Changes

| term_end2=1976​

| term_end2=1976​

| preceded2= [[Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)|John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Sr.]]​

| preceded2= [[Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)|John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Sr.]]​

| succeeded2=Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr]​

| succeeded2=Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr​

| birth_date=April 19, 1911​

| birth_date=April 19, 1911​

| birth_place=Humble,  Harris County,<br> [[Texas]], [[United States|USA]]​

| birth_place=Humble,  Harris County,<br> [[Texas]], [[United States|USA]]​

(aged 84)​

(aged 84)​

| spouse=Azalee Wilson Montgomery (married 1945-1985, her death)​

| spouse=Azalee Wilson Montgomery (married 1945-1985, her death)​

| children=A Harold Montgomery, Jr. (1946-2015)<ref name=halmobit>{{cite web|url=​http://press-herald.com/a-harold-hal-montgomery-jr/|title=A Harold Montgomery, Jr.|publisher=''[[Minden Press-Herald]]''|date=September 10,

| children=A Harold Montgomery, Jr. (1946-2015)<ref name=halmobit>{{cite web|url=​http://press-herald.com/a-harold-hal-montgomery-jr/|title=A Harold Montgomery, Jr.|publisher=''[[Minden Press-Herald]]''|date=September 10, 2015|accessdate=July 15, 2020}}</ref>​

2015|accessdate=July 15, 2020}}</ref>​

Two granddaughters​

Two granddaughters​

| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]​

| party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]​

[[University of Colorado]] (Boulder)​

[[University of Colorado]] (Boulder)​

| footnotes='''Note''':<br>

| footnotes='''Note''':<br>

*Despite his alliance in his last term with [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]], Montgomery was considered among the most [[conservative]] members of the Louisiana State.​

*Despite his alliance in his last term with [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]], Montgomery was considered among the most [[conservative]] members of the Louisiana State.​

}}​

}}​

 

'''A Harold Montgomery, Sr.''' (April 19, 1911 &ndash; December 17, 1995), was an [[agriculture|agricultural]] [[business]]man and a [[Louisiana]] state senator who is remembered as an outspoken [[conservative]] within his state's dominant [[Democratic Party]]. He represented District 36 -- Bossier and Webster parishes and, later, part of Bienville Parish—in three nonconsecutive terms in the Senate, 1960 to 1968 and 1972 to 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Senate Directory, 1880 - Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdatse=July 14, 2020}}</ref>

'''A Harold Montgomery, Sr.''' (April 19, 1911 &ndash; December 17, 1995), was an [[agriculture|agricultural]] [[business]]man and a [[Louisiana]] state senator who is remembered as an outspoken [[conservative]] within his state's dominant [[Democratic Party]]. He represented District 36—Bossier and Webster parishes and, later, part of Bienville Parish—in three nonconsecutive terms in the Senate, 1960 to 1968 and 1972 to 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Senate Directory, 1880 - Present|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdatse=July 14, 2020}}</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

==Patent on the rotary blade mower==​

==Patent on the rotary blade mower==​

 

Montgomery renamed his feed and seed store the "Montgomery Distributing Company" when he began to specialize in [[gasoline]] lawnmowers.​ Montgomery held the first [[patent]] on a rotary blade mower. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, mowers were equipped with a rotating reel assembly that was either pushed by hand or was propelled by a small [[gasoline]] engine. This kind of mower worked well in short grass, but it clogged up in tall grass. Montgomery did not invent this mower, but he obtained the patent from a frustrated inventor in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. The first commercially produced rotary mower, the Yazoo Master Mower, was then produced by a small manufacturing plant in the capital city of [[Jackson]], [[Mississippi]]. Montgomery was the Louisiana distributor of Yazoo until 1981, when he closed his lawnmower business in Ruston.<ref name=obit/>​

Montgomery renamed his feed and seed store the "Montgomery Distributing Company" when he began to specialize in [[gasoline]] lawnmowers.​ Montgomery held the first [[patent]] on a rotary blade mower. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, mowers were equipped with a rotating reel assembly that was either pushed by hand or was propelled by a small [[gasoline]] engine. This kind of mower worked well in short grass, but it clogged up in tall grass. Montgomery did not invent this mower, but he obtained the patent from a frustrated inventor in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]. The first commercially produced rotary mower, the Yazoo Master Mower, was then produced by a small manufacturing plant in the capital city of [[Jackson]], [[Mississippi]]. Montgomery was the Louisiana distributor of Yazoo until 1981, when he closed his lawnmower business in Ruston.<ref name=obit/>​

In the primary held on December 7, 1963, Jones failed in a comeback attempt against Montgomery. Calling himself an "[[Independent voter|Independent]]", Jones endorsed the unpledged elector movement for the 1964 presidential campaign, a position originally held by Montgomery himself.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref>

In the primary held on December 7, 1963, Jones failed in a comeback attempt against Montgomery. Calling himself an "[[Independent voter|Independent]]", Jones endorsed the unpledged elector movement for the 1964 presidential campaign, a position originally held by Montgomery himself.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref>

Oddly, Montgomery and colleague [[Danny Roy Moore]], a surveyor who represented Claiborne and Bienville parishes, had side-by-side desks in the far right corner of the Senate chamber. Moore noted too that he and Montgomery were the most conservative members of the chamber during the 1964-1968 term.<ref>Statement of Danny Roy Moore, Arcadia, Louisiana, January 5, 2011.</ref>​

Oddly, Montgomery and colleague [[Danny Roy Moore]], a surveyor who represented Claiborne and Bienville parishes, had side-by-side desks in the far right corner of the Senate chamber. Moore noted too that he and Montgomery were the most conservative members of the chamber during the 1964–1968 term.<ref>Statement of Danny Roy Moore, Arcadia, Louisiana, January 5, 2011.</ref>​

According to Montgomery's obituary in ''The  Shreveport Times,'' he was indeed "known as a staunch conservative. Fellow conservatives loved him, and even those who disagreed with his views respected him. All who knew him either personally or by reputation respected him for his impeccable veracity, honesty, patriotism, fairness, dedication, and his love of [[God]], family, home, and country."<ref name=obit/>

According to Montgomery's obituary in ''The  Shreveport Times,'' he was indeed "known as a staunch conservative. Fellow conservatives loved him, and even those who disagreed with his views respected him. All who knew him either personally or by reputation respected him for his impeccable veracity, honesty, patriotism, fairness, dedication, and his love of [[God]], family, home, and country."<ref name=obit/>

In 1963, Montgomery had supported Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] in the Democratic  runoff election against Chep Morrison. Then he quietly supported McKeithen's Republican opponent, [[Charlton Lyons]], a Shreveport [[oil]]man, in the general election held on  March 3, 1964. In time, Montgomery and McKeithen were consistently at political odds.​

In 1963, Montgomery had supported Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] in the Democratic  runoff election against Chep Morrison. Then he quietly supported McKeithen's Republican opponent, [[Charlton Lyons]], a Shreveport [[oil]]man, in the general election held on  March 3, 1964. In time, Montgomery and McKeithen were consistently at political odds.​

The next year, Montgomery was elected chairman of the Louisiana Committee for Free Electors, an organization that grew from a meeting of some two hundred conservative Democrats in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. Two representatives from each congressional district were chosen. The free elector movement, however, was abandoned with the nomination in July 1964 of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] as the Republican presidential nominee.<ref>Glen Jeansonne, ''Leander Perez of Louisiana,'' pp. 322-327, for discussion on free elector movement.</ref>

The next year, Montgomery was elected chairman of the Louisiana Committee for Free Electors, an organization that grew from a meeting of some two hundred conservative Democrats in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. Two representatives from each congressional district were chosen. The free elector movement, however, was abandoned with the nomination in July 1964 of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] as the Republican presidential nominee.<ref>Glen Jeansonne, ''Leander Perez of Louisiana,'' pp. 322-327, for discussion on free elector movement.</ref>

In a state Senate speech, Montgomery excoriated [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] after Johnson signed into law the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. The address highlighted Johnson's long political life and declared him a "political thief," an "habitual liar," and "not worthy of your respect or mine." Montgomery said that Johnson should run for election under the skunk symbol, instead of the Democratic donkey emblem (the rooster in Louisiana).<ref name=blastjohnson>"Montgomery blasts Johnson in speech on Senate floor," ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 8, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Montgomery's Senate colleague, [[Jamar Adcock]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], disputed the remarks: "Lyndon Johnson is our president, and I will respect him and the office of President."<ref name=blastjohnson/> Montgomery pitched a tent on the state Capitol grounds to protest the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act after he learned that the hotel in which he had been staying had admitted an African-American couple.<ref name=blastjohnson/><ref>Montgomery-tent photo caption, ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 9, 1964, p. 4A.</ref>​

In a state Senate speech, Montgomery excoriated [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] after Johnson signed into law the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. The address highlighted Johnson's long political life and declared him a "political thief," an "habitual liar," and "not worthy of your respect or mine." Montgomery said that Johnson should run for election under the skunk symbol, instead of the Democratic donkey emblem (the rooster in Louisiana).<ref name=blastjohnson>"Montgomery blasts Johnson in speech on Senate floor," ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 8, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Montgomery's Senate colleague, [[Jamar Adcock]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], disputed the remarks: "Lyndon Johnson is our president, and I will respect him and the office of President."<ref name=blastjohnson/> Montgomery pitched a tent on the state Capitol grounds to protest the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act after he learned that the hotel in which he had been staying had admitted an African-American couple.<ref name=blastjohnson/><ref>Montgomery-tent photo caption, ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 9, 1964, p. 4A.</ref>​

 

===The battle of the Montgomerys, 1967===

===The battle of the Montgomerys, 1967===

Hargis and Montgomery were critical of [[Martin Luther King]]'s leftist ties within the [[civil rights movement]].​

Hargis and Montgomery were critical of [[Martin Luther King]]'s leftist ties within the [[civil rights movement]].​

 

By Montgomery's last Senate term, segregation had legally ended, the issue ceased to be a viable political matter, and Montgomery avoided discussion of racial matters. Instead, he concentrated on getting state projects into northwest Louisiana. And it helped to have a friend in the governor's office during Montgomery's last term in office.​

By Montgomery's last Senate term, segregation had legally ended, the issue ceased to be a viable political matter, and Montgomery avoided discussion of racial matters. Instead, he concentrated on getting state projects into northwest Louisiana. And it helped to have a friend in the governor's office during Montgomery's last term in office.​

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Harold}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montgomery, Harold}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​