James Peter Kent

James Peter Kent, Sr., known as J. P. Kent (January 1866 – April 27, 1937),[1] was a newspaper publisher and Democratic politician in his adopted city of Minden in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana.

James Peter "J. P." Kent
Mayor of Minden, Webster Parish Louisiana, USA
In office 1899–1903
Preceded by	Hugh M. Barnes
Succeeded by	Alexander McIntyre Leary
Louisiana State Representative for Webster Parish
In office 1916–1920
Preceded by	W. Burch Lee
Succeeded by	J. Frank Colbert
Personal details
Born	January 1866 City missing, Alabama, USA
Died	April 27, 1937 (aged 71) Minden, Webster Parish Louisiana
Resting place	Minden Cemetery
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ana Head Kent
Children	George Beverly Kent (1893-1927) James Kent, Jr. (1895-1936)
Parents	John G. and Sarah Parker Kent
Occupation	Newspaperman

Kent family tombstone at Minden Cemetery; there are small markers for Mayor Kent's two sons and a daughter-in-law but no individual designations for Kent or his wife.

Kent biographical sketch

An Alabama native,[1] Kent was from 1894 to 1917 the editor and publisher of the long since defunct Minden Signal-Democrat,[2] a four-page weekly issued in Minden on Fridays. Kent purchased the paper from Thomas Wafer Fuller, a later state senator who then bought it back after Kent entered the Louisiana House of Representatives.[3] During a portion of Kent's tenure with The Signal-Democrat, the publication was in competition with T. J. Tabor's former Banner of Liberty newspaper, a four-page weekly released each Thursday.[4]

John Agan, the official Webster Parish historian, described Kent in a 2002 article as almost a "walking conflict of interest" because Kent held public printing contracts for the municipality of Minden, the Webster Parish School Board, and the Webster Parish Police Jury, the parish governing board akin to county commissions in other states. Kent was also at times an elected member of both the Minden City Council and the school board.[5] rom 1916 to 1920, Kent served for one term in the Louisiana House of Representatives during the administration of Governor Ruffin Pleasant.[6] Earlier from 1899 to 1903, he had been the mayor of Minden.

Kent died in 1937 and is interred at Minden Cemetery.[1]

References

1. "James Peter "J. P" Kent, Sr". findagrave. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
2. "About the Signal-Democrat". chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
3. "Signal Was Founded in Year 1864: Parish Owes Much to the Recording of This Paper", Minden Signal-Tribune and Springhill Journal, Historical Edition, April 30, 1971
4. American Newspaper Directory: Minden. New York City: George P. Rowell. 1897. p. 348. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
5. "Webster superintendent of schools: Part II of those who have held the post in the past". Minden Press-Herald. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
6. "Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016: Webster Parish" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.

Political offices
Preceded by W. Burch Lee	Louisiana State Representative for Webster Parish James Peter "J. P." Kent, Sr. 1916—1920	Succeeded by J. Frank Colbert
Preceded by Hugh M. Barnes	Mayor of Minden, Louisiana James Peter "J. P." Kent, Sr. 1899—1903	Succeeded by Alexander McIntyre Leary