Edwin G. Preis
Encyclopedia
Edwin Gustav Preis, Sr. was a farmer and businessman who served from 1972 to 2000 as the Democratic
mayor of the town of Newellton
in Tensas Parish
in northeastern Louisiana
.
Preis was born in Waterproof
in southern Tensas Parish. In the late 1940s, he moved to Newellton with his wife, Patricia Preis, to whom he was married for 67 years until his death. There he engaged in business and served seven terms as mayor. After numerous election cycles without opposition, Preis was unseated in the fall of 2000 by Alex Davis, an African American who received 366 votes (56.8 percent) to Preis' 184 (28.6 percent), and 94 votes (14.6 percent) for a third candidate, F. A. "Coonie" McVay.
A Mississippi River
delta town, Newellton acquired a large majority of black voters after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. From 1976 to 1977, Preis was the president of the Louisiana Municipal Association, an organization through which he made many political contacts across the state. He was known for trips to Washington, D.C.
, from which he often secured such projects as water or sewer systems for his community. In the 1990s, he represented Louisiana at a meeting in the White House
with U.S. President Bill Clinton
. His younger son, attorney Phil Preis
of Baton Rouge
, unsuccessfully sought the governorship in 1995 and 1999.
Preis was a founder of Little League in Tensas Parish and a devotee, particularly of the sports programs, of the since defunct Newellton High School
. During the 1960s, when Newellton was the runner-up at state in its division, Preis served as an announcer at the games.
Preis died of a short illness at the age of 95. After services at the Newellton Union Church, he was interred at Legion Memorial Cemetery north of Newellton.
In addition to his wife Patricia and son Phil and his wife, Terry, Edwin Preis is survived by an older son, Edwin Preis, Jr., an attorney in Lafayette
, Louisiana, and his wife, Chris Preis, and a daughter, Patricia Preis Thompson, the wife of Dr. Tony Thompson of Nacogdoches
, Texas
. He had twelve grandchildren.
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...
mayor of the town of Newellton
Newellton, Louisiana
Newellton is a town in northern Tensas Parish in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population is 1,227 in the 2010 census, a decline of 255 from 2000. Newellton is some 65 percent African American. It is just west of the Mississippi River on Lake St. Joseph, an ox-bow lake....
in Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish, Louisiana
Tensas Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is St. Joseph. In 2010, the population of Tensas Parish was 5,252; it is the least-populous of all sixty-four parishes....
in northeastern 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...
.
Preis was born in Waterproof
Waterproof, Louisiana
Waterproof is a town in Tensas Parish, Louisiana, United States with a population of 834 as of 2000 census. Waterproof is approximately seventeen miles north of Ferriday, one of the two principal communities of Concordia Parish...
in southern Tensas Parish. In the late 1940s, he moved to Newellton with his wife, Patricia Preis, to whom he was married for 67 years until his death. There he engaged in business and served seven terms as mayor. After numerous election cycles without opposition, Preis was unseated in the fall of 2000 by Alex Davis, an African American who received 366 votes (56.8 percent) to Preis' 184 (28.6 percent), and 94 votes (14.6 percent) for a third candidate, F. A. "Coonie" McVay.
A Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
delta town, Newellton acquired a large majority of black voters after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. From 1976 to 1977, Preis was the president of the Louisiana Municipal Association, an organization through which he made many political contacts across the state. He was known for trips to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, from which he often secured such projects as water or sewer systems for his community. In the 1990s, he represented Louisiana at a meeting in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
with U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. His younger son, attorney Phil Preis
Phil Preis
Phillip Wesley Preis, Sr., known as Phil Preis , is a Democratic politician and attorney, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who specializes in mergers and acquisitions. A native of Newellton in Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana, Preis is the son of Patricia M. Preis of Newellton and Edwin...
of 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...
, unsuccessfully sought the governorship in 1995 and 1999.
Preis was a founder of Little League in Tensas Parish and a devotee, particularly of the sports programs, of the since defunct Newellton High School
Newellton High School
Newellton High School was a rural public high school in Newellton in northern Tensas Parish in northeastern Louisiana, along the Mississippi River. NHS operated throughout most of the 20th century until its closure in 2006...
. During the 1960s, when Newellton was the runner-up at state in its division, Preis served as an announcer at the games.
Preis died of a short illness at the age of 95. After services at the Newellton Union Church, he was interred at Legion Memorial Cemetery north of Newellton.
In addition to his wife Patricia and son Phil and his wife, Terry, Edwin Preis is survived by an older son, Edwin Preis, Jr., an attorney in Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, Louisiana, and his wife, Chris Preis, and a daughter, Patricia Preis Thompson, the wife of Dr. Tony Thompson of Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
, 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...
. He had twelve grandchildren.