J. Frank Colbert
Encyclopedia
Jefferson Franklin Colbert, known as J. Frank Colbert (May 28, 1882—May 20, 1949), was a Democratic
politician who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1920–1925 and from 1944-1946 as the mayor of the small city of Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish
in northwestern Louisiana
.
in Ruston
. He was editor of the defunct Minden Democrat newspaper and another former publication, the Signal-Tribune, forerunner of the current Minden Press-Herald
. At the time of his death, he was engaged in the real estate
business.
In 1908, Colbert and city council member Connell Fort
, subsequently a Minden mayor, co-managed the successful gubernatorial campaign in Webster Parish of Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
, of Franklin
, the seat of St. Mary Parish
in south Louisiana. After his election, Sanders named Fort the conservation agent for northwestern Louisiana.
From 1912-1920, Colbert served in the former Ward 4 as a member of the elected Webster Parish Police Jury, the governing body akin to the county commission
in other states.
Colbert was elected to the legislature in 1920 and 1924 but resigned during his second term when Governor Henry Fuqua appointed him to the Louisiana Tax Commission, a position that he continued under Governors Oramel H. Simpson
and Huey P. Long, Jr. Colbert was also a former chairman of the Minden Democratic Executive Committee, the panel which handled the filings of candidacy. For a time, he was the chief aide to U.S. Representative John N. Sandlin
of Minden.
Utopia
n movement, which advocates a "single tax
" on land, as outlined in George's Progress and Poverty
. In 1932, Colbert delivered an address at the Henry George Congress in Memphis
, Tennessee.
In the March–April 1930 edition of the Georgist Land and Freedom magazine, Colbert defended the "single tax" in a column:
"The usual comment of those in comfortable conditions, when speaking of the less fortunate class, is that if the masses were more industrious, frugal and intelligent, their lot in life would be vastly improved; would in fact, be quite equal to their own; that they are the makers of their own condition.
"This attitude on the part of the more fortunate dulls the sense of responsibility they might otherwise feel did they understand better the real cause producing so much of the poverty to be found everywhere. Also, it is flattering to the well-to-do to imagine that, in a country like ours, where all are politically equal and the humblest rise to high places in government and business, that they forged ahead of their fellows by sheer force of merit; for all of which they have only themselves to praise. ...
"The Single Tax means Justice in action; it means equality and freedom for all, oppression of none. It is so simple, we hesitate to believe it can be so potent. We are baffled by its very simplicity, but shall we turn away from it for that reason? Where shall we look?
, resigned to enter the United States Army
during World War II. The position was filled by a mayor pro tem from the city council, John Calhoun Brown
, until the next regular municipal election held on April 11, 1944. Colbert, well-known from his police jury, legislative, and civic leadership, entered the race against J.H. Nelson, the president of the former People's Bank and Trust Company in Minden, who had also been the president of the Minden Chamber of Commerce
and the Webster Parish Police Jury from 1920-1929. Nelson joined the police jury as Colbert stepped down. Colbert won by only 26 votes, 731-705.
Colbert did not seek a second two-year term in 1946. Instead Minden businessman John T. David
defeated insurance
agent Castle O. Holland, later the president of People’s Bank, in a runoff election, 1,064-844.
near the graves of two other mayors, his successor, John David, and a predecessor, David William Thomas
. Colbert never married. He is buried beside his niece, Nellie Graham Colbert (July 14, 1914—October 22, 1994), an educator in Baton Rouge
, who was also the 1932 "Miss Minden". She was the daughter of Colbert’s brother, Hilliard Augustus Colbert (August 15, 1875—January 30, 1944), and Hilliard’s wife, the former Rosa Belle Grigsby (March 27, 1881—September 12, 1954). An infant daughter of Nellie Colbert, Sally Graham Layton, is buried below Colbert’s grave. Colbert’s parents are not listed in the family plot. Another brother, John G. Colbert (1866–1950), and his wife, the former Mary Monzingo (1876–1929), are interred at the Pine Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery north of Minden.
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...
politician who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives
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 1920–1925 and from 1944-1946 as the mayor of the small city of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish
Webster Parish, Louisiana
Webster Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Minden. In 2010, its population was 41,207....
in northwestern 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...
.
Background
Colbert was born in Webster Parish to John A. Colbert and the former Sarah Eliza Taylor. The senior Colbert was the Webster Parish clerk of court, an elected position, from 1892-1896. Colbert attended Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana 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...
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...
. He was editor of the defunct Minden Democrat newspaper and another former publication, the Signal-Tribune, forerunner of the current Minden Press-Herald
Minden Press-Herald
The Minden Press-Herald is a Monday-Friday daily newspaper published in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, by Specht Newspapers, Inc...
. At the time of his death, he was engaged in the real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
business.
In 1908, Colbert and city council member Connell Fort
Connell Fort
Connell Fort was a businessman and newspaperman who served as the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in north Louisiana, from 1922 to 1926 and again from 1932 to 1934....
, subsequently a Minden mayor, co-managed the successful gubernatorial campaign in Webster Parish of Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
Jared Young Sanders, Sr. , was a journalist and attorney from Franklin, the seat of St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana, who served as his state's House Speaker , lieutenant governor , the 34th Governor , and U.S. representative...
, 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:...
, the seat of 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:...
in south Louisiana. After his election, Sanders named Fort the conservation agent for northwestern Louisiana.
From 1912-1920, Colbert served in the former Ward 4 as a member of the elected Webster Parish Police Jury, the governing body akin to the county commission
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
in other states.
Colbert was elected to the legislature in 1920 and 1924 but resigned during his second term when Governor Henry Fuqua appointed him to the Louisiana Tax Commission, a position that he continued under Governors Oramel H. Simpson
Oramel H. Simpson
Oramel Hinckley Simpson was an American politician from the US state of Louisiana. He became the 39th Governor of Louisiana in 1926, upon the death of his predecessor, Henry L. Fuqua...
and Huey P. Long, Jr. Colbert was also a former chairman of the Minden Democratic Executive Committee, the panel which handled the filings of candidacy. For a time, he was the chief aide to U.S. Representative John N. Sandlin
John N. Sandlin
John Nicholas Sandlin, Sr. , of Minden, Louisiana, represented his state's Fourth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1921 to 1937. In 1936, rather than seeking a ninth term in the House, Sandlin, upon the request of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt,...
of Minden.
Henry George's "Single Tax"
In 1927, Colbert joined the Henry GeorgeHenry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
Utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n movement, which advocates a "single tax
Georgism
Georgism is an economic philosophy and ideology that holds that people own what they create, but that things found in nature, most importantly land, belong equally to all...
" on land, as outlined in George's Progress and Poverty
Progress and Poverty
Progress and Poverty: An Inquiry into the Cause of Industrial Depressions and of Increase of Want with Increase of Wealth: The Remedy was written by Henry George in 1879...
. In 1932, Colbert delivered an address at the Henry George Congress in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee.
In the March–April 1930 edition of the Georgist Land and Freedom magazine, Colbert defended the "single tax" in a column:
"The usual comment of those in comfortable conditions, when speaking of the less fortunate class, is that if the masses were more industrious, frugal and intelligent, their lot in life would be vastly improved; would in fact, be quite equal to their own; that they are the makers of their own condition.
"This attitude on the part of the more fortunate dulls the sense of responsibility they might otherwise feel did they understand better the real cause producing so much of the poverty to be found everywhere. Also, it is flattering to the well-to-do to imagine that, in a country like ours, where all are politically equal and the humblest rise to high places in government and business, that they forged ahead of their fellows by sheer force of merit; for all of which they have only themselves to praise. ...
"The Single Tax means Justice in action; it means equality and freedom for all, oppression of none. It is so simple, we hesitate to believe it can be so potent. We are baffled by its very simplicity, but shall we turn away from it for that reason? Where shall we look?
Mayoral service
In November 1942, Mayor Floyd D. Culbertson, Jr.Floyd D. Culbertson, Jr.
Floyd Douglas Culbertson, Jr. served from 1940-1942 as the mayor of Minden, a small city in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana.-Biography:Culbertson graduated at the age of nineteen in 1927 from Minden High School...
, resigned to enter the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II. The position was filled by a mayor pro tem from the city council, John Calhoun Brown
John Calhoun Brown
John Calhoun Brown was a merchant who served from 1942 to 1944 as the Mayor Pro Tem of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, when the elected mayor, Floyd D...
, until the next regular municipal election held on April 11, 1944. Colbert, well-known from his police jury, legislative, and civic leadership, entered the race against J.H. Nelson, the president of the former People's Bank and Trust Company in Minden, who had also been the president of the Minden Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
and the Webster Parish Police Jury from 1920-1929. Nelson joined the police jury as Colbert stepped down. Colbert won by only 26 votes, 731-705.
Colbert did not seek a second two-year term in 1946. Instead Minden businessman John T. David
John T. David
John Thomas David, Sr. was the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, from 1946-1955...
defeated 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 Castle O. Holland, later the president of People’s Bank, in a runoff election, 1,064-844.
Death and family
Colbert died of an illness eight days before what would have been his 67th birthday. Both Methodist and Presbyterian ministers officiated at his funeral. Colbert is interred at Minden CemeteryMinden Cemetery
The Minden Cemetery, located in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, United States, has graves dating from 1843, seven years after the founding of the city in 1836...
near the graves of two other mayors, his successor, John David, and a predecessor, David William Thomas
David William Thomas
David William Thomas, Sr. , was a Welsh-American "Renaissance man", journalist, university professor and attorney who served from 1936—1940]] as mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana.-Early years and education:A native of Cardiff, Wales,...
. Colbert never married. He is buried beside his niece, Nellie Graham Colbert (July 14, 1914—October 22, 1994), an educator 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...
, who was also the 1932 "Miss Minden". She was the daughter of Colbert’s brother, Hilliard Augustus Colbert (August 15, 1875—January 30, 1944), and Hilliard’s wife, the former Rosa Belle Grigsby (March 27, 1881—September 12, 1954). An infant daughter of Nellie Colbert, Sally Graham Layton, is buried below Colbert’s grave. Colbert’s parents are not listed in the family plot. Another brother, John G. Colbert (1866–1950), and his wife, the former Mary Monzingo (1876–1929), are interred at the Pine Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery north of Minden.