Joseph Barton Elam
Encyclopedia
Joseph Barton Elam, Sr. (June 12, 1821 – July 4, 1885), was a two-term Democratic U.S. representative from Louisiana
.
in Hempstead County in southern Arkansas
, to William Jefferson Elam, an educator from Virginia. The family moved to Coryell County
, Texas
, in 1823 where a brother, Charles Wheaton Elam, was born. In 1826, they relocated to Natchitoches
, Louisiana, where a sister, Mary Jane Elam, was born. By 1833, the family moved to Fort Jessup, Louisiana, the westernmost outpost of the United States at that time, where William Jefferson Elam tutored the officers' sons. Another brother, John Waddill Elam, was born there in 1833.
Elam was educated at Fort Jessup. Later, he read law with his cousin John Waddill in Alexandria
, Louisiana. Waddill helped the kidnapped freeman Solomon Northup
to obtain his freedom in court proceedings in 1853. Elam was admitted to the bar in October, 1843, and began his practice in Alexandria, Louisiana. He moved to Sabine Parish and settled in Many, Louisiana
in 1844.
in 1845 and in 1846-1847 was its President. Elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives
from Sabine, he served two years from this area. Elam also served as the District Attorney of Sabine Parish.
Subsequently, he helped establish the court system in De Soto Parish and made the first court appearance as an attorney in the parish court of DeSoto on August 7, 1843. In 1847, Elam drafted the articles for incorporation for the town of Mansfield
and became its first mayor
. He served as mayor a second time in 1856. He also was elected an alderman of Mansfield in 1856. Elam was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives
from DeSoto Parish, and his brother, John Waddill Elam was DeSoto Parish Sheriff.
Elam was elected a delegate to the Confederate
Constitutional convention in 1861. He signed the Louisiana Ordinance of Secession on January 26, 1861. He served two terms in the state legislature during the civil war and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1864 and 1865. In November 1865, he was elected as a state representative in the post-civil war Reconstruction legislature and served until the passage of the Reconstruction legislation by Congress in 1867.
Elam attended the National Union Convention as a delegate from Louisiana in 1866.
During Reconstruction, the Radical Republicans took control of Louisiana. Elam was disfranchised by the passage of the Louisiana Constitution of 1868 which prevented him from running for office for some period. Elam was unable to retain his house seat through this period. However in 1870, section 99 of this Constitution was repealed, and he was allowed to run for office.
The Radicals passed legislation the same year that created the "returning boards" which allowed them to throw out elections. Elam was denied office in 1870, 1872 and 1874 through this method. In 1870, Elam stopped a riot by speaking to and calming a crowd after an election was taken from him and did the same in 1872. The Wheeler Adjustment
passed by the Louisiana legislature in March, 1875 did not allow Elam to take his Louisiana State Senate seat for the 1874 election.
Elam, a Secessionist and ex-Confederate State Legislator was elected to the United States Congress to the Forty-fifth Congress in 1876. A political compromise of that year allowed him and other Democrats to take office and elected Rutherford B. Hayes
as President in 1877. Elam was reelected to the Forty-sixth Congress representing the 4th Congressional District
. He was severely injured in a stagecoach
accident during his reelection campaign of 1878. (Shreveport Times, October 1878)
In 1881, he returned home to practice law in Mansfield. He died on July 4, 1885.
Elam's granddaughter, Margaret Taylor Elam Drew (1919–1977), also a descendant of U.S. President Zachary Taylor
, was the first wife of State Representative
R. Harmon Drew, Sr.
, of Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish
. Her son is Louisiana Court of Appeals Judge Harmon Drew, Jr.
, also of Minden, but with his court in Shreveport
.
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...
.
Early life and education
Elam was born near HopeHope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
in Hempstead County in southern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, to William Jefferson Elam, an educator from Virginia. The family moved to Coryell County
Coryell County, Texas
Coryell County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 74,978. The county seat is Gatesville. Coryell County forms part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, in 1823 where a brother, Charles Wheaton Elam, was born. In 1826, they relocated to Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, Louisiana, where a sister, Mary Jane Elam, was born. By 1833, the family moved to Fort Jessup, Louisiana, the westernmost outpost of the United States at that time, where William Jefferson Elam tutored the officers' sons. Another brother, John Waddill Elam, was born there in 1833.
Elam was educated at Fort Jessup. Later, he read law with his cousin John Waddill in Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, Louisiana. Waddill helped the kidnapped freeman Solomon Northup
Solomon Northup
Solomon Northup was a free-born African-American mulatto. He was born in Minerva, Essex County, New York. He disappeared in 1863.-Family history:...
to obtain his freedom in court proceedings in 1853. Elam was admitted to the bar in October, 1843, and began his practice in Alexandria, Louisiana. He moved to Sabine Parish and settled in Many, Louisiana
Many, Louisiana
Many is a town in and the parish seat of Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,889 at the 2000 census. The town was named for John B. Many, the commander of nearby Fort Jesup.-History:...
in 1844.
Political career
Elam was elected to the Sabine Parish Police JuryPolice Jury
In the U.S. state of Louisiana, the typical governing body of the parish is called the Police Jury. Not every parish is governed by a Police Jury, but 41 of the 64 parishes use this system....
in 1845 and in 1846-1847 was its President. Elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
The Louisiana House of Representatives is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Louisiana. The House is composed of 105 Representatives, each of whom represents approximately 42,500 people . Members serve four-year terms with a term limit of...
from Sabine, he served two years from this area. Elam also served as the District Attorney of Sabine Parish.
Subsequently, he helped establish the court system in De Soto Parish and made the first court appearance as an attorney in the parish court of DeSoto on August 7, 1843. In 1847, Elam drafted the articles for incorporation for the town of Mansfield
Mansfield, Louisiana
Mansfield is a city in and the parish seat of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,001 at the 2010 census. Mansfield is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and became its first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. He served as mayor a second time in 1856. He also was elected an alderman of Mansfield in 1856. Elam was elected to 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 DeSoto Parish, and his brother, John Waddill Elam was DeSoto Parish Sheriff.
Elam was elected a delegate to the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Constitutional convention in 1861. He signed the Louisiana Ordinance of Secession on January 26, 1861. He served two terms in the state legislature during the civil war and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1864 and 1865. In November 1865, he was elected as a state representative in the post-civil war Reconstruction legislature and served until the passage of the Reconstruction legislation by Congress in 1867.
Elam attended the National Union Convention as a delegate from Louisiana in 1866.
During Reconstruction, the Radical Republicans took control of Louisiana. Elam was disfranchised by the passage of the Louisiana Constitution of 1868 which prevented him from running for office for some period. Elam was unable to retain his house seat through this period. However in 1870, section 99 of this Constitution was repealed, and he was allowed to run for office.
The Radicals passed legislation the same year that created the "returning boards" which allowed them to throw out elections. Elam was denied office in 1870, 1872 and 1874 through this method. In 1870, Elam stopped a riot by speaking to and calming a crowd after an election was taken from him and did the same in 1872. The Wheeler Adjustment
Wheeler Compromise
The Wheeler Compromise, sometimes known as the Wheeler Adjustment, was the settlement of the disputed election of 1874 in the US state of Louisiana, of the military interference in the organization of the state's legislature on January 4, 1875, and of the general economic situation of Louisiana...
passed by the Louisiana legislature in March, 1875 did not allow Elam to take his Louisiana State Senate seat for the 1874 election.
Elam, a Secessionist and ex-Confederate State Legislator was elected to the United States Congress to the Forty-fifth Congress in 1876. A political compromise of that year allowed him and other Democrats to take office and elected Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
as President in 1877. Elam was reelected to the Forty-sixth Congress representing the 4th Congressional District
Louisiana's 4th congressional district
Louisiana's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The district is located in the northwestern part of the state and is based in Shreveport-Bossier City. It also includes the cities of Minden, DeRidder, and Natchitoches.The district is currently...
. He was severely injured in a stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
accident during his reelection campaign of 1878. (Shreveport Times, October 1878)
In 1881, he returned home to practice law in Mansfield. He died on July 4, 1885.
Elam's granddaughter, Margaret Taylor Elam Drew (1919–1977), also a descendant of U.S. President Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
, was the first wife of 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...
R. Harmon Drew, Sr.
R. Harmon Drew, Sr.
Richard Harmon Drew, Sr. was a fourth generation judge and a former Democratic state representative who was descended from pioneer families of Webster Parish in north Louisiana...
, 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....
. Her son is Louisiana Court of Appeals Judge Harmon Drew, Jr.
Harmon Drew, Jr.
Richard Harmon Drew, Jr. , is a Louisiana judge, legal lecturer, and rhythm-and-blues musician. He is serving a second 10-year term on his state's Second Circuit Court of Appeal, based in Shreveport.-Ancestry:...
, also of Minden, but with his court 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....
.