William C. Feazel

William Crosson Feazel
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office May 18, 1948 – December 30, 1948
Preceded by	John H. Overton
Succeeded by	Russell B. Long
Personal details
Born	June 10, 1895(1895-06-10) Farmerville, Louisiana
Died	March 16, 1965(1965-03-16) (aged 69) Shreveport, Louisiana
Political party	Democratic

William Crosson Feazel (June 10, 1895 – March 16, 1965) was a short-term United States Senator from Louisiana. Born near Farmerville, the seat of Union Parish, he attended the public schools and engaged as an independent oil and natural gas producer.

Feazel was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1932-1936. He was appointed by Governor Earl Kemp Long on May 18, 1948, as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of John H. Overton. Feazel served from May 18 to December 30, 1948. He was not a candidate for election to the vacancy in 1948 and resumed the oil and gas business in Monroe and Shreveport. His U.S. Senate seat went to his fellow Democrat, Russell B. Long, the son of Huey P. Long, Jr., who first defeated future Governor Robert F. Kennon of Minden in the Democratic primary and then topped the Shreveport oilman Clem S. Clarke, a Republican, in the general election.

In 1960, Feazel was a presidential elector for the successful Kennedy-Johnson ticket, along with Attorney General Jack P.F. Gremillion and Municipal Judge Edmund Reggie of Crowley in Acadia Parish.^[1]

Feazel Chapel of First Baptist Church of West Monroe, Louisiana

Feazel's daughter, Lallage Feazel (1913–1999), married Shady R. Wall (1922–1985), a banker from West Monroe and a Democratic member of the Louisiana House from 1948–1956 and again from 1968-1984. He was a resident of West Monroe and a member of the First Baptist Church there. The Feazel Chapel, attached to First Baptist, West Monroe, is named in his honor. He died in Shreveport and is interred at Hasley Cemetery in West Monroe.

Bill Dodd, former Louisiana lieutenant governor and education superintendent, describes Feazel as "very quiet and laid back in his outward appearance. His expressions seldom changed no matter what the circumstance. But he rewarded his friends and punished his enemies. And after he helped elect a man to high office, he expected that man to do what was right. He did not want to be and was not a power broker. He was independently wealthy and never asked a favor for himself from one he had helped to elect."^[2]

Dodd also noted that Earl Long was particularly friendly toward Feazel, whom he appointed to the U.S. Senate vacancy in 1948. However, Huey Long was partial to Feazel's intraparty rival, James A. Noe, also from Monroe, who served briefly as governor in 1936.^[2]

Louisiana portal

References

1. ^ Minden Press, November 7, 1960
2. ^ ^{a b} Bill Dodd, Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics (Baton Rouge, Louisina|Claitor's Publishers, 1991), p. 162-163

• William C. Feazel at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• William C. Feazel at Find a Grave

Louisiana House of Representatives
Preceded by Tandy T. Webb F.C. Bennett (as one of two members)	Louisiana State Representative from Ouachita Parish 1932–1936 Served alongside: J. Porter Burgess (as one of two members)	Succeeded by Paul Fink W.B. Inabnett (as one of two members)
United States Senate
Preceded by John H. Overton	United States Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana May 18, 1948–December 30, 1948 Served alongside: Allen J. Ellender	Succeeded by Russell B. Long

Persondata
Name	Feazel, William
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	June 10, 1895
Place of birth	Farmerville, Louisiana
Date of death	March 16, 1965
Place of death	Shreveport, Louisiana