Changes

​

​

Spooner's father, Harry Spooner, Sr. (1893–1964), originally from [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]], was injured in [[France]] during [[World War I]]. The senior Spooner came to [[Texas]] with the petroleum industry and settled in [[Arkansas]], first El Dorado, Smackover, and finally Stephens in Ouachita County.

Spooner's father, Harry Spooner, Sr. (1893–1964), originally from [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]], was injured in [[France]] during [[World War I]]. The senior Spooner came to [[Texas]] with the petroleum industry and settled in [[Arkansas]], first El Dorado, Smackover, and finally Stephens in Ouachita County.

He married the former Willie Green (1905–2000). Frank Spooner was born in Stephens<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Frank Spooner", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007–2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 672.</ref> and graduated in 1955 from Stephens High School] For two years thereafter he attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and then transferred to the [[University of Oklahoma]] at Norman, [[Oklahoma]], from which in 1960 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Land Management. After college, Spooner served in the [[United States Army]] and the Army Reserves, pre-[[Vietnam War]].  From 1960 to 1965, he worked for Humble Oil Company.​<re>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346.</ref>

He married the former Willie Green (1905–2000). Frank Spooner was born in Stephens<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Frank Spooner", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007–2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 672.</ref> and graduated in 1955 from Stephens High School] For two years thereafter he attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and then transferred to the [[University of Oklahoma]] at Norman, [[Oklahoma]], from which in 1960 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Land Management. After college, Spooner served in the [[United States Army]] and the Army Reserves, pre-[[Vietnam War]].  From 1960 to 1965, he worked for Humble Oil Company.​<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346.</ref>

  ​

  ​

After several years in [[Shreveport]], Spooner moved to Monroe in 1967, and entered into a partnership with his brother, Harry Spooner, Jr. They discovered several natural gas fields in Northeast Louisiana.  After 1971, Spooner operated under his own name until 1980, when he formed Spirit Petroleum Company.  The company name was changed to Mark V Petroleum Company in 1997.​ Over the years these entities were successful in developing additional gas and oil fields, including the first commercial coal seam methane gas production in Louisiana in 2004.​<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 346.</ref>

After several years in [[Shreveport]], Spooner moved to Monroe in 1967, and entered into a partnership with his brother, Harry Spooner, Jr. They discovered several natural gas fields in Northeast Louisiana.  After 1971, Spooner operated under his own name until 1980, when he formed Spirit Petroleum Company.  The company name was changed to Mark V Petroleum Company in 1997.​ Over the years these entities were successful in developing additional gas and oil fields, including the first commercial coal seam methane gas production in Louisiana in 2004.​<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 346.</ref>

​

​

In 1971, Spooner was the chairman of the Ouachita Parish Young Republicans and directed the Monroe-area campaign of the party's gubernatorial nominee, [[David C. Treen]], an attorney then from Metairie in Jefferson Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]]. Treen was defeated in this first bid for governor by Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]]. Later in 1972, Treen was elected to the U.S. House, and four years thereafter, Spooner sought to join Treen in Congress when he opposed Jerry Huckaby for the seat Otto Passman was compelled to vacate.<ref>''Louisiana History'',  p. 346.</ref> Treen left Congress in 1980, when he was inaugurated as the first Republican governor of Louisiana since [[Reconstruction]].​

In 1971, Spooner was the chairman of the Ouachita Parish Young Republicans and directed the Monroe-area campaign of the party's gubernatorial nominee, [[David C. Treen]], an attorney then from Metairie in Jefferson Parish in [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]]. Treen was defeated in this first bid for governor by Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]]. Later in 1972, Treen was elected to the U.S. House, and four years thereafter, Spooner sought to join Treen in Congress when he opposed Jerry Huckaby for the seat Otto Passman was compelled to vacate.<ref>''Louisiana History'',  p. 346.</ref> Treen left Congress in 1980, when he was inaugurated as the first Republican governor of Louisiana since [[Reconstruction]].​

 

==1976 congressional campaign==​

==1976 congressional campaign==

​

​

Spooner was the first Republican in seventy-six years even to contest the 5th district seat. The previous GOP candidate, Henry Ernest Hardtner (1870-1935) of LaSalle Parish, had polled a mere 628 votes (9.2 percent) in 1900 against the Democrat Joseph Eugene Ransdell (1858-1954) of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, who was elected with 6,172 votes (90.8 percent). Hardtner later became a Democrat and served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.<ref>Anna C. Burns, "Henry E. Hardtner (1870–1935): Louisiana's First Conservationist," ''Journal of Forest History'' Vol. 22 No. 2 (April 1978)</ref> Ransdell thereafter served in the [[United States Senate]] until he was unseated in the 1930 primary election by [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]]<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', 1900–1976, U.S. House races from Louisiana./ref>​

Spooner was the first Republican in seventy-six years even to contest the 5th district seat. The previous GOP candidate, Henry Ernest Hardtner (1870-1935) of LaSalle Parish, had polled a mere 628 votes (9.2 percent) in 1900 against the Democrat Joseph Eugene Ransdell (1858-1954) of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, who was elected with 6,172 votes (90.8 percent). Hardtner later became a Democrat and served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.<ref>Anna C. Burns, "Henry E. Hardtner (1870–1935): Louisiana's First Conservationist," ''Journal of Forest History'' Vol. 22 No. 2 (April 1978)</ref> Ransdell thereafter served in the [[United States Senate]] until he was unseated in the 1930 primary election by [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]]<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', 1900–1976, U.S. House races from Louisiana./ref>​