Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Sevier was a great-great-grandson of John Sevier, a [[Tennessee]] pioneer and first [[governor]] of that state for whom the city of Sevierville is named. He was a cousin of state Senator Andrew L. Sevier and state Representative Henry Clay Sevier, both also from Tallulah.<ref name=roots/>​ He was born near the end of the 19th century on a plantation in southern Madison Parish, the eldest child of William Sevier, Sr. (1868-1943), a native of Thomastown in Leake County  in central [[Mississippi]], and the former Ada Shadbourne Graves (1877-1955). His maternal Graves grandparents were large landowners and planters prior to the [[American Civil War]]. As a child, Sevier took the nickname "Buck", but later tried to discourage its use. Most people still called him Buck as an adult. In 1916, he graduated from the [[Segregation|segregated]] Tallulah High School. (It has since beendesegregated, relocated and renamed Madison High School.)

Sevier was a great-great-grandson of John Sevier, a [[Tennessee]] pioneer and first [[governor]] of that state for whom the city of Sevierville is named. He was a cousin of state Senator [[Andrew Sevier]] and state Representative Henry Clay Sevier, both also from Tallulah.<ref name=roots/>​ He was born near the end of the 19th century on a plantation in southern Madison Parish, the eldest child of William Sevier, Sr. (1868-1943), a native of Thomastown in Leake County  in central [[Mississippi]], and the former Ada Shadbourne Graves (1877-1955). His maternal Graves grandparents were large landowners and planters prior to the [[American Civil War]]. As a child, Sevier took the nickname "Buck", but later tried to discourage its use. Most people still called him Buck as an adult. In 1916, he graduated from the [[Segregation|segregated]] Tallulah High School. (It has since been desegregated, relocated and renamed Madison High School.)

He attended [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] with hopes of becoming a lawyer. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. His studies were interrupted by [[World War I]], when he served as a balloon observer.  He never completed legal studies but returned to Tallulah in 1922. He worked at the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] experiment station there, which was established to try to develop ways to protect [[cotton]] growers from the pervasive boll weevil, which was destroying crops throughout the South. This station developed products and processes for crop dusting from airplanes.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url= http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/bios/sevierwp.txt|title=William Putnam Sevier, Jr., Mayor of Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana|publisher=rootswebancestry.com|accessdate=July 24, 2013}}</ref> Hundreds of flights took off from the Tallulah Airport as they worked on the best methods to dust the crops. Delta Dusters, a company that developed here to carry out crop dusting, was the origin of Delta Airlines.​

He attended [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]] with hopes of becoming a lawyer. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. His studies were interrupted by [[World War I]], when he served as a balloon observer.  He never completed legal studies but returned to Tallulah in 1922. He worked at the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] experiment station there, which was established to try to develop ways to protect [[cotton]] growers from the pervasive boll weevil, which was destroying crops throughout the South. This station developed products and processes for crop dusting from airplanes.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url= http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/bios/sevierwp.txt|title=William Putnam Sevier, Jr., Mayor of Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana|publisher=rootswebancestry.com|accessdate=July 24, 2013}}</ref> Hundreds of flights took off from the Tallulah Airport as they worked on the best methods to dust the crops. Delta Dusters, a company that developed here to carry out crop dusting, was the origin of Delta Airlines.​

==Career==

==Career==

Sevier died on September 4, 1985, a few weeks before his 86th birthday. He and his wife, Martha, who preceded him in death by two years, are interred at Silver Cross Cemetery in Tallulah. Most members of the extended Sevier family in Louisiana are buried here.<ref name=cemetery/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111719006|title=William Putnam "Buck" Sevier, Jr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=April 28, 2019}}</ref>

Sevier died on September 4, 1985, a few weeks before his 86th birthday. He and his wife, Martha, who preceded him in death by two years, are interred at Silver Cross Cemetery in Tallulah. Most members of the extended Sevier family in Louisiana are buried here.<ref name=cemetery/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111719006|title=William Putnam "Buck" Sevier, Jr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=April 28, 2019}}</ref>

In a 1974 "Baghdad on the Bayou" column of the ''Madison Journal'', editor Carroll Regan  recalls Sevier's political clout accordingly:​<blockquote>​

In a 1974 "Baghdad on the Bayou" column of the ''Madison Journal,'' editor Carroll Regan  recalls Sevier's political clout accordingly:​<blockquote>​

Election fever has hit Tallulah again, and it hardly seems that four years have passed since the last battle for municipal offices. ... Perhaps, though, the most unusual aspect of this race is that it'll be the first time in over 40 years that Mayor W. P. "Buck" Sevier hasn't offered himself for election. It would probably be hard for him to admit so soon, but we bet he'll miss the job before long. Tallulah and her people have always been first, last and always with him—a more loyal citizen she has never had. When elected mayor in 1946, he had already served as alderman for three terms. Well known in banking as well as political circles, he has made Tallulah a fine ambassador wherever he has traveled. His leadership will be missed, but his good citizenship, we are sure, will be with us always. ...​ ​

Election fever has hit Tallulah again, and it hardly seems that four years have passed since the last battle for municipal offices. ... Perhaps, though, the most unusual aspect of this race is that it'll be the first time in over 40 years that Mayor W. P. "Buck" Sevier hasn't offered himself for election. It would probably be hard for him to admit so soon, but we bet he'll miss the job before long. Tallulah and her people have always been first, last and always with him—a more loyal citizen she has never had. When elected mayor in 1946, he had already served as alderman for three terms. Well known in banking as well as political circles, he has made Tallulah a fine ambassador wherever he has traveled. His leadership will be missed, but his good citizenship, we are sure, will be with us always. ...​ ​

"Character" is really not an apt description of Buck Sevier. "Legend" is more fitting. So great was the admiration for him that I don't think he ever had opposition for mayor, except maybe once in his early career. This carried over even when blacks started seeking public office. They didn't run against him either. No wonder. He was respected because he was fair to blacks as well as whites, both as a mayor and as a banker. ...<ref>Carroll Regan, "Baghdad on the Bayou", ''Madison Journal,'' February 1974.</ref></blockquote>​

"Character" is really not an apt description of Buck Sevier. "Legend" is more fitting. So great was the admiration for him that I don't think he ever had opposition for mayor, except maybe once in his early career. This carried over even when blacks started seeking public office. They didn't run against him either. No wonder. He was respected because he was fair to blacks as well as whites, both as a mayor and as a banker. ...<ref>Carroll Regan, "Baghdad on the Bayou", ''Madison Journal,'' February 1974.</ref></blockquote>​