Changes

|term_end=December 31, 1936

|term_end=December 31, 1936

|preceded=Clifton F. Davis

|preceded=Clifton F. Davis

|succeeded=Frank Voelker, Sr.

|succeeded=[[Frank Voelker, Sr.]]

|birth_date=May 23, 1861

|birth_date=May 23, 1861

|birth_place=[[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]<br>Rapides Parish, Louisiana

|birth_place=[[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]<br>Rapides Parish, Louisiana

|death_place=[[Baltimore]],  [[Maryland]]

|death_place=[[Baltimore]],  [[Maryland]]

|death_cause=[[Heart attack]]

|death_cause=[[Heart attack]]

|residence=Lake Providenc<br>East Carroll Parish, Louisiana

|residence=Lake Providence<br>East Carroll Parish, Louisiana

|resting_place=Lake Providence Cemetery

|resting_place=Lake Providence Cemetery

|spouse=Katie Blackburn Davis Ransdell (married 1892–1939, his death)

|spouse=Katie Blackburn Davis Ransdell (married 1892–1939, his death)

Isabel Voelker and Kate Hamley

Isabel Voelker and Kate Hamley

|relations=U.S. Senator Joseph E. Ransdell (brother)<br>

|relations=U.S. Senator Joseph E. Ransdell (brother)<br>

Frank Voelker, Sr. (son-in-law)<br>

[[Frank Voelker, Sr]]. (son-in-law)<br>

John Martin Hamley (son-in-law)<br>

John Martin Hamley (son-in-law)<br>

Frank Voelker, Jr. (grandson)  

[[Frank Voelker, Jr.]] (grandson)  

David Ransdell Voelker (great-grandson)

[[David Voelker|David Ransdell Voelker]] (great-grandson)

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]

|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]

|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]

==Career==

==Career==

Francis Ransdell joined his brother in Lake Providence, where he too studied in the law office of Judge Montgomery. The brothers soon established law offices, farms, and residences.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Francis Ransdell joined his brother in Lake Providence, where he too studied in the law office of Judge Montgomery. The brothers soon established law offices, farms, and residences.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Ransdell was first elected in 1899 as the state judge for the 9th Judicial District (now 6th District) encompassing East Carroll and Madision parishes. Tensas Parish, the smallest entity in Louisiana, was later added and remains a part of the 6th Judicial District. In 1892, Ransdell married the former Katie Blackburn Davis at her home on Belle Meade Plantation in the capital city of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. They lived for four years in Chattanooga, Tennessee.<ref>There is a chance that this East Carroll Parish genealogy source meant Nashville, instead of Chattanooga.</ref> but returned to Lake Providence in 1897. Judge Ransdell and his family were members of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church, located at 207 Scarborough Street in Lake Providence.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Ransdell was first elected in 1899 as the state judge for the 9th Judicial District (now 6th District) encompassing East Carroll and Madison parishes. Tensas Parish, the smallest entity in Louisiana, was later added and remains a part of the 6th Judicial District. In 1892, Ransdell married the former Katie Blackburn Davis at her home on Belle Meade Plantation in the capital city of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. They lived for four years in Chattanooga, Tennessee.<ref>There is a chance that this East Carroll Parish genealogy source meant Nashville, instead of Chattanooga.</ref> but returned to Lake Providence in 1897. Judge Ransdell and his family were members of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church, located at 207 Scarborough Street in Lake Providence.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Joseph Ransdell's political career was cut short when he was defeated for senatorial re-nomination to a fourth term in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] in 1930<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000059|title=Joseph E. Ransdell|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=November 13, 2019}}</ref> by then [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]] But Francis Ransdell continued to serve on the bench for a total of thirty-six years, from June 1900, when he took office, until his retirement on December 31, 1936. He was succeeded on the court by his son-in-law, Frank Voelker, Sr., who was married to Ransdell's daughter, Isabel.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Joseph Ransdell's political career was cut short when he was defeated for senatorial re-nomination to a fourth term in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] in 1930<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000059|title=Joseph E. Ransdell|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=November 13, 2019}}</ref> by then [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]] But Francis Ransdell continued to serve on the bench for a total of thirty-six years, from June 1900, when he took office, until his retirement on December 31, 1936. He was succeeded on the court by his son-in-law, Frank Voelker, Sr., who was married to Ransdell's daughter, Isabel.<ref name=ecpgen/>

Another son-in-law, John Martin Hamley (1883-1942), was a member of the [ouisiana House of Representatives from 1912 to 1924, clerk of the state House from 1924 to 1931, and was elected tax assessor of East Carroll Parish in 1933. He was married to the former Katie "Kate" Ransdell (1893–1980).<ref name=ecpgen>{{cite web|url=http://eastcarrollparishlouisianagenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/08/o-p-q-and-r-surnames.html|title=East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy|date=August 24, 2010|publisher=eastcarrollparishlouisianagenealogy.blogspot.com|accessdate=November 13, 2019}}</ref>

Another son-in-law, John Martin Hamley (1883-1942), was a member of the [ouisiana House of Representatives from 1912 to 1924, clerk of the state House from 1924 to 1931, and was elected tax assessor of East Carroll Parish in 1933. He was married to the former Katie "Kate" Ransdell (1893–1980).<ref name=ecpgen>{{cite web|url=http://eastcarrollparishlouisianagenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/08/o-p-q-and-r-surnames.html|title=East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, Genealogy|date=August 24, 2010|publisher=eastcarrollparishlouisianagenealogy.blogspot.com|accessdate=November 13, 2019}}</ref>

A Ransdell grandson, Frank Voelker, Jr. (1921-2002), was city attorney in Lake Providence from 1950 to 1962 and chairman of the since defunct Louisiana Sovereignty Commission, a body established to promote [[states' rights]] in struggles with the national government during the second administration of [[Governor]] [[Jimmie Davis]]. The junior Voelker ran for governor in in 1963<ref>''Ruston (Louisiana) Daily Leader,'' May 30, 1963, p. 1.</ref> but soon withdrew from gubernatorial consideration. The winner of the gubernatorial contest was [[John J. McKeithen]].

A Ransdell grandson, [[Frank Voelker, Jr.]], was city attorney in Lake Providence from 1950 to 1962 and chairman of the since defunct Louisiana Sovereignty Commission, a body established to promote [[states' rights]] in struggles with the national government during the second administration of [[Governor]] [[Jimmie Davis]]. The junior Voelker ran for governor in 1963<ref>''Ruston (Louisiana) Daily Leader,'' May 30, 1963, p. 1.</ref> but soon withdrew from gubernatorial consideration. The winner of the gubernatorial contest was [[John J. McKeithen]].

A Ransdell great-grandson, David Ransdell Voelker (1953-2013), was an entrepreneur and philanthropist in [[New Orleans]]. Following [[Hurricane Katrina]], Democratic Governor [[Kathleen Blanco]] named him to the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Blanco's successor and past opponent, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Bobby Jindal]], elevated Voelker as the chairman of the authority. David Voelker died at the age of sixty from complications of lung transplant  surgery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/david_voelker_lra_chairman|title=David Voelker, 'one of the great saints of the recovery,' dies at 60|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=June 8, 2013; no longer on-line}}</ref>

A Ransdell great-grandson, [[David Voelker|David Ransdell Voelker]], was an entrepreneur and philanthropist in [[New Orleans]]. Following [[Hurricane Katrina]], Democratic Governor [[Kathleen Blanco]] named him to the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Blanco's successor and past opponent, [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Bobby Jindal]], elevated Voelker as the chairman of the authority. David Voelker died at the age of sixty from complications of lung transplant  surgery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/david_voelker_lra_chairman|title=David Voelker, 'one of the great saints of the recovery,' dies at 60|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=June 8, 2013; no longer on-line}}</ref>

==References==

==References==