Oramel Hinckley Simpson became

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the state of

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

upon the death of his predecessor, Henry L. Fuqua. Simpson was born in Washington, Louisiana on March 20, 1870 and was educated at Centenary College at Jackson and Tulane University

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. He achieved the rank of lieutenant governor before Fuqua's death and succeeded to the governorship on October 11, 1926. During his term as governor, Simpson opposed a toll bridge across the eastern portion of Lake Pontchartrain which was being built to connect

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and Slidell. Simpson suggested building a toll-free bridge from Chef Menteur, but influential figures in New Orleans were able to get the toll bridge built despite his objections. He later started a ferry service instead; it was free of charge. The

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proved to be a problem during Simpson's term of office as well. Legislation was passed to outlaw hoods, masks and robes excepting those worn during Mardi Gras and at masked balls or parties. A great flood in 1927 forced Simpson to order a "downriver cut" of the levee in order to protect New Orleans. Afterwards, the affected states of Louisiana,

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, and

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worked together to secure federal aid for flood prevention. The owners of some properties damaged by the levee cut were compensated by the state. Simpson became Secretary of the Senate after leaving office and died of a heart seizure in New Orleans on November 17, 1932.

References

Profile of Oramel Simpson
from the Louisiana Secretary of State website, archived February 7, 2005. * Davis, Edwin Adams (1961). ''Louisiana: The Pelican State''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. . * "Oramel Hinckley Simpson," ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'', Vol. II (1988), pp. 744–745 * Robert Sobel and John Raimo, eds., ''Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978'', Vol. 2 (1978)

External links

State of Louisiana – Biography

Cemetery Memorial
by La-Cemeteries {{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Oramel H. Democratic Party governors of Louisiana 1870 births 1932 deaths Tulane University alumni Lieutenant governors of Louisiana Methodists from Louisiana Louisiana lawyers People from Washington, Louisiana Centenary College of Louisiana alumni Tulane University Law School alumni Huey Long