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Cawthorn was born in the unincorporated Selma near another [[rural]] community, Georgetown, in northeastern Grant Parish. He graduated from Oak Grove High School in Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana in West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana. In 1932, he received his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/sabine/obits/c/c3650001.txt|title=Joe T. Cawthorn|publisher=''Sabine Index''|location=Many, Louisiana|date=November 16, 1967|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>​

Cawthorn was born in the unincorporated Selma near another [[rural]] community, Georgetown, in northeastern Grant Parish. He graduated from Oak Grove High School in Oak Grove in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana in West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana. In 1932, he received his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/sabine/obits/c/c3650001.txt|title=Joe T. Cawthorn|publisher=''Sabine Index''|location=Many, Louisiana|date=November 16, 1967|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>​

In 1940, Cawthorn was elected as the state senator for a district encompassing both DeSoto and the neighboring and much larger Caddo Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=  ​http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Seante, 1880-2024 (Caddo and DeSoto parishes)|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> In his one term, during the administration of [[Governor]] [[Sam Houston Jones]], Cawthorn chaired the Senate Finance Committee but became a persistent critic of Jones, after Jones split politically with former Governor [[James A. Noe]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Cawthorn's political mentor. Cawthorn accused Jones of "waste and inefficiency" in state government.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=lhVPujF2H94C&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=former+la.+state+rep.+t.+c.+brister&source=bl&ots=0YJFzRc9r9&sig=70PlajzgFaHh4Tk-PQE3x9t3v8U&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YQwqVJTqFY2ryAT7wYDABg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=former%20la.%20state%20rep.%20t.%20c.%20brister&f=false|title=Louisiana During World War II: Politics and Society, 1939-1945|author=Jerry Purvis Sanson|pages=83, 84, 88|date=1999|publisher=[[Louisiana State University]] Press|location=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana]]|isbn=0-8071-2308-0|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>

In 1940, Cawthorn was elected as the state senator for a district encompassing both DeSoto and the neighboring and much larger Caddo Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=  ​http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana State Senate, 1880-2024 (Caddo and DeSoto parishes)|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> In his one term, during the administration of [[Governor]] [[Sam Houston Jones]], Cawthorn chaired the Senate Finance Committee but became a persistent critic of Jones, after Jones split politically with former Governor [[James A. Noe]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Cawthorn's political mentor. Cawthorn accused Jones of "waste and inefficiency" in state government.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=lhVPujF2H94C&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=former+la.+state+rep.+t.+c.+brister&source=bl&ots=0YJFzRc9r9&sig=70PlajzgFaHh4Tk-PQE3x9t3v8U&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YQwqVJTqFY2ryAT7wYDABg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=former%20la.%20state%20rep.%20t.%20c.%20brister&f=false|title=Louisiana During World War II: Politics and Society, 1939-1945|author=Jerry Purvis Sanson|pages=83, 84, 88|date=1999|publisher=[[Louisiana State University]] Press|location=[[Baton Rouge]], Louisiana]]|isbn=0-8071-2308-0|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>

In 1944, Cawthorn did not seek re-election to the state Senate but instead ran a strong though unsuccessful race for attorney general of Louisiana against fellow Democrat [[Fred S. LeBlanc]] of [[Baton Rouge]], who carried the backing of the successful gubernatorial nominee, [[Jimmie Davis]]. Known for his singing career too, Davis was elected that year to the first of his two non-consecutive gubernatorial terms. By then, Cawthorn was allied with [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/12966755/|title=Louisiana election returns|publisher=''Miam (Oklahoma) Daily News''|date=March 1, 1944|page=3|accessdate=June 18, 2020}}</ref> the former and future governor who ran unsuccessfully in 1944 for lieutenant  governor]], a post that Long had also held from 1936 to 1939 under then Governor Richard Webster Leche. Cawthorn and other Long-endorsed candidates had led in the first primary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/11888020/|title=Return Of Long Faction in Louisiana|publisher=''Big Spring (Texas)Daily Herald''|date=January 19, 1944|page=7|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> but fell short in the runoff election as [[J. Emile Verret]] of Iberia Parish defeated Long for lieutenant governor.

In 1944, Cawthorn did not seek re-election to the state Senate but instead ran a strong though unsuccessful race for attorney general of Louisiana against fellow Democrat [[Fred S. LeBlanc]] of [[Baton Rouge]], who carried the backing of the successful gubernatorial nominee, [[Jimmie Davis]]. Known for his singing career too, Davis was elected that year to the first of his two non-consecutive gubernatorial terms. By then, Cawthorn was allied with [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/12966755/|title=Louisiana election returns|publisher=''Miam (Oklahoma) Daily News''|date=March 1, 1944|page=3|accessdate=June 18, 2020}}</ref> the former and future governor who ran unsuccessfully in 1944 for lieutenant  governor]], a post that Long had also held from 1936 to 1939 under then Governor Richard Webster Leche. Cawthorn and other Long-endorsed candidates had led in the first primary<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/11888020/|title=Return Of Long Faction in Louisiana|publisher=''Big Spring (Texas)Daily Herald''|date=January 19, 1944|page=7|accessdate=June 16, 2020}}</ref> but fell short in the runoff election as [[J. Emile Verret]] of Iberia Parish defeated Long for lieutenant governor.