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Louis A. Wiltz

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Louis A. Wiltz
29thGovernor of Louisiana
In office
January 14, 1880 – October 16, 1881
LieutenantSamuel D. McEnery
Preceded byFrancis T. Nicholls
Succeeded bySamuel D. McEnery
15thLieutenant Governor of Louisiana
In office
April 24, 1877 – January 14, 1880
GovernorFrancis T. Nicholls
Preceded byCaesar Antoine
Succeeded bySamuel D. McEnery
25thMayor of New Orleans
In office
November 30, 1872 – November 30, 1874
Preceded byBenjamin Flanders
Succeeded byCharles J. Leeds
Member of theLouisiana House of Representatives
In office
1868
Personal details
Born(1843-01-21)January 21, 1843
New Orleans, Louisiana
DiedOctober 16, 1881(1881-10-16)(aged 38)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Resting placeSt Louis Cemetery No 1[1]
New Orleans, Louisiana
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMicaelBienvenu
Military service
AllegianceConfederate States
Branch/serviceConfederate States Army
RankCaptain
UnitLouisianaChalmette Regiment[2]
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Louis Alfred Wiltz(January 21, 1843 – October 16, 1881) was anAmerican politicianfrom thestateofLouisiana.He served as29th Governor of Louisianafrom 1880 to 1881 and before that time wasmayor of New Orleans,lieutenant governor of Louisiana,and a member of theLouisiana House of Representatives.

Biography

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Wiltz was born on January 21, 1843[3]inNew Orleansto J.B. Theophile Wiltz and the former Louise Irene Villanueva. His paternal family were among the first German settlers in Louisiana and his mother came from a nobleSpanishfamily, her father coming to Louisiana with theSpanish Army.[4]He attended public school until the age of 15, when he began work with Plauche and Company. After the company failed, Wiltz became the clerk for the Second District Court of Louisiana. With the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War,Wiltz joined theConfederate States Armyas aprivatebut quickly rose to the rank ofcaptain.In 1863, Wiltz married Micael Bienvenu ofSt. Martinville,the seat ofSt. Martin Parish.They had four daughters and one son.

In 1868, Wiltz was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and the New Orleans School Board. In 1872, he was elected mayor but could not take office until January 1873 because of the refusal of theRepublicanmayor to vacate the office. In addition to serving two years as mayor, Wiltz was once again elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and served as lieutenant governor. He was succeeded byE. D. Estilette.[5]

With the implementation of the new Louisiana state constitution of 1879, the gubernatorial term ofFrancis T. Nichollswas cut short by one year. An election was held in 1879, and Louis Wiltz easily defeated his Republican opponent. Wiltz's term as governor was one rife with corruption. The corruptLouisiana Lotterycontinued to have influence over the state legislature. The state treasurer,Edward A. Burke,embezzledstate funds while the public schools were neglected, and black disenfranchisement continued.

Wiltz died oftuberculosiswhile in office on October 16, 1881, in New Orleans. Lieutenant GovernorSamuel D. McEnery,a fellowDemocrat,succeeded Wiltz.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Louis Alfred Wiltz".Find A Grave.RetrievedJanuary 20,2018.
  2. ^Bartlett, Napier (1875).Military Record of Louisiana.L Graham & Company. p.28.
  3. ^Onofrio, Jan (1999).Louisiana Biographical Dictionary.Somerset Publishers, Inc. p. 303.ISBN9780403098170.RetrievedJanuary 20,2018.
  4. ^"The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography,(1900) p. 83.
  5. ^Andrews, Elisha Benjamin (1903).The United States in our own time; a history from reconstruction to expansion; being an extension of "The history of the last quarter century.C. Scribner's Sons. pp.160–67.Internet Archive
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Party political offices
Preceded by Democraticnominee forGovernor of Louisiana
1879
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of New Orleans
November 30, 1872 – November 30, 1874
Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louis A. Wiltz (Disputed)Michael Hahn

1875
Succeeded by
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
1877–1880
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Louisiana
1880–1881
Succeeded by