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Boucher was born to Henry Havis Boucher (1882-1952) and the former Mary Ella Dixie" Coyle (1892-1940), a Cox descendant in the Bodcau community near Springhill. Boucher attended Shiloh School and graduated in 1931 from Springhill High School, as did all members of his immediate family. On September 11, 1940, he married Mary E. Herrington (November 1923 in Crossett in Ashley County in southern [[Arkansas]]). His brother, Eli Augustus Boucher (1924-1940), died of appendicitis at the age of sixteen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=115414955|title=Jesse L. Boucher|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 10, 2017}}</ref> The death caused their mother great grief and depresson, and she committed suicide a month after Eli's passing. Henry Boucher donated the "Boucher Cemetery," now known as the Springhill Cemetery, to the city in her honor. The entire Boucher family is interred there.

Boucher was born to Henry Havis Boucher (1882-1952) and the former Mary Ella Dixie" Coyle (1892-1940), a Cox descendant in the Bodcau community near Springhill. Boucher attended Shiloh School and graduated in 1931 from Springhill High School, as did all members of his immediate family. On September 11, 1940, he married Mary E. Herrington (November 1923 in Crossett in Ashley County in southern [[Arkansas]]). His brother, Eli Augustus Boucher (1924-1940), died of appendicitis at the age of sixteen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=115414955|title=Jesse L. Boucher|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 10, 2017}}</ref> The death caused their mother great grief and depresson, and she committed suicide a month after Eli's passing. Henry Boucher donated the "Boucher Cemetery," now known as the Springhill Cemetery, to the city in her honor. The entire Boucher family is interred there.

   

   

As an outstanding football player at the end position for the Springhill Lumberjacks, young Boucher received an athletic scholarship to Northwestern State University in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], then known as "Louisiana Normal". There he played football, ran track, and was [[Golden Gloves]] [[Boxing|boxer]], including participation in a conference-winning mile relay race. He was president of both his senior class and the NSU student body.<ref name=obit/>  

As an outstanding football player at the end position for the Springhill Lumberjacks, young Boucher received an athletic scholarship to Northwestern State University in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], then known as "Louisiana Normal". There he played football, ran track, and was a Golden Gloves [[Boxing|boxer]], including participation in a conference-winning mile relay race. He was president of both his senior class and the NSU student body.<ref name=obit/>  

After he received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1935, he taught and coached in Webster Parish for three years: first in the Evergreen Community south of Shongaloo, then at Doyline High School in the village of Doyline, and, finally, at Minden High School [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the parish seat of government. He was also briefly employed in 1938 by [[Warner Brothers]] Pictures as a "ticket counter" before he joined his friend Wilburn Slack in the organization of the Boucher and Slack Insurance Agency in Springhill. Owned by his cousins Drayton Boucher and Allene Boucher, the company was transferred over for his then real estate corporation for a mere $333. Prior to World War II, Boucher served for a few months as a captain in the United States Army Air Corps at Clovis, New Mexico. He resigned as captain and returned to the insurance agency. In 1940, at the age of twenty-seven, he polled nearly 40 percent of the vote in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] against Webster Parish [[Sheriff]] [[O. H. Haynes, Sr.]]<ref>Billy Hathorn, "The Making of the Sheriff: Haynes, Batton, and Haynes, Two Webster Parish Political Families Compete for Office, 1933 to 1980," [[North Louisiana History]]'', Vol. 48 (Winter-Spring 2017), pp. 54-55.</ref> Thereafter, he entered the military from 1940 to 1944 as an officer in the [[United States Navy]] with stateside service in Pensacola, [[Florida]].<ref name=obit/><ref name=boco>The Boucher Company, Inc.: Profile of Jesse L. Boucher. boucherco.com., access date September 1, 2009.</ref>

After he received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1935, he taught and coached in Webster Parish for three years: first in the Evergreen Community south of Shongaloo, then at Doyline High School in the village of Doyline, and, finally, at Minden High School [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], the parish seat of government. He was also briefly employed in 1938 by [[Warner Brothers]] Pictures as a "ticket counter" before he joined his friend Wilburn Slack in the organization of the Boucher and Slack Insurance Agency in Springhill. Owned by his cousins Drayton Boucher and Allene Boucher, the company was transferred over for his then real estate corporation for a mere $333. Prior to World War II, Boucher served for a few months as a captain in [[United States Army]] Air Corps at Clovis, [[New Mexico]]. He resigned as captain and returned to the insurance agency. In 1940, at the age of twenty-seven, he polled nearly 40 percent of the vote in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] against Webster Parish [[Sheriff]] [[O. H. Haynes, Sr.]]<ref>Billy Hathorn, "The Making of the Sheriff: Haynes, Batton, and Haynes, Two Webster Parish Political Families Compete for Office, 1933 to 1980," [[North Louisiana History]]'', Vol. 48 (Winter-Spring 2017), pp. 54-55.</ref> Thereafter, he entered the military from 1940 to 1944 as an officer in the [[United States Navy]] with stateside service in Pensacola, [[Florida]].<ref name=obit/><ref name=boco>The Boucher Company, Inc.: Profile of Jesse L. Boucher. boucherco.com., access date September 1, 2009.</ref>

==Business, political, and civic activities==

==Business, political, and civic activities==

Boucher returned to Springhill to resume his insurance business but soon branched into developing subdivisions and constructing apartments, [[shopping center]]s, industrial buildings, schools, and hotels, in both Louisiana and Pine Bluff, Hot Springs and Fordyce, Arkansas. Upon returning to Springhill he realized the lack of rental housing. This prompted him to begin building houses. In 1946, he opened an electric supply company in Springhill, known as B & S Supply, Inc., a [[Fortune 500]] company by 1975. His development projects were in Springhill, Bossier City, Vivian, [[Baton Rouge]], Lake Charles, and Natchitoches as well [[Little Rock]] and Pine Bluff, Arkansas.<ref name=obit/><ref name=boco/>  

Boucher returned to Springhill to resume his insurance business but soon branched into developing subdivisions and constructing apartments, shopping centers, industrial buildings, schools, and hotels, in both Louisiana and Pine Bluff, Hot Springs and Fordyce, Arkansas. Upon returning to Springhill he realized the lack of rental housing. This prompted him to begin building houses. In 1946, he opened an electric supply company in Springhill, known as B & S Supply, Inc., a [[Fortune 500]] company by 1975. His development projects were in Springhill, Bossier City, Vivian, [[Baton Rouge]], Lake Charles, and Natchitoches as well [[Little Rock]] and Pine Bluff, Arkansas.<ref name=obit/><ref name=boco/>  

He was elected mayor in 1958 to succeed Charles Emmett McConnell (1923-2000), a [[lawyer]] who subsequently made losing races in 1967 and 1971 for the Louisiana House of Representatives. He did not seek reelection as mayor in 1962 and was succeeded by James Allen. Active in civic matters, Boucher was the chairman of the Springhill American Legion post and as president of the Springhill Lions Club, and the Springhill High School Alumni Association, which he formed with his friend Woodrow Turner. He also organized and developed the Lumberjack Festival in Springhill, named for the high school athletic teams.<ref name=obit/> In 1957, he was named head of the Webster Parish [[United Way of America]] charity drive.<ref>"Jesse Boucher heads United Fund", Minden Herald, June 13, 1957, p. 1.</ref>  

He was elected mayor in 1958 to succeed Charles Emmett McConnell (1923-2000), a [[lawyer]] who subsequently made losing races in 1967 and 1971 for the Louisiana House of Representatives. He did not seek reelection as mayor in 1962 and was succeeded by James Allen. Active in civic matters, Boucher was the chairman of the Springhill American Legion post and as president of the Springhill Lions Club, and the Springhill High School Alumni Association, which he formed with his friend Woodrow Turner. He also organized and developed the Lumberjack Festival in Springhill, named for the high school athletic teams.<ref name=obit/> In 1957, he was named head of the Webster Parish [[United Way of America]] charity drive.<ref>"Jesse Boucher heads United Fund", Minden Herald, June 13, 1957, p. 1.</ref>  

[[Category:Democrats]]

[[Category:Democrats]]

[[Category:Methodists]]

[[Category:Methodists]]

[[Category:United States Navy]]

[[Category:United States Navy]]

[[Category:World War II]]

[[Category:World War II]]