King: The Autobiography of Huey P. Long'' ([[New Orleans]]: National Book Club, Inc., 1933), p. 149.</ref></blockquote>

In 1931, Overton was elected to fill the now-defunct [[Louisiana's 8th congressional district]] seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]], which had been vacated by the death of Representative [[James Benjamin Aswell|James 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 Senator [[Edwin S. Broussard]], of [[New Iberia, Louisiana|New Iberia]], for the Democratic [[nomination]], 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 a [[conservative (politics)|conservative]] former governor, [[Jared Y. Sanders Sr.]], but the two had long since parted political alliances. In his [[autobiography]], ''[[Every Man a King]]'', Long notes that Overton won all sixty-four parishes against Broussard, including the incumbent's own [[Iberia Parish, Louisiana|Iberia 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."<ref>[[Huey Long]], ''Every Man a King: The Autobiography of Huey P. Long'' ([[New Orleans]]: National Book Club, Inc., 1933), p. 314.</ref>

Despite his lopsided loss, Broussard alleged [[fraud]] 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 the [[Conservative Coalition]] of Midwestern Republicans and Southern Democrats, much like Broussard.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

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.

==Death and legacy==
Overton's last term was cut short by his death at [[National Naval Medical Center]] in [[Bethesda, Maryland]].{{citation needed |date=July 2021}} His remains were buried at [[Mt. Olivet Episcopal Church and Cemetery|Mount Olivet Cemetery]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] in [[Rapides Parish, Louisiana|Rapides Parish]].<ref name="burials">{{cite web |url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/rapides/cemeteries/mtolivet.txt |title=Mt. Olivet Cemetery burials |publisher=usgwarchives.net |accessdate=2021-07-19}}</ref> In 1985, his house in Alexandria was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]].{{citation needed |date=July 2021}} It was at 1128 8th Street.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/11/14/2016-27241/national-register-of-historic-places-notification-of-pending-nominations-and-related-actions | title=National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions | date=14 November 2016 }}</ref> In 1998, Overton was [[posthumous recognition|posthumously]] inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in [[Winnfield, Louisiana|Winnfield]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html |title=Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame |publisher=cityofwinnfield.com |access-date=August 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703054258/http://cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html |archive-date=July 3, 2009 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1900–1949)]]
* [[List of United States senators expelled or censured]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* "John Holmes Overton" ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'', Vol. II (1988), p.&nbsp;623
* {{CongBio|O000146}}
* ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', May 17, 1948
* Alcee Fortier, ''Louisiana'' (1909)
* [[T. Harry Williams]], ''Huey Long'' (1969)
* ''[[New Orleans Times-Picayune]]'', February 26, 1933; November 5, 1944
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090703054258/http://cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&amp;A Depot, LA Political Museum<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.cityofwinnfield.com
* ''Biographical Directory of the American Congress: 1774-1971'', p.&nbsp;1500.

==External links==
*[http://www.la-cemeteries.com/Notables/Politicos/Overton,%20John%20H/Overton,JohnH.shtml Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries]

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Edwin S. Broussard]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[Louisiana]]<br>([[Classes of United States senators|Class 3]])|years=[[1932 United States Senate election in Louisiana|1932]], [[1938 United States Senate election in Louisiana|1938]], [[1944 United States Senate election in Louisiana|1944]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Russell B. Long]]}}
|-
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[James Benjamin Aswell|James Aswell]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Louisiana|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Louisiana's 8th congressional district]]|years=1931–1933}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Cleveland Dear]]}}
|-
{{s-par|us-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Edwin S. Broussard]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States senators from Louisiana|U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana]]|years=1933–1948|alongside=[[Huey Long]], [[Rose McConnell Long]], [[Allen J. Ellender]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William C. Feazel]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{United States senators from Louisiana}}
{{Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana}}
{{Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|United States|Law|Politics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Overton, John H.}}
[[Category:1875 births]]
[[Category:1948 deaths]]
[[Category:Louisiana city attorneys]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Huey Long]]
[[Category:Louisiana lawyers]]
[[Category:Louisiana State University alumni]]
[[Category:Marksville High School alumni]]
[[Category:People from Marksville, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Politicians from Alexandria, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Tulane University Law School alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:Overton family|John H.]]