Charles C. Barham
Encyclopedia
Charles Clem "Charlie" Barham (April 20, 1934 – May 3, 2010) was an attorney
in private practice for thirty-nine years in Ruston
, Louisiana
, and a Democratic
member of the Louisiana State Senate
from District 35, nonconsecutively, from 1964 to 1972 and 1976 to 1988.
He was the older son of Lieutenant Governor
C.E. "Cap" Barham, who held the second highest statewide office from 1952 to 1956 and was like his son an attorney in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish
. Barham's mother was the former Carice Helen Hilburn (1907–1965). He had a brother, Robert Ewing Barham (1940–1996), an English
professor
at Louisiana Tech University
, from which Charles Barham received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1958.
Barham was a maternal first cousin of Wiley W. Hilburn
, the retired head of the Louisiana Tech journalism
department, former editorial writer for the Shreveport Times, and an inductee of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
in Winnfield
. Hilburn said that Barham's approach to politics enabled him to broker agreements in the Senate: "Unlike most today, he was a conciliator, a consensus type of politician. I think he achieved a lot with that mantra." Other cousins are former Republican
State Senators Edwards Barham
and Robert J. Barham
of Morehouse Parish
, who represented an adjoining district. Cousin Robert Barham is secretary of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
In 1968, Barham was reelected, and his district absorbed much of the territory of his colleague Danny Roy Moore
of Homer
, the seat of Claiborne Parish
.
In 1971, Barham did not contest a third term in the state Senate and was succeeded by the funeral home
operator K.D. Kilpatrick
, also of Ruston and formerly of Farmerville
, the seat of Union Parish
. Kilpatrick did not seek reelection, and Barham staged a political comeback in the 1975 general election
, having defeated outgoing State Representative
Louise B. Johnson
of Bernice
in Union Parish. Johnson, a businesswoman and a Louisiana Tech graduate, had based much of her campaign on opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment
. Barham polled 16,878 votes (52.4 percent) to Johnson's 15,385 ballots (47.6 percent), He drew heavily among African-American
voters as well as organized labor. Kilpatrick preceded Barham in death by less than two months.
From 1998 to 2001, Barham was the executive director of the interest group, the Casino Association of Louisiana, based in Baton Rouge
.
Barham graduated from Ruston High School
in 1952 and played the position of running back
ton the 1951 state championship football
team under Coach Hoss Garrett. In 2009, Barham was recognized by the Ruston High School Alumni Association as a "distinguished alumnus." After his Louisiana Tech student years, he procured his Juris Doctor
degree in 1959 from the Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge
.
Barham died of cancer
at the Grace Home hospice
in Shreveport
. He is survived by his wife, the former Jo Ann Frasier, and their three children, Kayla Ann Barham (born ca. 1959), Charles C. Barham (born 1961) and wife, Debi Shields Barham, and Lori Barham Sharp and husband, Gary, all of Shreveport, where Barham resided during his retirement. Barham had five grandchildren, Ryan Barham (born December 4, 1995), Taylor Barham, Charlie Barham, Matt Sharp, and Abbie Sharp.
Services were held on May 6 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ruston. Interment was at Greenwood Cemetery in Ruston. On the day before the funeral, Barham's former colleague, Senator Joe McPherson
of Rapides Parish
, hailed him as a "statesman" and introduced a resolution of honor.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in private practice for thirty-nine years in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from District 35, nonconsecutively, from 1964 to 1972 and 1976 to 1988.
He was the older son of Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
C.E. "Cap" Barham, who held the second highest statewide office from 1952 to 1956 and was like his son an attorney in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish
Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
Lincoln Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Ruston. In 2004, its population was estimated to be 42,382...
. Barham's mother was the former Carice Helen Hilburn (1907–1965). He had a brother, Robert Ewing Barham (1940–1996), an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, from which Charles Barham received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1958.
Barham was a maternal first cousin of Wiley W. Hilburn
Wiley W. Hilburn
Wiley Wilson Hilburn, Jr. , is a prominent journalist in Ruston, Louisiana, whose communications career began in the late 1950s when he was a student at Louisiana Tech University. In 1968, at the age of thirty, Hilburn returned to his alma mater to chair the Journalism Department and serve as...
, the retired head of the Louisiana Tech journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
department, former editorial writer for the Shreveport Times, and an inductee of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame
The Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield, Louisiana, highlights the careers of more than a hundred of the state’s leading politicians and political journalists. Because three governors, Huey P. Long, Jr., Oscar K...
in Winnfield
Winnfield, Louisiana
Winnfield is a city in and the parish seat of Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census. It has long been associated with the Long faction of the Louisiana Democratic Party and was home to three governors of Louisiana.-Geography:Winnfield is located at ...
. Hilburn said that Barham's approach to politics enabled him to broker agreements in the Senate: "Unlike most today, he was a conciliator, a consensus type of politician. I think he achieved a lot with that mantra." Other cousins are former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
State Senators Edwards Barham
Edwards Barham
Erle Edwards Barham is an American farmer and conservationist in Oak Ridge, a village in Morehouse Parish in north Louisiana, best known for having been the first Republican elected—by a 29-vote margin—to the Louisiana State Senate since the era of Reconstruction. Barham represented the...
and Robert J. Barham
Robert J. Barham
Robert Jocelyn Barham is a large-scale farmer from Morehouse Parish who has been appointed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal as the secretary of the state's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries...
of Morehouse Parish
Morehouse Parish, Louisiana
Morehouse Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Bastrop. In 2000, the parish population was 31,021....
, who represented an adjoining district. Cousin Robert Barham is secretary of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
In 1968, Barham was reelected, and his district absorbed much of the territory of his colleague Danny Roy Moore
Danny Roy Moore
Danny Roy Moore is a civil engineer and land surveyor in Arcadia, Louisiana, who served as a conservative Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from 1964 until 1968...
of Homer
Homer, Louisiana
Homer is present day parish seat of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town was named after the Greek poet Homer and was laid out around the Courthouse Square in 1850 by Frank Vaughn. The present day brick courthouse, built in the Greek Revival style of architecture, is one of only...
, the seat of Claiborne Parish
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
Claiborne Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Homer and as of 2000, the population is 16,851.-History:The parish is named for the first Louisiana governor, William C. C. Claiborne....
.
In 1971, Barham did not contest a third term in the state Senate and was succeeded by the funeral home
Funeral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. These services may include aprepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral....
operator K.D. Kilpatrick
K.D. Kilpatrick
Kenneth Dale Kilpatrick, Sr., known as K.D. Kilpatrick , was a funeral home owner in Ruston, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate for a single term from 1972 to 1976...
, also of Ruston and formerly of Farmerville
Farmerville, Louisiana
Farmerville is a town in and the parish seat of Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,808 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the seat of Union Parish
Union Parish, Louisiana
Union Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Farmerville....
. Kilpatrick did not seek reelection, and Barham staged a political comeback in the 1975 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, having defeated outgoing State Representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Louise B. Johnson
Louise B. Johnson
Louise Brazzel Johnson was a little-known insurance agent in Bernice in Union Parish who rocketed to state prominence when she upset the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives in the 1971 Democratic primary...
of Bernice
Bernice, Louisiana
Bernice is a town in Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Union Parish. Johnson, a businesswoman and a Louisiana Tech graduate, had based much of her campaign on opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
. Barham polled 16,878 votes (52.4 percent) to Johnson's 15,385 ballots (47.6 percent), He drew heavily among African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
voters as well as organized labor. Kilpatrick preceded Barham in death by less than two months.
From 1998 to 2001, Barham was the executive director of the interest group, the Casino Association of Louisiana, based in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
.
Barham graduated from Ruston High School
Ruston High School
Ruston High School is a 4 year public high school located in the Lincoln Parish School District of Ruston, Louisiana, United States. The school has an enrollment of approximately 1200 students with 85 faculty members; the mascot is the bearcat. The school colors are red and white. Black students...
in 1952 and played the position of running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
ton the 1951 state championship football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team under Coach Hoss Garrett. In 2009, Barham was recognized by the Ruston High School Alumni Association as a "distinguished alumnus." After his Louisiana Tech student years, he procured his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1959 from the Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
.
Barham died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at the Grace Home hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
. He is survived by his wife, the former Jo Ann Frasier, and their three children, Kayla Ann Barham (born ca. 1959), Charles C. Barham (born 1961) and wife, Debi Shields Barham, and Lori Barham Sharp and husband, Gary, all of Shreveport, where Barham resided during his retirement. Barham had five grandchildren, Ryan Barham (born December 4, 1995), Taylor Barham, Charlie Barham, Matt Sharp, and Abbie Sharp.
Services were held on May 6 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ruston. Interment was at Greenwood Cemetery in Ruston. On the day before the funeral, Barham's former colleague, Senator Joe McPherson
Joe McPherson
William Joseph "Joe" McPherson, Jr., is a retiring veteran Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Woodworth, a small community south of Alexandria, Louisiana, the seat of government of Rapides Parish and the largest city in the Central Louisiana region...
of Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
, hailed him as a "statesman" and introduced a resolution of honor.