Thomas Cage | |
---|---|
Louisiana State Senate | |
In office 1872–1880 | |
Louisiana House of Representatives | |
In office 1884–1888 | |
Louisiana State Senate | |
In office 1888–1892 | |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 1845 Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana |
Died | December 10, 1896 | (aged 50–51)
Political party | Republican |
Thomas A. Cage (c. 1845 – December 10, 1896) was a state legislator who served in the Louisiana State Senate during the Reconstruction era and the Louisiana House of Representatives and again the Louisiana State Senate post reconstruction. [1]
Cage was born as a slave in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana in 1845 and was freed during the American Civil War by the Union Army. [2] His father was Euro-American and his mother was a plantation slave of African descent. He took the name Cage from the sugar plantation's owner Jim Cage. [3]
After the war he moved north from Louisiana and gained an education before returning to Louisiana in 1869. [1] During the reconstruction era he was the editor of the Terrebonne Republican and had acquired a plantation, [1] which he was still successfully running in 1883. [4]
Cage was also a member of the board of trustees of the Southern University at New Orleans appointed in February 1883. [5]
In 1870 he was elected as a justice of the peace for Houma, Louisiana [1] and in 1871 he was appointed to the position of parish assessor and tax collector by governor Henry C. Warmoth. [6]
He represented Terrebonne as a delegate at the Republican State Convention held in New Orleans in August 1871 [7] where he served on the Committee on Address whose job was to "draft resolutions and an address to the people of Louisiana". [8]
Cage was first elected to the legislature in 1872 to serve in the Louisiana State Senate for the 8th district. [9] He was re-elected in 1876, [10] but Isaiah D. Moore later challenged the result but lost the challenge in a ruling in March 1878. [11] He served from 1872 until 1880 when he was ousted due to the constitution reform of 1879. [3]
He then ran for sheriff for Terrebonne Parish in 1880 and won the position with over 60% of the votes [12] and served four years in the role. [3]
Next Cage was elected to serve in the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing Terrebonne along with G. W. Lyons, [13] and served from 1884 until 1888.
In 1888 Cage again ran for the senate now after the new constitution for a seat serving three parishes, he was duly elected and served one term from 1888 until 1892. [3] During this term he relocated to New Orleans after labor issues caused troubles in Terrebonne Parish. [3]
Cage served as the Republican state central committee chairman during the 1880s and 1890s and remained active in politics until his death at the end of the nineteenth century. [1]
He died at his home on Cypress Street in New Orleans December 10, 1896 after suffering an illness that his doctors gave up on and his death was not unexpected. [3] Although he handled much money during his career he died a relatively poor man, but he did own a store on the corner of Cypress and Derbingy streets where he lived with his family. [3] He was not a religious man with a negative view of many preachers and he was buried in Girod cemetery. [3]
Thomas Cage | |
---|---|
Louisiana State Senate | |
In office 1872–1880 | |
Louisiana House of Representatives | |
In office 1884–1888 | |
Louisiana State Senate | |
In office 1888–1892 | |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 1845 Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana |
Died | December 10, 1896 | (aged 50–51)
Political party | Republican |
Thomas A. Cage (c. 1845 – December 10, 1896) was a state legislator who served in the Louisiana State Senate during the Reconstruction era and the Louisiana House of Representatives and again the Louisiana State Senate post reconstruction. [1]
Cage was born as a slave in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana in 1845 and was freed during the American Civil War by the Union Army. [2] His father was Euro-American and his mother was a plantation slave of African descent. He took the name Cage from the sugar plantation's owner Jim Cage. [3]
After the war he moved north from Louisiana and gained an education before returning to Louisiana in 1869. [1] During the reconstruction era he was the editor of the Terrebonne Republican and had acquired a plantation, [1] which he was still successfully running in 1883. [4]
Cage was also a member of the board of trustees of the Southern University at New Orleans appointed in February 1883. [5]
In 1870 he was elected as a justice of the peace for Houma, Louisiana [1] and in 1871 he was appointed to the position of parish assessor and tax collector by governor Henry C. Warmoth. [6]
He represented Terrebonne as a delegate at the Republican State Convention held in New Orleans in August 1871 [7] where he served on the Committee on Address whose job was to "draft resolutions and an address to the people of Louisiana". [8]
Cage was first elected to the legislature in 1872 to serve in the Louisiana State Senate for the 8th district. [9] He was re-elected in 1876, [10] but Isaiah D. Moore later challenged the result but lost the challenge in a ruling in March 1878. [11] He served from 1872 until 1880 when he was ousted due to the constitution reform of 1879. [3]
He then ran for sheriff for Terrebonne Parish in 1880 and won the position with over 60% of the votes [12] and served four years in the role. [3]
Next Cage was elected to serve in the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing Terrebonne along with G. W. Lyons, [13] and served from 1884 until 1888.
In 1888 Cage again ran for the senate now after the new constitution for a seat serving three parishes, he was duly elected and served one term from 1888 until 1892. [3] During this term he relocated to New Orleans after labor issues caused troubles in Terrebonne Parish. [3]
Cage served as the Republican state central committee chairman during the 1880s and 1890s and remained active in politics until his death at the end of the nineteenth century. [1]
He died at his home on Cypress Street in New Orleans December 10, 1896 after suffering an illness that his doctors gave up on and his death was not unexpected. [3] Although he handled much money during his career he died a relatively poor man, but he did own a store on the corner of Cypress and Derbingy streets where he lived with his family. [3] He was not a religious man with a negative view of many preachers and he was buried in Girod cemetery. [3]