# James Benjamin Aswell

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American politician

James Benjamin Aswell Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 8th district In office March 4, 1913 – March 16, 1931 Preceded by district created Succeeded by John H. Overton President of Louisiana Tech University In office 1900–1904 Preceded by W. C. Robinson Succeeded by W. E. Taylor Louisiana Superintendent of Education In office 1904–1908 Succeeded by T. H. Harris President of Northwestern State University In office 1908–1911 Preceded by Beverly C. Caldwell Succeeded by Victor L. Roy Personal details Born (1869-12-23)December 23, 1869 Vernon, Jackson Parish, Louisiana, U.S. Died March 16, 1931(1931-03-16) (aged 61) Washington, D.C., U.S. Resting place Rock Creek Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. Party Democratic Alma mater Peabody College University of Nashville University of Arkansas University of Arkansas School of Law Occupation Teacher; lawyer; politician

**James Benjamin Aswell Sr.** (December 23, 1869 – March 16, 1931) was a prominent educator and a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) [U.S. representative](/source/U.S._representative) from [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana), who served from 1913 until his death, which occurred twelve days into his tenth term.

## Life and career

Aswell was born in the Vernon community in rural [Jackson Parish](/source/Jackson_Parish) in north Louisiana to Benjamin W. and Elizabeth A. (Lyles) Aswell . He graduated with teaching credentials in 1892 from [Peabody College](/source/Peabody_College). In 1893, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree from the [University of Nashville](/source/University_of_Nashville), and received a [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts_(postgraduate)) degree from the [University of Arkansas](/source/University_of_Arkansas) at [Fayetteville](/source/Fayetteville%2C_Arkansas) the following year. In 1907, he obtained his [law degree](/source/Law_degree) from the same institution.[1]

He was a state school administrator before he was selected to be president of Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, now [Louisiana Tech University](/source/Louisiana_Tech_University), in 1900. He resigned in 1904 after being elected as [Louisiana Superintendent of Education](/source/Louisiana_Department_of_Education) in 1904. He resigned his position in 1908 to be president of Louisiana State Normal School, now [Northwestern State University](/source/Northwestern_State_University). Aswell resigned his position in 1911 to run unsuccessfully for governor in the [1912 Democratic primary](/source/1912_Louisiana_gubernatorial_election). He was defeated by [Luther E. Hall](/source/Luther_E._Hall), who served in the state's highest office from 1912 to 1916.[2]

Later that year, Aswell was elected to the U.S. House from the newly created [8th congressional district](/source/Louisiana's_8th_congressional_district), based around [Natchitoches](/source/Natchitoches%2C_Louisiana) and [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria%2C_Louisiana). Aswell was reelected nine times. During the 1920s, he was the ranking minority member of the [House Agriculture Committee](/source/House_Agriculture_Committee). He worked with the Louisiana [naturalist](/source/Natural_history) [Caroline Dormon](/source/Caroline_Dormon) to establish the [Kisatchie National Forest](/source/Kisatchie_National_Forest) in his district.[1]

He died in Washington, D.C., and is interred there in [Rock Creek Cemetery](/source/Rock_Creek_Cemetery).[3]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-papers_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-papers_1-1) ["James B. Aswell Papers"](https://www.lib.lsu.edu/sites/default/files/sc/findaid/1408.pdf) (PDF). *Louisiana State University*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Ohles, John F., ed. (1978). [*Biographical Dictionary of American Educators*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5YNz-kNZgsC&pg=PA54). Greenwood Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780313040122](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780313040122).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** United States Congress. ["ASWELL, James Benjamin (id: A000321)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000321). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

v t e United States representatives from Louisiana 1st district E. Livingston White H. Johnson White Slidell La Sére St. Martin Dunbar Eustis Bouligny Sypher Lawrence Gibson Hunt St. Martin Wilkinson Meyer Estopinal O'Connor Fernández Hébert Tonry B. Livingston Vitter Jindal Scalise 2nd district Gurley Thomas Ripley Chinn Dawson la Branche Thibodeaux Conrad Bullard J. A. Landry Hunt Taylor Mann Sheldon Ellis Hahn Wallace Lagan Coleman Lagan Davey Buck Davey Gilmore Dupré Spearing Maloney H. Boggs Maloney H. Boggs L. Boggs Jefferson Cao Richmond Carter 3rd district Brent Overton Bullard Garland J. Moore Dawson Harmanson Penn Perkins Davidson Newsham Darrall Acklen Darrall Kellogg Gay Price Broussard Martin Montet Mouton Domengeaux Willis Caffery Treen Tauzin Melançon J. M. Landry Boustany Higgins 4th district Bossier Morse J. Moore Jones Sandidge Landrum Vidal Newsham McCleery Boarman Smith Levy Elam Blanchard Ogden Breazeale Watkins Sandlin Brooks Waggonner Leach Roemer McCrery Fields McCrery Fleming M. Johnson 5th district Blackburn Morey Spencer Leonard Young King Newton Boatner Baird Ransdell Elder Wilson Mills McKenzie Passman Huckaby McCrery Cooksey Alexander McAllister Abraham Letlow 6th district Nash E. Robertson Lewis Irion E. Robertson S. Robertson Favrot Wickliffe Morgan Sanders Sr. Favrot Kemp Sanders Jr. Griffith Sanders Jr. Morrison Rarick H. Moore Baker Cazayoux Cassidy Graves Fields 7th district Pujo Lazaro De Rouen Plauché Larcade Thompson Edwards Breaux Hayes John Boustany 8th district Aswell Overton Dear Allen G. S. "Doc" Long McSween G. W. Long S. Long G. W. Long C. Long Holloway At-large Robertson Butler Johnston Sheridan Territory Clark Poydras

v t e Louisiana Tech University Presidents Arthur T. Prescott (1895–1899) W. C. Robinson (1899–1900) James Benjamin Aswell (1900–1904) W. E. Taylor (1904–1906) C. E. Byrd (1906–1907) John Keeny (1908–1926) John R. Conniff (1926–1928) George W. Bond (1928–1936) Edwin Richardson (1936–1941) Claybrook Cottingham (1941–1949) Ralph L. Ropp (1949–1962) F. Jay Taylor (1962–1987) Dan Reneau (1987–2013) Les Guice (2013–2023) Jim Henderson (2024–present)

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