Len Lacy
Encyclopedia
John Len Lacy, usually known as Len Lacy (September 8, 1900 - June 7, 1998), was a prominent farmer
, cattleman, landowner, and businessman who served from 1964-1968 as a Democratic
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from Castor
in Bienville Parish in northwestern Louisiana
. Prior to his legislative service, Lacy was for thirty-three years a member of the elected Bienville Parish School Board, headquartered in the parish seat of Arcadia
. He served from January 6, 1931, until 1964, when he assumed his legislative seat. In 1970, the Shreveport Times named Lacy one of the most influential persons in Bienville Parish because many who sought guidance in business or politics came to him for advice. His great public interest was in rural
development.
Lacy was born into a pioneer Bienville Parish family in the Ebenezer community south of Castor on the night of the deadly Galveston
tidal surge. His grandfather was one of the first educators in Bienville Parish. His father was Henry Rufus Lacy, Sr. (1870–1956); his brother, Henry Rufus Lacy, Jr. (1902–1969), was a Castor merchant
known throughout the area as Rufus Lacy. Lacy was married to the former Sallie Williams (June 23, 1905 - January 12, 1999), who succeeded her husband as a school board member. She served from August 1964 until her retirement on December 14, 1972.
Lacy was the last person to have represented only Bienville Parish in the legislature. Until 1968, each parish regardless of its population had been guaranteed a seat in the 105-member Louisiana House. Bienville was thereafter combined with neighboring Jackson Parish. Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry
, a Democrat from Jonesboro
, the seat of Jackson Parish, defeated Lacy in the 1967 primary, and in 1972, Henry began an eight-year stint as the Speaker
of the Louisiana House. Democrat Jamie Fair
of Castor succeeded Henry in the seat in 1980 and served a single term until 1984.
The couple had three daughters, Doris Lacy Barnes (born August 24, 1925), the widow
of Orrice R. Barnes (1921–1996), an Idaho
native and the former Western Auto
dealer in Newellton
in Tensas Parish in eastern Louisiana; Billie L. Ainsworth and her husband, William G. Ainsworth, of Tulsa, Oklahoma
, and Carolyn L. Carrow and husband, Guy E. Carrow, of Monroe
. There were six grandchildren: J. Russell Barnes, M.D.
(born 1952), of Vicksburg, Mississippi
, David Lacy Barnes, M.D. (born November 11, 1954), of Monroe; Terry Ainsworth Evans of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
, Martha Ainsworth Healey of Edmond, Oklahoma
, Stephen C. Carrow of Tulsa, and T. Scott Carrow of Jacksonville, Florida
. He had ten great-grandchildren.
Lacy died in a Monroe hospital
. The Lacys are interred at the New Ebenezer Cemetery south of Castor.
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, cattleman, landowner, and businessman who served from 1964-1968 as a 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...
member of 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 Castor
Castor, Louisiana
Castor is a village in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 209 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1900. The name "Castor" refers to the genus Castoridae beaver....
in Bienville Parish 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...
. Prior to his legislative service, Lacy was for thirty-three years a member of the elected Bienville Parish School Board, headquartered in the parish seat of Arcadia
Arcadia, Louisiana
Arcadia is a town in and the parish seat of Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,041 at the 2000 census....
. He served from January 6, 1931, until 1964, when he assumed his legislative seat. In 1970, the Shreveport Times named Lacy one of the most influential persons in Bienville Parish because many who sought guidance in business or politics came to him for advice. His great public interest was in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
development.
Lacy was born into a pioneer Bienville Parish family in the Ebenezer community south of Castor on the night of the deadly Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
tidal surge. His grandfather was one of the first educators in Bienville Parish. His father was Henry Rufus Lacy, Sr. (1870–1956); his brother, Henry Rufus Lacy, Jr. (1902–1969), was a Castor merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
known throughout the area as Rufus Lacy. Lacy was married to the former Sallie Williams (June 23, 1905 - January 12, 1999), who succeeded her husband as a school board member. She served from August 1964 until her retirement on December 14, 1972.
Lacy was the last person to have represented only Bienville Parish in the legislature. Until 1968, each parish regardless of its population had been guaranteed a seat in the 105-member Louisiana House. Bienville was thereafter combined with neighboring Jackson Parish. Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry
E. L. Henry
Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry is a Baton Rouge attorney, lobbyist, and partner of the high-powered firm Adams and Reese who served as a Democrat in the House of Representatives from 1968-1980. He was Speaker from 1972–1980. Henry was Governor Edwin Washington Edwards's choice for Speaker...
, a Democrat from Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the seat of Jackson Parish, defeated Lacy in the 1967 primary, and in 1972, Henry began an eight-year stint as the Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Louisiana House. Democrat Jamie Fair
Jamie Fair
James Hartwell Fair, Jr., known as Jamie Fair , is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bienville Parish in north Louisiana. A Democrat, Fair resides off Louisiana Highway 9 between Castor and Saline. He served in the state House for a single term from 1980-1984.Fair was...
of Castor succeeded Henry in the seat in 1980 and served a single term until 1984.
The couple had three daughters, Doris Lacy Barnes (born August 24, 1925), the widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
of Orrice R. Barnes (1921–1996), an Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
native and the former Western Auto
Western Auto
Western Auto Supply Company was a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. It operated approximately 1200 stores across the United States. It was started in 1909 in Kansas City, Missouri, by George Pepperdine, who later founded Pepperdine University...
dealer in 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 in eastern Louisiana; Billie L. Ainsworth and her husband, William G. Ainsworth, of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, and Carolyn L. Carrow and husband, Guy E. Carrow, of Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
. There were six grandchildren: J. Russell Barnes, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(born 1952), of Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, David Lacy Barnes, M.D. (born November 11, 1954), of Monroe; Terry Ainsworth Evans of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, Martha Ainsworth Healey of Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma
Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
, Stephen C. Carrow of Tulsa, and T. Scott Carrow of Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. He had ten great-grandchildren.
Lacy died in a Monroe hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. The Lacys are interred at the New Ebenezer Cemetery south of Castor.