Changes

Sevier's combined service of forty-one years as an elected official is a record for longevity in Louisiana as was his twenty-seven year tenure as mayor.<ref name=bio/> Among his challenges was dealing with changing local conditions as [[civil rights]] activists, including African-American veterans of [[World War II]], challenged [[Jim Crow]] conditions. In 1965, activists conducted demonstrations and boycotts against white-owned businesses in Tallulah to gain an end to segregation of public facilities, a year after segregation was prohibited by federal law.

Sevier's combined service of forty-one years as an elected official is a record for longevity in Louisiana as was his twenty-seven year tenure as mayor.<ref name=bio/> Among his challenges was dealing with changing local conditions as [[civil rights]] activists, including African-American veterans of [[World War II]], challenged [[Jim Crow]] conditions. In 1965, activists conducted demonstrations and boycotts against white-owned businesses in Tallulah to gain an end to segregation of public facilities, a year after segregation was prohibited by federal law.

 

In his last term as mayor, Sevier worked alongside Police Chief Zelma Wyche, who in 1969 was elected as the first African American in that position in Tallulah. He was known as "Mr. Civil Rights of Louisiana" for his years of activism since returning to the city as a veteran of World War II. In 1974, Adell Williams was elected as mayor, the first woman and the first African American in the office. She served one term. Wyche later was elected also as mayor, with service from 1986 to 1990.<ref name="sanders">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVP7JyMGSaEC&pg=PA57&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false|author=Charles L. Sanders|title=Black Lawman in KKK Territory|publisher=''Ebony Magazine''|date=January 1970|page= 57-64|accessdate=July 26, 2013}}</ref>

In his last term as mayor, Sevier worked alongside Police Chief Zelma Wyche, who in 1969 was elected as the first African American in that position in Tallulah. He was known as "Mr. Civil Rights of Louisiana" for his years of activism since returning to the city as a veteran of World War II. In 1974, Adell Williams was elected as mayor, the first woman and the first African American in the office. She served one term. Wyche later was elected also as mayor, with service from 1986 to 1990.<ref name="sanders">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bVP7JyMGSaEC&pg=PA57&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false|author=Charles L. Sanders|title=Black Lawman in KKK Territory|publisher=''Ebony Magazine''|date=January 1970|pages= 57–64|accessdate=July 26, 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life and legacy==

==Personal life and legacy==

 

In 1927, Sevier married Martha Fontaine Boney (1904-1983), daughter of the former Rena Cox and Richard Kinsey Boney,  owners of the Duckport Plantation in Madison Parish. Martha was the granddaughter of Owen B. Cox of Hinds County, Mississippi, a business partner of [[Jefferson Davis]], president of the [[Confederate States of America]]. Cox was the trustee of Davis' Civil War papers until they were confiscated in 1865 by the U.S. government.<ref name=roots/> ​

In 1927, Sevier married Martha Fontaine Boney (1904-1983), daughter of the former Rena Cox and Richard Kinsey Boney,  owners of the Duckport Plantation in Madison Parish. Martha was the granddaughter of Owen B. Cox of Hinds County, Mississippi, a business partner of [[Jefferson Davis]], president of the [[Confederate States of America]]. Cox was the trustee of Davis' Civil War papers until they were confiscated in 1865 by the U.S. government.<ref name=roots/> ​

 

The Seviers had a son, Richard Putnam Sevier, born on March 22, 1931, in Vicksburg,  Mississippi. He was residing in [[Midland]], [[Texas]], at the time of his father's death, but later relocated to Jackson, Mississippi. They also had twin daughters, both of whom married and moved away as well: Dorothy Hamilton Elliott, later of El Dorado, [[Arkansas]]; and Nancy Sherrill Pirone, later of [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], [[Kentucky]].<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>​

The Seviers had a son, Richard Putnam Sevier, born on March 22, 1931, in Vicksburg,  Mississippi. He was residing in [[Midland]], [[Texas]], at the time of his father's death, but later relocated to Jackson, Mississippi. They also had twin daughters, both of whom married and moved away as well: Dorothy Hamilton Elliott, later of El Dorado, [[Arkansas]]; and Nancy Sherrill Pirone, later of [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], [[Kentucky]].<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>​

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}​

{{reflist}}​

 

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevier, William Putnam}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]