Oramel H. Simpson
Encyclopedia
Oramel Hinckley Simpson (March 20, 1870 November 17, 1932) 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
. He was defeated he ran third in the critical Democratic
primary in his bid for a full term in 1928 by the legendary Huey Pierce Long, Jr.
, of Winnfield
, the seat of Winn Parish.
Simpson was born in Washington
, a small town in St. Landry Parish in south Louisiana to Samuel F. Simpson and the former Mary Esther Beer. He was educated at Centenary College
, then in Jackson
in East Feliciana Parish but later relocated to Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. One of Simpson's classmates at Centenary in the 1890 graduating class was later State Senator
Thomas Wafer Fuller
, who was thereafter the Webster Parish
school superintendent.
Simpson thereafter attended the Tulane University Law School
in New Orleans. He was an attorney in New Orleans from 1893–1899, when he briefly took the position of warrant clerk at the United States Mint
there. In 1899, he married Louise Pichet of New Orleans. They had no children.
Thereafter, Simpson was the assistant secretary of the state Senate from 1900 until 1908, when he became secretary of the Senate, a post that he retained until his election as lieutenant governor
in 1924. He was also the secretary of the Louisiana constitutional convention of 1921.
During his term as governor, Simpson opposed a toll
bridge across the eastern portion of Lake Pontchartrain
which was being built to connect New Orleans and Slidell
in St. Tammany Parish. Simpson proposed instead that a free bridge to be built from Chef Menteur
, but influential figures in New Orleans worked to authorize the toll bridge despite Simpson's objections. However, Simpson was able to start a free ferry service, which reduced the revenue to the toll bridge.
The Ku Klux Klan
reemerged during Simpson's term of office. Legislation was passed to outlaw hoods, masks, and robes excepting those worn during Mardi Gras
and at masked balls or parties.
The great flood in 1927 forced Simpson to order a "downriver cut" of the levee
to protect New Orleans. Afterwards, the affected states of Louisiana, Arkansas
, and Mississippi formed a tri-state flood control commission and worked together to secure federal aid for flood prevention. Property owners from the downriver parishes were compensated by the state for losses resulting from the levee cut.
Two major candidates, Simpson and U.S. Representative
Riley J. Wilson
of Louisiana's 8th congressional district
(Winn Parish), opposed Huey Long's election as governor. Long won by the largest margin in Louisiana Democratic primary history up until that time, 126,842 votes, compared to 81,747 for Wilson and 80,326 for Simpson.
After his governorship, Simpson returned briefly in 1932 to his former position as secretary of the state senate.
Simpson died of a heart
seizure in New Orleans some two weeks after the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt
as president. He was Methodist. He is interred at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from the US state 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...
. He became the 39th Governor of Louisiana in 1926, upon the death of his predecessor, Henry L. Fuqua
Henry L. Fuqua
Henry Luse Fuqua was a Baton Rouge businessman Fuqua defeated both Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Lieutenant Governor Hewitt Leonidas Bouanchaud in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1924 to succeed the term-limited John M. Parker...
. He was defeated he ran third in the critical 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...
primary in his bid for a full term in 1928 by the legendary Huey Pierce Long, Jr.
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
, of 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 ...
, the seat of Winn Parish.
Simpson was born in Washington
Washington, Louisiana
Washington is a small town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,082 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, a small town in St. Landry Parish in south Louisiana to Samuel F. Simpson and the former Mary Esther Beer. He was educated at Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
, then in Jackson
Jackson, Louisiana
Jackson is a town in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,130 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in East Feliciana Parish but later relocated to Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. One of Simpson's classmates at Centenary in the 1890 graduating class was later 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...
Thomas Wafer Fuller
Thomas Wafer Fuller
Thomas Wafer Fuller was an educator and newspaperman from Minden, Louisiana,who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from 1896 to 1900....
, who was thereafter the 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....
school superintendent.
Simpson thereafter attended the Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School
Tulane University Law School is the law school of Tulane University. It is located on Tulane's Uptown campus in New Orleans, Louisiana. Established in 1847, it is the 12th oldest law school in the United States....
in New Orleans. He was an attorney in New Orleans from 1893–1899, when he briefly took the position of warrant clerk at the United States Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
there. In 1899, he married Louise Pichet of New Orleans. They had no children.
Thereafter, Simpson was the assistant secretary of the state Senate from 1900 until 1908, when he became secretary of the Senate, a post that he retained until his election as lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
The Office of Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana is the second highest state office in Louisiana. The current Lieutenant Governor is Jay Dardenne, a Republican...
in 1924. He was also the secretary of the Louisiana constitutional convention of 1921.
During his term as governor, Simpson opposed a toll
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
bridge across the eastern portion of Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
which was being built to connect New Orleans and Slidell
Slidell, Louisiana
Slidell is a city situated on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 25,695 at the 2000 census. The Greater Slidell Community has a population of about 90,000...
in St. Tammany Parish. Simpson proposed instead that a free bridge to be built from Chef Menteur
Chef Menteur
Chef Menteur is associated with several place names in eastern New Orleans and South Louisiana, including:*Chef Menteur Pass*Bayou Chef Menteur*Chef Menteur Highway Chef Menteur is associated with several place names in eastern New Orleans and South Louisiana, including:*Chef Menteur Pass*Bayou...
, but influential figures in New Orleans worked to authorize the toll bridge despite Simpson's objections. However, Simpson was able to start a free ferry service, which reduced the revenue to the toll bridge.
The Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
reemerged during Simpson's term of office. Legislation was passed to outlaw hoods, masks, and robes excepting those worn during Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
and at masked balls or parties.
The great flood in 1927 forced Simpson to order a "downriver cut" of the levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
to protect New Orleans. Afterwards, the affected states of Louisiana, 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...
, and Mississippi formed a tri-state flood control commission and worked together to secure federal aid for flood prevention. Property owners from the downriver parishes were compensated by the state for losses resulting from the levee cut.
Two major candidates, Simpson and U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Riley J. Wilson
Riley J. Wilson
Riley Joseph Wilson was a Louisiana educator, attorney, and legislator in the first half of the late 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century. A Democrat, Wilson served in the United States House of Representatives from 1915 until 1937...
of Louisiana's 8th congressional district
Louisiana's 8th congressional district
Louisiana's 8th congressional district is a defunct Congressional district and no longer exists after Louisiana lost its eighth Congressional seat in the 1990 U. S. Census. For its entire existence, it was based in Alexandria and included much of the north-central part of the state.-List of...
(Winn Parish), opposed Huey Long's election as governor. Long won by the largest margin in Louisiana Democratic primary history up until that time, 126,842 votes, compared to 81,747 for Wilson and 80,326 for Simpson.
After his governorship, Simpson returned briefly in 1932 to his former position as secretary of the state senate.
Simpson died of a heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
seizure in New Orleans some two weeks after the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
as president. He was Methodist. He is interred at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans.
External links
- State of Louisiana – Biography
- Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries