J. Emile Verret
Encyclopedia
J. Emile Verret was the Democratic
lieutenant governor of Louisiana
from 1944 to 1948, having served under the first of the two nonconsecutive gubernatorial terms of James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
. Verret defeated former Governor Earl Kemp Long in the party's runoff election for the second-ranking office in state government. He and Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock
of Franklin
in St. Mary Parish
both denied Long victory in races for lieutenant governor: Verret in 1944 and Aycock in 1959. Earl Long had been elected lieutenant governor in 1936 and succeeded to the governorship for a year in 1939. Long was defeated for a full gubernatorial term in 1940 but staged impressive comebacks to win the top office in 1948 and 1956.
Verret was born in Iberia Parish and educated in local schools. He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
in 1905 (then Louisiana Industrial Institute). He also attended Soule Business College in New Orleans. He returned to New Iberia
and opened a general store
. He was also an independent insurance
agent from 1928 until his death. His wife was the former Katherine Markham.
In politics, Verret was first elected to the Iberia Parish School Board in 1912 and was the board president from 1914–1943, when he ran for lieutenant governor. Many found it unusual that a candidate whose only elective office had been on a school board could defeat a legendary Long to gain the state's second highest office. Verret ran second to Long in the first primary but defeated him in the second balloting, when anti-Long elements coalesced behind him. Also in the running was freshman State Senator
Frank Burton Ellis
of Covington
in St. Tammany Parish
, later a short-term U.S. District Court judge in New Orleans
, appointed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy
Had Lewis L. Morgan
, a judge from Covington
, the seat of St. Tammany Parish
, not entered a gubernatorial runoff against Jimmie Davis, Long would have automatically become the lieutenant governor nominee without a runoff contest. At the time, Louisiana law provided that there would be no runoffs for "down-ballot" races if there was no second gubernatorial contest. Had Morgan deferred to Davis as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Long would have hence been slated for the general election ballot as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
According to William J. "Bill" Dodd, a nearly lifelong observer of Louisiana politics, several Democratic figures, including Lucille May Grace
, the register of the state lands, and Secretary of State Wade O. Martin, Jr.
, privately urged Morgan to make the race against Davis, not because they opposed Davis per se, but because they wanted Earl Long to face Verret, a largely unknown anti-Long candidate. Dodd said that "Miss Grace" and Martin believed that two consecutive defeats for Earl Long (governor in 1940 and lieutenant governor in 1944) might doom his political career. Morgan was indeed said to have seriously considered not pursuing the runoff, but his decision to enter the second round of balloting hurt Earl Long. Long, however, was undeterred by the defeat for lieutenant governor. He set his sights on the governorship again in 1948.
Allied in 1948 with former Governor Sam Houston Jones, Verret was defeated for reelection as lieutenant governor by Bill Dodd, the corresponding candidate on the Long slate.
Verret was Roman Catholic and a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus
. He was president of the Louisiana School Board Association and held membership in the Elks
and Rotary clubs of New Iberia.
The Verrets are interred at St. Peter's Cemetery in New Iberia.
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...
lieutenant governor of 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...
from 1944 to 1948, having served under the first of the two nonconsecutive gubernatorial terms of James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
. Verret defeated former Governor Earl Kemp Long in the party's runoff election for the second-ranking office in state government. He and Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock
Clarence C. Aycock
Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock , a conservative Democrat from Franklin in St. Mary Parish, was the only three-term lieutenant governor in modern Louisiana history. He served from 1960 to 1972. Aycock failed in his only bid for governor in the 1971 Democratic primary...
of Franklin
Franklin, Louisiana
Franklin is a city in and the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Franklin. As of 2000, the population was 53,500.The Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of St. Mary Parish.-Geography:...
both denied Long victory in races for lieutenant governor: Verret in 1944 and Aycock in 1959. Earl Long had been elected lieutenant governor in 1936 and succeeded to the governorship for a year in 1939. Long was defeated for a full gubernatorial term in 1940 but staged impressive comebacks to win the top office in 1948 and 1956.
Verret was born in Iberia Parish and educated in local schools. He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
in 1905 (then Louisiana Industrial Institute). He also attended Soule Business College in New Orleans. He returned to New Iberia
New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia is a city in and the parish seat of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette. In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747...
and opened a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
. He was also an independent insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
agent from 1928 until his death. His wife was the former Katherine Markham.
In politics, Verret was first elected to the Iberia Parish School Board in 1912 and was the board president from 1914–1943, when he ran for lieutenant governor. Many found it unusual that a candidate whose only elective office had been on a school board could defeat a legendary Long to gain the state's second highest office. Verret ran second to Long in the first primary but defeated him in the second balloting, when anti-Long elements coalesced behind him. Also in the running was freshman State Senator
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...
Frank Burton Ellis
Frank Burton Ellis
Frank Burton Ellis was a New Orleans, Louisiana, attorney and Democratic politician who served in the Louisiana State Senate, as director of the Office of Civil Defense and Mobilization in the administration of U.S. President John F...
of Covington
Covington, Louisiana
Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River....
in St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
, later a short-term U.S. District Court judge in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, appointed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
Had Lewis L. Morgan
Lewis L. Morgan
Lewis Lovering Morgan was an American lawyer and politician form the state of Louisiana.He served in the United States House of Representatives from November 5, 1912, to March 4, 1917, from Louisiana's 6th congressional district, which then included part of the New Orleans area...
, a judge from Covington
Covington, Louisiana
Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River....
, the seat of St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
, not entered a gubernatorial runoff against Jimmie Davis, Long would have automatically become the lieutenant governor nominee without a runoff contest. At the time, Louisiana law provided that there would be no runoffs for "down-ballot" races if there was no second gubernatorial contest. Had Morgan deferred to Davis as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, Long would have hence been slated for the general election ballot as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
According to William J. "Bill" Dodd, a nearly lifelong observer of Louisiana politics, several Democratic figures, including Lucille May Grace
Lucille May Grace
Lucille May Grace, a.k.a. Mrs. Fred Columbus Dent, Sr., , was the first woman to attain statewide elected office in Louisiana. A Democrat, "Miss Grace," as she preferred to be called, became Register of the State Land Office in 1931 on appointment of Governor Huey Pierce Long, Jr...
, the register of the state lands, and Secretary of State Wade O. Martin, Jr.
Wade O. Martin, Jr.
Wade Omer Martin, Jr. was the Democratic Secretary of State of Louisiana under five governors, having served from 1944 to 1976...
, privately urged Morgan to make the race against Davis, not because they opposed Davis per se, but because they wanted Earl Long to face Verret, a largely unknown anti-Long candidate. Dodd said that "Miss Grace" and Martin believed that two consecutive defeats for Earl Long (governor in 1940 and lieutenant governor in 1944) might doom his political career. Morgan was indeed said to have seriously considered not pursuing the runoff, but his decision to enter the second round of balloting hurt Earl Long. Long, however, was undeterred by the defeat for lieutenant governor. He set his sights on the governorship again in 1948.
Allied in 1948 with former Governor Sam Houston Jones, Verret was defeated for reelection as lieutenant governor by Bill Dodd, the corresponding candidate on the Long slate.
Verret was Roman Catholic and a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
. He was president of the Louisiana School Board Association and held membership in the Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
and Rotary clubs of New Iberia.
The Verrets are interred at St. Peter's Cemetery in New Iberia.