Changes

Batton's salary as sheriff in 1961 was $10,715, or $88,500 in 2019 dollars. Some $104,000 was disbursed for salaries of all the deputies.<ref>"1961 Audit Report Released for Sheriff's Salary Fund", ''Minden Herald,'' June 14, 1962, p. 1.</ref>​

Batton's salary as sheriff in 1961 was $10,715, or $88,500 in 2019 dollars. Some $104,000 was disbursed for salaries of all the deputies.<ref>"1961 Audit Report Released for Sheriff's Salary Fund", ''Minden Herald,'' June 14, 1962, p. 1.</ref>​

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====Defeat in 1964====

====Defeat in 1964====​

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In a field of eight candidates, the junior Haynes emerged as Batton's principal rival in the 1963-1964 primaries. Haynes had once been a deputy under his father's tutelage and thereafter for eight years supervised the state driver's license office with jurisdiction over all of North Louisiana.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N5eVZvsyb00C&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=J.+D.+Batton+of+Minden,+LA&source=bl&ots=G_xmoAl3pF&sig=gy2tY1NMiqDXK94gKqkvh0XP0hU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e-YEVPmJG8f28QG5sIDICA&ved=0CF8Q6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=J.%20D.%20Batton%20of%20Minden%2C%20LA&f=false|title=Minden|series=Images of America|author=John A. Agan|date=2000|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]|pages=94|isbn=0-7385-0580-3|accessdate=September 1, 2014}}</ref> He was also the [[Exxon]] distributor in Webster Parish for some four decades. Freddie Lynn "Fred" Haynes (1946-2006), the second of four sons of the junior Haynes, was a  [[Louisiana State University]] Tigers football star. Fred Haynes was the winning [[quarterback]] for his Minden High School Crimson Tide team which won the 1963 state championship.<ref name=mindenandperseverance/>​

In a field of eight candidates, the junior Haynes emerged as Batton's principal rival in the 1963-1964 primaries. Haynes had once been a deputy under his father's tutelage and thereafter for eight years supervised the state driver's license office with jurisdiction over all of North Louisiana.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N5eVZvsyb00C&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=J.+D.+Batton+of+Minden,+LA&source=bl&ots=G_xmoAl3pF&sig=gy2tY1NMiqDXK94gKqkvh0XP0hU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e-YEVPmJG8f28QG5sIDICA&ved=0CF8Q6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=J.%20D.%20Batton%20of%20Minden%2C%20LA&f=false|title=Minden|series=Images of America|author=John A. Agan|date=2000|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]|pages=94|isbn=0-7385-0580-3|accessdate=September 1, 2014}}</ref> He was also the [[Exxon]] distributor in Webster Parish for some four decades. Freddie Lynn "Fred" Haynes (1946-2006), the second of four sons of the junior Haynes, was a  [[Louisiana State University]] Tigers football star. Fred Haynes was the winning [[quarterback]] for his Minden High School Crimson Tide team which won the 1963 state championship.<ref name=mindenandperseverance/>​

 

Other candidates included Royce McMahen, a [[veterinarian]] and a member of the Springhill City Council in Springhill in the northern end of the parish, Harold Gilbert, by then the Minden police chief, H. G. "Cy" Williams, an automobile dealer who was  the president of the Minden City Council,<ref>''Minden Herald'', July 5, 1962, p. 1.</ref> and offered an "[[Independent voter|Independent]] and [[conservative]]" platform.<ref>''Minden Herald'', May 29, 1962, p. 8.</ref> and G. E. "Doc" Steed, a former contractor and the town marshal in Cotton Valley.<ref>''Minden Press'', September 16, 1963, p. 3.</ref> Another primary candidate for sheriff, Guice McGinty ran again in 1963 and polled thirty-three votes parishwide. George Alvin Pipes (1913-1976), a graduate of Plain Dealing High School in Bossier Parish, a guard at the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, and a pipefitter from Dubberly ran in 1963<ref>"Seventh candidate for sheriff's race revealed", ''Minden Press'', April 29, 1963, p. 1.</ref> too and later switched to Republican affiliation to challenge Haynes in the [[general election]]s of February 6, 1968, and February 1, 1972.<ref>"Haynes Winner Over Pipes in Sheriff's Race", ''Minden Press-Herald'', February 7, 1968, p. 1.</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald'', February 2, 1972.</ref>​

Other candidates included Royce McMahen, a [[veterinarian]] and a member of the Springhill City Council in Springhill in the northern end of the parish, Harold Gilbert, by then the Minden police chief, H. G. "Cy" Williams, an automobile dealer who was  the president of the Minden City Council,<ref>''Minden Herald'', July 5, 1962, p. 1.</ref> and offered an "[[Independent voter|Independent]] and [[conservative]]" platform.<ref>''Minden Herald'', May 29, 1962, p. 8.</ref> and G. E. "Doc" Steed, a former contractor and the town marshal in Cotton Valley.<ref>''Minden Press'', September 16, 1963, p. 3.</ref> Another primary candidate for sheriff, Guice McGinty ran again in 1963 and polled thirty-three votes parishwide. George Alvin Pipes (1913-1976), a graduate of Plain Dealing High School in Bossier Parish, a guard at the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant, and a pipefitter from Dubberly ran in 1963<ref>"Seventh candidate for sheriff's race revealed", ''Minden Press'', April 29, 1963, p. 1.</ref> too and later switched to Republican affiliation to challenge Haynes in the [[general election]]s of February 6, 1968, and February 1, 1972.<ref>"Haynes Winner Over Pipes in Sheriff's Race", ''Minden Press-Herald'', February 7, 1968, p. 1.</ref><ref>''Minden Press-Herald'', February 2, 1972.</ref>​

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Haynes trailed Batton by 722 votes in the primary, 1,993 to 2,719 votes.<ref>"Batton and Haynes Paired in Runoff for Sheriff's Post", ''Minden Press'', December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref> McMahen finished third with 1,484 votes in the primary. He then endorsed Haynes in the runoff contest with Batton, and Haynes announced McMahen as his choice for chief deputy. In the second campaign, Haynes ran a newspaper advertisement in which he promised "capable, conscientious, and sober leadership." He claimed that the issue was not one of physical equipment or the training of deputies but the leadership of the sheriff.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 6, 1964.</ref> In the January 11 runoff, Haynes prevailed, 5,190 votes (53.4 percent) to Batton's 4,523 (46.6 percent).<ref>''Minden Press'', January 13, 1964, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Haynes Defeats Batton in Webster Runoff Vote", ''The Shreveport Times'', January 12, 1964, p. 1.</ref>​

Haynes trailed Batton by 722 votes in the primary, 1,993 to 2,719 votes.<ref>"Batton and Haynes Paired in Runoff for Sheriff's Post", ''Minden Press'', December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref> McMahen finished third with 1,484 votes in the primary. He then endorsed Haynes in the runoff contest with Batton, and Haynes announced McMahen as his choice for chief deputy. In the second campaign, Haynes ran a newspaper advertisement in which he promised "capable, conscientious, and sober leadership." He claimed that the issue was not one of physical equipment or the training of deputies but the leadership of the sheriff.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 6, 1964.</ref> In the January 11 runoff, Haynes prevailed, 5,190 votes (53.4 percent) to Batton's 4,523 (46.6 percent).<ref>''Minden Press'', January 13, 1964, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Haynes Defeats Batton in Webster Runoff Vote", ''The Shreveport Times'', January 12, 1964, p. 1.</ref>​

 

As sheriff, Haynes appointed the first African-American deputy, Louis Dunbar, Sr. (1914-1986),<ref>"Haynes for Sheriff:  1967 Election Guide", ''Minden Press-Herald'', October 30, 1967, p. 8.</ref> whose son "Sweet" Lou Dunbar became, like Haynes' son, a distinguished athlete.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MQelr-MNkA|title=Louis Dunbar|publisher=[[YouTube]]|accessdate=September 1, 2014}}</ref>​

As sheriff, Haynes appointed the first African-American deputy in the 20th century, Louis Dunbar, Sr. (1914-1986),<ref>"Haynes for Sheriff:  1967 Election Guide", ''Minden Press-Herald'', October 30, 1967, p. 8.</ref> whose son "Sweet" Lou Dunbar became, like Haynes' son, a distinguished athlete.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MQelr-MNkA|title=Louis Dunbar|publisher=[[YouTube]]|accessdate=September 1, 2014}}</ref>​

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====The failed comeback attempt====

====The failed comeback attempt====

Haynes prevailed with 6,952 ballots (53.3 percent) to Batton's 5,456 (41.8 percent) and Vaughan's 634 (4.9 percent). Batton won the Minden area by five hundred votes but fell short in the remainder of the parish.<ref>"Haynes Uses Ward 2 Margin for Victory", ''Minden Press-Herald'', November 6, 1967, p. 1.</ref>​

Haynes prevailed with 6,952 ballots (53.3 percent) to Batton's 5,456 (41.8 percent) and Vaughan's 634 (4.9 percent). Batton won the Minden area by five hundred votes but fell short in the remainder of the parish.<ref>"Haynes Uses Ward 2 Margin for Victory", ''Minden Press-Herald'', November 6, 1967, p. 1.</ref>​

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==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Batton was married to the former Maxine Evans (1916–1982). The couple was [[Southern Baptist]] and had three children, Roger Evans Batton (1943–2001), married to the former Frances "Gayle" Barton (1946-2018), a native of Winnsboro in Franklin Parish;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/frances-gayle-batton/|title=Frances "Gayle" Batton obituary|publisher=''The Minden Press-Herald''|date=October 29, 2018|accessdate=October 31, 2018}}</ref> John Willis Batton (born 1947), a businessman from [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[Arkansas]], and his wife, Judith Yvonne "Judy" Batton (born 1944), and Karen Sue Batton (born 1949) of Heflin in south Webster Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57068303|title=Roger Evans Batton (1943–2001)|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=November 30, 2001|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref>​

Batton was married to the former Maxine Evans (1916–1982). The couple was [[Southern Baptist]] and had three children, Roger Evans Batton (1943–2001), married to the former Frances "Gayle" Barton (1946-2018), a native of Winnsboro in Franklin Parish;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press-herald.com/frances-gayle-batton/|title=Frances "Gayle" Batton obituary|publisher=''The Minden Press-Herald''|date=October 29, 2018|accessdate=October 31, 2018}}</ref> John Willis Batton (born 1947), a businessman from [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[Arkansas]], and his wife, Judith Yvonne "Judy" Batton (born 1944), and Karen Sue Batton (born 1949) of Heflin in south Webster Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57068303|title=Roger Evans Batton (1943–2001)|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=November 30, 2001|accessdate=September 12, 2014}}</ref>​