J. F. Barbour III

J. F. Barbour III (born September 7, 1940) is a politician in the U.S. state of Mississippi. In 1968, he was elected as an independent (although closely affiliated with the Republican party) as mayor of Yazoo City, Mississippi. It was the first time that a non-Democrat held the post since Reconstruction.

J. F. Barbour III
J. F. Barbaour III in 1960
Mayor of Yazoo City, Mississippi
In office
1968–1972
Preceded byHarry Applebaum
Succeeded byFloyd E. Johnson
Personal details
Born
Jeptha Fowlkes Barbour III

(1940-09-07) September 7, 1940[1]
Yazoo City, Mississippi[1]
Political partyRepublican (prior to 1968)
Independent (1968-1972)[1]
Republican (1972-present)
SpouseFrances Allen[1]
Children5[2]
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi
OccupationBanker[1]

Background

Jeptha Fowlkes "Jeppie" Barbour III was born on September 7, 1940, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, the eldest child of Jeptha Fowlkes, Jr. and Grace LeFlore (Johnson) Barbour.[1] His father was a judge who died when he was a child. His mother served as a notary public and gave him the oath of office when her son was elected mayor.[3] Jeppie is the older brother of former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour.

Career

In 1968, Barbour became one of the youngest mayors in the history of Yazoo City, when he was elected at age 27. Although he was elected as an independent, Barbour was closely aligned with the Republican Party, having previously served as finance chairman for the Yazoo County GOP.[3]

In 1972, Barbour ran for re-election as a Republican. Despite a record turn-out, Barbour lost to Floyd E. Johnson, a Democrat. Eugene Ward, an African-American, running as Independent, finished a close third behind Barbour.[4]

After he left office, Barbour became the Mississippi state director of FHA.[5]

References
  1. "Barbour gets on ticket as independent". The Yazoo City Herald. Yazoo City, Mississippi. February 8, 1968. pp. 1–2. Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via newspapers.com. Jeppie Barbour, banker and Jaycee leader, last week qualified as an Independent candidate for Mayor in the Monday, April 1 Municipal General election.
  2. "Laura Guthrie weds Jeptha Fowlkes Barbour IV in noon ceremony July 19 in Jackson". The Yazoo City Herald. Yazoo City, Mississippi. August 2, 1986. p. 6. Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via newspapers.com. Groomsmen were Charles Barbour of Oxford, Henry Barbour of Jackson, Robert Barbour and Austin Barbour, both of Yazoo City, brothers of the bridgegroom.
  3. "His Honor sworn to duty by mother". The Yazoo City Herald. April 11, 1968. p. 1. Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via newspapers.com. Mayor J. F. Barbour III was sworn into office Monday night by his mother, Mrs. J. F. Barbour, Jr. and became one of the youngest chief executive officers in the history of the city.
  4. "Floyd Johnson elected mayor". The Yazoo City Herald. Yazoo City, Mississippi. April 6, 1972. p. 1. Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via newspapers.com. Mr. Johnson, the Democratic nominee, won out over incumbent Mayor Jeppie Barbour, who polled 1,099 votes as the Republican nominee and over Eugene Ward, Negro Independent candidate who received 911 votes.
  5. "FHA approves loan for Yazoo". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. September 2, 1973. p. 11. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com. J. F. Barbour, state FHA director, made the announcement to the residents of the eastern section of Yazoo County.
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