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Shreveport Mayoral Trivia

September 2006

By Gary Joiner, PhD, LSUS Professor of History

John Octavius Sewall, killed in a duel in 1840.

Did any of the mayors go on to bigger political offices?

John Morgan Landrum became congressman - he walked off the floor of congress in 1861 in support of secession.

Did we have any Jewish mayors?

Yes - we had a thriving Jewish community. The first Jewish mayor was Samuel Levy elected in 1873. He served during the yellow fever epidemic.

Who was the youngest mayor?  

Alec Boarman elected in 1866 at age 27. The second youngest is still with us today, James C. Gardner, elected in 1954 at age 29, is still active in the community.

Who was the oldest mayor?

John Bryce elected at age 64. He was the founding pastor of First Baptist Church

Did all of the elected mayors serve their terms?

No. William Raburn Shivers was elected in April of 1871 but died before he could take office.

What mayor served 20 years?  

Clyde C. Fant, Elected in 1946, 1950, 1958, 1962, 1966….

How many different people have served as mayor?

46 people in 86 mayoral terms of varied lengths.