Louis Alfred Wiltz (January 21, 1843 – October 16, 1881) was an American politician from the state of Louisiana. He served as 29th Governor of Louisiana from 1880 to 1881 and before that time was mayor of New Orleans, lieutenant governor of Louisiana, and a member of the

Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (french: link=no, Chambre des Représentants de Louisiane) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 repr ...

Biography

Wiltz was born on January 21, 1843 in New Orleans to 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 noble Spanish family, her father coming to Louisiana with the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army ( es, Ejército de Tierra, lit=Land Army) is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies — dating back to the late 15th century. The ...

. 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 the American Civil War, Wiltz joined the Confederate States Army as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

but quickly rose to the rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. In 1863, Wiltz married Micael Bienvenu of

St. Martinville St. Martinville (french: Saint-Martin)Jack A. Reynolds. "St. Martinville" entry i"Louisiana Placenames of Romance Origin."LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses #7852. 1942. p. 480. is a city in and the parish seat of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana ...

, the seat of

St. Martin Parish St. Martin Parish (french: Paroisse de Saint-Martin) is a parish (administrative division), parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, founded in 1811. Its parish seat is St. Martinville, Louisiana, St. Martinville, and the largest city is B ...

. 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 the Republican mayor 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 by E. D. Estilette.Internet Archive
/ref> With the implementation of the new Louisiana state constitution of 1879, the gubernatorial term of

Francis T. Nicholls Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls (August 20, 1834January 4, 1912) was an American attorney, politician, judge, and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served two terms as the 28th Governor of L ...

was 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 corrupt Louisiana Lottery continued to have influence over the state legislature. The state treasurer,

Edward A. Burke Edward Austin Burke or Burk (September 13, 1839 – September 24, 1928), was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Louisiana State Treasurer, State Treasurer of Louisiana following Reconstruction era of the United States, Reconstruct ...

embezzled Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...

state funds while the public schools were neglected, and black disenfranchisement continued. Wiltz died of tuberculosis while in office on October 16, 1881, in New Orleans. Lieutenant Governor

Samuel D. McEnery Samuel Douglas McEnery (May 28, 1837 – June 28, 1910) served as the List of Governors of Louisiana, 30th Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana, with service from 1881 until 1888. He was subsequently a United States Senate, U.S. senator f ...

, a fellow

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

, succeeded Wiltz.

References

External links

State of Louisiana – Biography
* ttp://nutrias.org/~nopl/info/louinfo/admins/wiltz.htm New Orleans Public Library page* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wiltz, Louis A. 1843 births 1881 deaths American people of German descent American people of Spanish descent Hispanic and Latino American state governors of the United States Democratic Party governors of Louisiana Lieutenant Governors of Louisiana Mayors of New Orleans Speakers of the Louisiana House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the Louisiana House of Representatives 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Louisiana 19th-century American politicians

Biography

See also

References

External links