John Eastman
| John H. Eastman | |
| In office 1910 – 1914 | |
| Preceded by | Dr. Samuel Augustus Dickson |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Dr. Samuel Augustus Dickson |
| Born | September 23, 1861 Mansfield, DeSoto Parish, Louisiana |
| Died | November 14, 1938 (aged 77) Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Nellie Mayo Eastman |
| Children | William M. Eastman |
| Occupation | Businessman |
John H. Eastman (September 23, 1861 – November 14, 1938) was a businessman who served from 1910 to 1914 as the Democratic mayor of Shreveport, the third largest city in Louisiana and the largest in the northwestern section of the state.
Eastman was born in Mansfield in DeSoto Parish, and the site of the Battle of Mansfield in 1864 during the American Civil War. Eastman earned his living as a tinsmith (or "tinner").[1][2] In 1898, he established the Vordenbauman-Eastman Hardware Company.[1]
Eastman's mayoral term was the first under Shreveport's city commission government, in effect from 1910 to 1978, when it was replaced by the mayor-council format. Under his administration changes were made in street paving policies to improve the outcome at less cost. Eastman, worked to acquire the Cross Lake area (11,000 acres) at $1.00 per acre. Cross Lake is now the principal Shreveport municipal water source.[3] Eastman also oversaw the enlargement of the Louisiana State Fair grounds and the construction of the grandstand.[1] The fairgrounds are now located along Interstate 20 near the Independence Bowl Stadium.[4] Eastman also worked to secure the construction of the traffic bridge over the Red River, which connects Shreveport with neighboring Bossier City. It opened in January 1915.[1]
Eastman married the former Nellie Mayo of Lake Charles, and the couple had four children, of whom only one survived, William M. Eastman.[1]
Several pieces of new automotive firefighting equipment were named in Eastman's honor, but the City of Shreveport continued during his administration to use horse-drawn vehicles as well.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Eastman, John H.. Louisiana Historical Association: A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography used the book History of Shreveport and Shreveport Builders (1937) by Lilla McLure and J. Ed Howe for its sketch of Mayor Eastman.
- ↑ Department of Operational Services: 2009 Water Quality Report. shreveportla.gov (March 2010). Retrieved on February 4, 2011; material no longer on-line.
- ↑ 3701 Hudson Avenue (map). maps.google.com. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.
- ↑ Municipal Journal, Vol. 33. books.google.com. Retrieved on June 20, 2020.