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{{Infobox officeholder​

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Andrew Jackson Sevier​

| name=Andrew Jackson Sevier​

|office=[[Sheriff]] of Madison Parish, [[Louisiana]]​

|office=[[Sheriff]] of Madison Parish, [[Louisiana]]​

|term_start=June 4, 1904​

|term_start=June 4, 1904​

}}​

}}​

'''Andrew Jackson Sevier, Jr.''' (January 30, 1872 &ndash; August 25, 1941), was the sheriff of Madison Parish in the [[Mississippi River]] delta country of northeastern [[Louisiana]], having served from 1904 until his death in office thirty-seven years later at the age of sixty-nine. He was a direct descendant of John Sevier, a  fighter in the [[American Revolution]] who served as [[governor]] of [[Tennessee]] and is the namesake of Sevierville in Sevier County in eastern Tennessee.<ref name=roots>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/articles/sevierfamily/sevierfamily.htm|title=Sevier Family of Madison Parish, Louisiana|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=July 23, 2013}}</ref>​

'''Andrew Jackson Sevier, Jr.''' (January 30, 1872 &ndash; August 25, 1941), was the sheriff of Madison Parish in the [[Mississippi River]] delta country of northeastern [[Louisiana]], having served from 1904 until his death in office thirty-seven years later at the age of sixty-nine. He was a direct descendant of John Sevier, a  fighter in the [[American Revolution]] who served as [[governor]] of [[Tennessee]] and is the namesake of Sevierville in Sevier County in eastern Tennessee.<ref name=roots>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/articles/sevierfamily/sevierfamily.htm|title=Sevier Family of Madison Parish, Louisiana|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=July 23, 2013}}</ref>​

 

==Background==​

==Backgrouind==

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Sevier was born to the former Columbia Dobyns (died 1881) and Andrew Sevier, Sr. (1844-1916), in Port Gibson in Claiborne County in southwestern [[Mississippi]]. His father had served in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate Army]] and was held for a period as  [[prisoner of war]] during the [[American Civil War]].  

Sevier was born to the former Columbia Dobyns (died 1881) and Andrew Sevier, Sr. (1844-1916), in Port Gibson in Claiborne County in southwestern [[Mississippi]]. His father had served in the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate Army]] and was held for a period as  [[prisoner of war]] during the [[American Civil War]].  

He had six siblings. His mother died when he was eleven years of age; apparently his father did not remarry and was a widower for thirty-five years. Sevier, Sr., served from 1883 to 1887 on the Madison Parish School Board. He also served from 1909 to 1913 on the Madison Parish Police Jury (similar to a county commission).<ref name=roots/>​

He had six siblings. His mother died when he was eleven years of age; apparently his father did not remarry and was a widower for thirty-five years. Sevier, Sr., served from 1883 to 1887 on the Madison Parish School Board. He also served from 1909 to 1913 on the Madison Parish Police Jury (similar to a county commission).<ref name=roots/>​

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==Career==​

==Career==

 

In addition to his law practice, Sevier began his law enforcement career in 1896 as a deputy to Sheriff Coleman H. Lucas. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Sevier ultimately became the "Dean of Louisiana sheriffs." He was elected as Sheriff of Madison Parish for ten consecutive terms, only two with opposition. His official title was "Sheriff and Tax Collector." He had already been a peace officer for six years before Tallulah was incorporated as a town in 1902.<ref name=sevier>"Madison Loses Dean of Peace Officers," ''Madison Journal," August 25, 1941, p. 1.</ref>​

In addition to his law practice, Sevier began his law enforcement career in 1896 as a deputy to Sheriff Coleman H. Lucas. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Sevier ultimately became the "Dean of Louisiana sheriffs." He was elected as Sheriff of Madison Parish for ten consecutive terms, only two with opposition. His official title was "Sheriff and Tax Collector." He had already been a peace officer for six years before Tallulah was incorporated as a town in 1902.<ref name=sevier>"Madison Loses Dean of Peace Officers," ''Madison Journal," August 25, 1941, p. 1.</ref>​

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Madison Parish was nearly 90 percent [[African American]] in population during the tenure of Sheriff Sevier, related to the history of numerous [[African American]] as [[slavery|slaves]] and later free workers on the large [[cotton]] plantations of the area. It remained majority black through the 20th century. Although Louisiana's 1898 Constitution raised barriers to voter registration and discriminatory practices virtually excluded blacks from the political process, black men were called to serve on juries in Madison Parish. In an interview, Sevier said that most of the cases he investigated and handled were black-on-black crime. ​

Madison Parish was nearly 90 percent [[African American]] in population during the tenure of Sheriff Sevier, related to the history of numerous [[African American]] as [[slavery|slaves]] and later free workers on the large [[cotton]] plantations of the area. It remained majority black through the 20th century. Although Louisiana's 1898 Constitution raised barriers to voter registration and discriminatory practices virtually excluded blacks from the political process, black men were called to serve on juries in Madison Parish. In an interview, Sevier said that most of the cases he investigated and handled were black-on-black crime. ​Sevier said:

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<blockquote>We had no trouble in meting out justice to the evil doer. The Negroes picked for service on juries were made up of the old-time, law-abiding elderly men, who hewed to the law as given them by the court. We had eight or ten legal executions of Negroes in this parish during the reign of the Negro jury, all of which were cases that called for that kind of verdict.<ref name=sevier/></blockquote>​

<blockquote>"We had no trouble in meting out justice to the evil doer. The Negroes picked for service on juries were made up of the old-time, law-abiding elderly men, who hewed to the law as given them by the court. We had eight or ten legal executions of Negroes in this parish during the reign of the Negro jury, all of which were cases that called for that kind of verdict."<ref name=sevier/></blockquote>​

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Sevier was an active participant in the organization of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association. He spoke often to civic groups of crime prevention methods. He was an advocate of a penal institution or farm for delinquent African-American juveniles.<ref name=sevier/>​

Sevier was an active participant in the establishment of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association. He spoke often to civic groups of crime prevention methods. He was an advocate of a penal institution or farm for delinquent African-American juveniles.<ref name=sevier/>​

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==Marriage and family==​

==Marriage and family==​

Sevier and his wife, the former Mary Louise Day (c. 1880 - 1958) of Vicksburg,  Mississippi, had a son, J. Donald "Don" Sevier (1909-1987), and a daughter, Emma Louise Sevier (1907-1944). Their son lived in Tallulah as an adult. "Don" Sevier was a long-time employee of the [[United States Army]] Corps of Engineers, based in Vicksburg.<ref>"Vicksburg Evening Post,'' September 9, 1987.</ref> Their daughter married and lived in Plaquemine in Iberville Parish near [[Baton Rouge]]. ​

Sevier and his wife, the former Mary Louise Day (c. 1880-1958) of Vicksburg,  Mississippi, had a son, J. Donald "Don" Sevier (1909-1987), and a daughter, Emma Louise Sevier (1907-1944). Their son lived in Tallulah as an adult. "Don" Sevier was a long-time employee of the [[United States Army]] Corps of Engineers, based in Vicksburg.<ref>"Vicksburg Evening Post,'' September 9, 1987.</ref> Their daughter married and lived in Plaquemine in Iberville Parish near [[Baton Rouge]]. ​

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Sevier served as senior warden in the [[Episcopal Church]] in Tallulah and the Masonic lodge.<ref name=vep>Sevier obituary, ''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' August 26, 1941.</ref>​ Sevier died at his home of a heart attack at the age of sixty-nine, having just returned from a drive to Vicksburg.<ref name=vep/> Services were held at the Sevier home. Like most members of the extended Sevier family, he and his wife are interred at Silver Cross Cemetery in Tallulah. Mrs. Sevier was appointed to complete her husband's last term as sheriff, with service until January 1944.<ref name=roots/>​

Sevier served as senior warden in the [[Episcopal Church]] in Tallulah and the Masonic lodge.<ref name=vep>Sevier obituary, ''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' August 26, 1941.</ref>​ Sevier died at his home of a heart attack at the age of sixty-nine, having just returned from a drive to Vicksburg.<ref name=vep/> Services were held at the Sevier home. Like most members of the extended Sevier family, he and his wife are interred at Silver Cross Cemetery in Tallulah. Mrs. Sevier was appointed to complete her husband's last term as sheriff, with service until January 1944.<ref name=roots/>​

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==Legacy==​

==Legacy==

 

The [[Chamber of Commerce]] in Tallulah passed a resolution to honor Sevier:​

The [[Chamber of Commerce]] in Tallulah passed a resolution to honor Sevier:​

<blockquote>He was one of our outstanding citizens, answering every call to public service. He was a fearless officer. He was generous to a fault. Hundreds of men, women and children, can testify to his great charity. He was ever sympathetic, fair in all his dealings, and served his people faithfully. We shall ever hold in grateful remembrance his services and his work. His life was that of a Christian gentleman, and his example and his splendid career is one to be followed and emulated by all.<ref name=sevier/></blockquote>​

<blockquote>He was one of our outstanding citizens, answering every call to public service. He was a fearless officer. He was generous to a fault. Hundreds of men, women and children, can testify to his great charity. He was ever sympathetic, fair in all his dealings, and served his people faithfully. We shall ever hold in grateful remembrance his services and his work. His life was that of a Christian gentleman, and his example and his splendid career is one to be followed and emulated by all.<ref name=sevier/></blockquote>​

 

==References==​

==References==

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