Changes

|alma_mater=Sul Ross State University​

|alma_mater=Sul Ross State University​

}}​

}}​

 

'''Drayton Rogers Boucher''' (March 19, 1908 &ndash; June 3, 1983) was a  state legislator from Webster Parish who was affiliated with the [[pro-Long]] political faction of the [[Louisiana]] [[Democratic Party]]. Boucher served in the state House for a single four-year term from 1936 to 1940,<ref>{{cite web|url=

'''Drayton Rogers Boucher''' (March 19, 1908 &ndash; June 3, 1983) was a  state legislator from Webster Parish who was affiliated with the [[pro-Long]] political faction of the [[Louisiana]] [[Democratic Party]]. Boucher served in the state House for a single four-year term from 1936 to 1940,<ref>{{cite web|url=

http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Webster Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=January 29, 2020}}</ref> and then three terms in the state Senate from a combination district including Webster and Bossier parishes from 1940 to 1952.  

http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Webster Parish) |publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=January 29, 2020}}</ref> and then three terms in the state Senate from a combination district including Webster and Bossier parishes from 1940 to 1952.  

==Background==

==Background==

Boucher first attended Springhill High Schoo] but graduated in 1927 from a three-member class in a one-room school in Asherton in Dimmit County,  midway between [[Laredo]] and Eagle Pass in south [[Texas]], where Robert Boucher had temporarily relocated the family to become an onion [[farmer]]. Since 1999, Asherton has had no high school; students are bused to the nearby county seat of Carrizo Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/rsi/CarrizoSprings.htm | title= A Case Study of Carrizo Springs Consolidated Independent School District and its role as a partner in the NSF-supported Texas Rural Systemic Initiative|author=Kenneth H. McKinley|publisher=The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University|accessdate=May 11, 2009; no longer on-line.}}</ref>  

 

Boucher first attended Springhill High Schoo but graduated in 1927 from a three-member class in a one-room school in Asherton in Dimmit County,  midway between [[Laredo]] and Eagle Pass in south [[Texas]], where Robert Boucher had temporarily relocated the family to become an onion [[farmer]]. Since 1999, Asherton has had no high school; students are bused to the nearby county seat of Carrizo Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/rsi/CarrizoSprings.htm | title= A Case Study of Carrizo Springs Consolidated Independent School District and its role as a partner in the NSF-supported Texas Rural Systemic Initiative|author=Kenneth H. McKinley|publisher=The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University|accessdate=May 11, 2009; no longer on-line.}}</ref>  

Boucher procured a scholarship to Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, from which he received in 1932 a Bachelor of Science degree in [[biology]]. He was thereafter a lifelong promoter of his ''alma mater'' and on occasion visited former professors in Alpine.<ref name=autob>Drayton Boucher autobiographical manuscript, 8 pages, held by his late second wife, Evelyn Aydell Boucher of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]</ref>

Boucher procured a scholarship to Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, from which he received in 1932 a Bachelor of Science degree in [[biology]]. He was thereafter a lifelong promoter of his ''alma mater'' and on occasion visited former professors in Alpine.<ref name=autob>Drayton Boucher autobiographical manuscript, 8 pages, held by his late second wife, Evelyn Aydell Boucher of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]</ref>

===Legislative races===

===Legislative races===

While placing an advertisement in the [[newspaper]] in Minden, forerunner of the ''Minden Press-Herald],'' Boucher was urged by the editor to run for the Webster Parish seat in the state legislature in the 1935–1936 election cycle. Days later, the legendary [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], was dead from an assassin’s bullets, and Boucher, at the age of twenty-eight, several months thereafter won the House seat. He had visited nearly every home in Webster Parish to achieve his relatively narrow victory<ref name=autob/> over the incumbent Eddie Nuton Payne (1873-1951), also of Springhill, 2,778 to 2,474.<ref>"Boucher, Garrison, Thomas Nominated: Young Politician Is Victorious in Race for Representative," ''Minden Herald,'' March 6, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

While placing an advertisement in the [[newspaper]] in Minden, forerunner of the ''Minden Press-Herald],'' Boucher was urged by the editor to run for the Webster Parish seat in the state legislature in the 1935–1936 election cycle. Days later, the legendary [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], was dead from an assassin's bullets, and Boucher, at the age of twenty-eight, several months thereafter won the House seat. He had visited nearly every home in Webster Parish to achieve his relatively narrow victory<ref name=autob/> over the incumbent Eddie Nuton Payne (1873-1951), also of Springhill, 2,778 to 2,474.<ref>"Boucher, Garrison, Thomas Nominated: Young Politician Is Victorious in Race for Representative," ''Minden Herald,'' March 6, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

In September 1940, freshman state Senator Boucher urged newly-elected [[anti-Long]] Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]] to call a special legislative session to repeal many of the “reform” measures passed earlier in the year. The remark was carried in newspaper] nationally.<ref>”Hot Election Forecast for Louisiana Demo Primary," ''St. Petersburg Times,'' St. Petersburg, [[Florida]], September 9, 1940, p. 3.</ref> In 1946, Boucher proposed in a letter to Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] the enactment of a 10 percent amusements tax, including theater tickets, in Louisiana to finance teacher pay increases, a proposal carried in the motion picture trade [[magazine]], ''BoxOffice.''<ref name=boxoffice>"Amusement Tax Bill Bobs up in Louisiana," ''BoxOffice,'' June 24, 1946, p. 84.</ref>​

In September 1940, freshman state Senator Boucher urged newly elected [[anti-Long]] Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]] to call a special legislative session to repeal many of the “reform” measures passed earlier in the year. The remark was carried in newspaper] nationally.<ref>”Hot Election Forecast for Louisiana Demo Primary," ''St. Petersburg Times,'' St. Petersburg, [[Florida]], September 9, 1940, p. 3.</ref> In 1946, Boucher proposed in a letter to Governor [[Jimmie Davis]] the enactment of a 10 percent amusements tax, including theater tickets, in Louisiana to finance teacher pay increases, a proposal carried in the motion picture trade [[magazine]], ''BoxOffice.''<ref name=boxoffice>"Amusement Tax Bill Bobs up in Louisiana," ''BoxOffice,'' June 24, 1946, p. 84.</ref>​

In 1944, Boucher won his second term by defeating his lone opponent, Arthur Ray Teague (1907-1975) of [[Bossier City]].<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 14, 1944, p. 5.</ref> In 1948, Boucher won his third term by 51 votes, having defeated [[Clarence D. Wiley]] of Minden, later the Webster Parish clerk of court, 3,950 to 3,899.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 23, 1948.</ref>

In 1944, Boucher won his second term by defeating his lone opponent, Arthur Ray Teague (1907-1975) of [[Bossier City]].<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 14, 1944, p. 5.</ref> In 1948, Boucher won his third term by 51 votes, having defeated [[Clarence D. Wiley]] of Minden, later the Webster Parish clerk of court, 3,950 to 3,899.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 23, 1948.</ref>

Boucher did not seek a fourth term in 1952 and was succeeded in the state senate by John Jones Doles, Sr. (1895-1970), a banker from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish, who served from 1952 to 1956 during the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]] of Minden. Doles was usually allied with the Long faction. From 1956 to 1960, Boucher was a member of the Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee. He was an alternate delegate to the 1956 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], which nominated [[Adlai Stevenson]] of [[Illinois]] and [[Estes Kefauver]] of [[Tennessee]], the first Democratic ticket since 1876 to lose Louisiana's then ten [[electoral vote]]s to a Republican, [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bosa-bouckaert.html|title=The Political Graveyard|publisher=Politicalgraveyard.com|accessdate=June 23, 2009}}</ref> Boucher served on the Louisiana State Mineral Board (1956–1958), the Louisiana Commission on Aging (1958), Louisiana Insurance Rating Board (1959–1960), and the Louisiana Contractors’ Licensing Board (1960–1963).<ref name=bobit/>

Boucher did not seek a fourth term in 1952 and was succeeded in the state senate by John Jones Doles, Sr. (1895-1970), a banker from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish, who served from 1952 to 1956 during the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]] of Minden. Doles was usually allied with the Long faction. From 1956 to 1960, Boucher was a member of the Louisiana Democratic State Central Committee. He was an alternate delegate to the 1956 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], which nominated [[Adlai Stevenson]] of [[Illinois]] and [[Estes Kefauver]] of [[Tennessee]], the first Democratic ticket since 1876 to lose Louisiana's then ten [[electoral vote]]s to a Republican, [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bosa-bouckaert.html|title=The Political Graveyard|publisher=Politicalgraveyard.com|accessdate=June 23, 2009}}</ref> Boucher served on the Louisiana State Mineral Board (1956–1958), the Louisiana Commission on Aging (1958), Louisiana Insurance Rating Board (1959–1960), and the Louisiana Contractors’ Licensing Board (1960–1963).<ref name=bobit/>

Boucher was personally and politically close to Governor Earl Long, who sometimes visited in the Boucher home in Springhill. In 1958, Long appointed Boucher to fill the newly established position of director of the state Board of Registration. The title was changed thereafter to “custodian of voting machines.”<ref name=bobit/> The duties of elections administration were removed by the legislature at Long’s insistence to a separate department from the office of then anti-Long Secretary of State Wade Omer Martin, Jr. (1911-1990). After a year, Long replaced Boucher in the position with [[Douglas Fowler]], a local politician from Coushatta in Red River Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/157/Default.aspx|title=Three Custodians in Four Years|publisher=Louisiana.gov|accessdate=June 24, 2009}}</ref> Years later, another Louisiana secretary of state, [[Al Ater]] of Ferriday in Concordia Parish, reversed the process begun by Boucher and returned the elections duties back to the secretary of state's office after the separate elections department was abolished.

Boucher was personally and politically close to Governor Earl Long, who sometimes visited in the Boucher home in Springhill. In 1958, Long appointed Boucher to fill the newly established position of director of the state Board of Registration. The title was changed thereafter to “custodian of voting machines.”<ref name=bobit/> The duties of elections administration were removed by the legislature at Long's insistence to a separate department from the office of then anti-Long Secretary of State Wade Omer Martin, Jr. (1911-1990). After a year, Long replaced Boucher in the position with [[Douglas Fowler]], a local politician from Coushatta in Red River Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/157/Default.aspx|title=Three Custodians in Four Years|publisher=Louisiana.gov|accessdate=June 24, 2009}}</ref> Years later, another Louisiana secretary of state, [[Al Ater]] of Ferriday in Concordia Parish, reversed the process begun by Boucher and returned the elections duties back to the secretary of state's office after the separate elections department was abolished.

Long named Douglas Fowler as the custodian of voting machines because Boucher did not intend to seek the position in the 1959–1960 election cycle. Long, who ran for lieutenant governor that year on an intra-party ticket with former interim Governor [[James A, Noe]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], wanted one of his appointees to be on the ballot for the first election for custodian of voting machines. Fowler won the post in a Democratic runoff primary and held it until his pending retirement and subsequent death in 1980; Fowler was succeeded by his son, [[Jerry Fowler]]. In 1976, the name of the position was changed again to the "elections commissioner," now an appointed position.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State "Election Mission and History, accessed August 6, 2009; no longer on-line.</ref>​

Long named Douglas Fowler as the custodian of voting machines because Boucher did not intend to seek the position in the 1959–1960 election cycle. Long, who ran for lieutenant governor that year on an intra-party ticket with former interim Governor [[James A, Noe]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], wanted one of his appointees to be on the ballot for the first election for custodian of voting machines. Fowler won the post in a Democratic runoff primary and held it until his pending retirement and subsequent death in 1980; Fowler was succeeded by his son, [[Jerry Fowler]]. In 1976, the name of the position was changed again to the "elections commissioner," now an appointed position.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State "Election Mission and History, accessed August 6, 2009; no longer on-line.</ref>​

==Business and civic activities==

==Business and civic activities==

After his political career, Boucher remained in Baton Rouge and attended the [[Louisiana State University]] Law Center though he never procured legal credentials. Instead, he concentrated on Drayton Boucher Real Estate and his Evelyn Corporation, named for his second wife. He was also a partner in Acadian Oil and Gas in [[Lafayette]]. Boucher was an active member of the Masonic lodge. As a Shriner, he was active in fundraising for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Shreveport. He was an active member of the Jefferson [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church in Baton Rouge.<ref name=bobit>Boucher obituary, ''The Shreveport Times,'' June 5, 1983.</ref>​

After his political career, Boucher remained in Baton Rouge and attended the [[Louisiana State University]] Law Center though he never procured legal credentials. Instead, he concentrated on Drayton Boucher Real Estate and his Evelyn Corporation, named for his second wife. He was also a partner in Acadian Oil and Gas in [[Lafayette]]. Boucher was an active member of the Masonic lodge. As a Shriner, he was active in fundraising for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Shreveport. He was an active member of the Jefferson [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church in Baton Rouge.<ref name=bobit>Boucher obituary, ''The Shreveport Times,'' June 5, 1983.</ref>​

 

==Two marriages==

==Two marriages==

The pair procured a marriage license in Minden from Webster Parish Clerk of Court [[Clarence D. Wiley]], who coincidentally had been Boucher's unsuccessful intra-party opponent in 1948 for the state senate.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 23, 1948, p. 1.</ref>​

The pair procured a marriage license in Minden from Webster Parish Clerk of Court [[Clarence D. Wiley]], who coincidentally had been Boucher's unsuccessful intra-party opponent in 1948 for the state senate.<ref>''Minden Herald,'' January 23, 1948, p. 1.</ref>​

 

==Death at 75==

==Death at 75==

Boucher died after a lengthy illness from colon [[cancer]] at the age of seventy-five.<ref name=bobit/> In addition to his second wife and son, Boucher was survived by a sister and brother, both in the [[insurance]] business, Alleane Haynes O’Neal, since deceased, of Springhill and Gus M. Boucher (1917–2001) of Shreveport, later Mansfield in DeSoto Parish. There was also a granddaughter, Jenelle Boucher (born 1977) of Shongaloo, Louisiana. A second brother, Rupert Boucher of Bossier City and later Baton Rouge, preceded him in death. Services were first held at the Jefferson Baptist Church; a second service under the direction of Bailey Mortuary was held in Springhill, with interment at Springhill Cemetery.<ref name=bobit/>​

Boucher died after a lengthy illness from colon [[cancer]] at the age of seventy-five.<ref name=bobit/> In addition to his second wife and son, Boucher was survived by a sister and brother, both in the [[insurance]] business, Alleane Haynes O’Neal, since deceased, of Springhill and Gus M. Boucher (1917–2001) of Shreveport, later Mansfield in DeSoto Parish. There was also a granddaughter, Jenelle Boucher (born 1977) of Shongaloo, Louisiana. A second brother, Rupert Boucher of Bossier City and later Baton Rouge, preceded him in death. Services were first held at the Jefferson Baptist Church; a second service under the direction of Bailey Mortuary was held in Springhill, with interment at Springhill Cemetery.<ref name=bobit/>​

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}​

{{reflist}}​

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boucher, Drayton}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boucher, Drayton}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​