John Eastman
â John H. Eastman (September 23, 1861 â November 14, 1938) was a businessman who served from 1910 to 1914 as the Democratic mayor of Shreveport, the third largest city in Louisiana and the largest in the northwestern section of the state.â
| John H. Eastmanâ | |
| In office 1910â â 1914â | |
| Preceded by | Dr. Samuel Augustus Dicksonâ |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Dr. Samuel Augustus Dicksonâ |
| Born | September 23, 1861â Mansfield, DeSoto Parish, Louisianaâ |
| Died | November 14, 1938 (aged 77) Shreveport, Louisianaâ |
| Nationality | Americanâ |
| Political party | Democratâ |
| Spouse(s) | Nellie Mayo Eastmanâ |
| Children | William M. Eastmanâ |
| Occupation | Businessmanâ |
Eastman was born in Mansfield in DeSoto Parish, and the site of the Battle of Mansfield in 1864 during the American Civil War. Eastman earned his living as a tinsmith (or "tinner").[1][2]â In 1898, he established the Vordenbauman-Eastman Hardware Company.[1]â
Eastman's mayoral term was the first under Shreveport's city commission government, in effect from 1910 to 1978, when it was replaced by the mayor-council format. Under his administration changes were made in street paving policies to improve the outcome at less cost. Eastman, worked to acquire the Cross Lake area (11,000 acres) at $1.00 per acre. Cross Lake is now the principal Shreveport municipal water source.[3] Eastman also oversaw the enlargement of the Louisiana State Fair grounds and the construction of the grandstand.[1] The fairgrounds are now located along Interstate 20 near the Independence Bowl Stadium.[4] Eastman also worked to secure the construction of the traffic bridge over the Red River, which connects Shreveport with neighboring Bossier City. It opened in January 1915.[1]â
Eastman married the former Nellie Mayo of Lake Charles, and the couple had four children, of whom only one survived, William M. Eastman.[1]
Several pieces of new automotive firefighting equipment were named in Eastman's honor, but the City of Shreveport continued during his administration to use horse-drawn vehicles as well.[5]â â
References
- â 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Eastman, John H.. Louisiana Historical Association: A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.
- â A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography used the book History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders (1937) by Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe for its sketch of Mayor Eastman.
- â Department of Operational Services: 2009 Water Quality Report. shreveportla.gov (March 2010). Retrieved on February 4, 2011; material no longer on-line.
- â 3701 Hudson Avenue (map). maps.google.com. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.
- â Municipal Journal, Vol. 33. books.google.com. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.Â
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