George Madden Lomax | |
---|---|
Louisiana State Representative for Lincoln Parish | |
In office 1892–1896 |
|
Preceded by | John Stallings |
Succeeded by | T. W. Pipes |
Personal details | |
Born |
Laurens, South Carolina, USA |
August 8, 1849
Died | May 13, 1917 Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, USA |
(aged 67)
Resting place | Walnut Creek Cemetery in Simsboro, Louisiana |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) |
(1) Rebecca Burt Lomax (died 1900) |
Children |
Nine children, including: |
Parents |
Samuel Wesley Lomax |
Residence |
In Lincoln Parish: Simsboro and Ruston |
(1) Rebecca Burt Lomax (died 1900)
Nine children, including:
Eight from first marriage, oldest of which was:
Samuel Wesley Lomax
In Lincoln Parish:
George Madden Lomax (August 8, 1849 – May 13, 1917) was from 1892 to 1896 a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Lincoln Parish in North Louisiana. He introduced legislation to establish in 1894 what became Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. A Democrat, his single term corresponded with the first term of Governor Murphy J. Foster, Sr.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the former Ruston College. The next year the Lincoln Parish Police Jury in special session outlined plans to establish a state-supported industrial institute. Along with fellow Representative J. T. M. Hancock of Jackson Parish and journalist, lawyer, later Judge John Burnham Holstead of Ruston, Lomax pushed for passage of the proposed bill. On July 6, 1894, the legislature passed Act 68 to establish The Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana to be located in the parish seat of Ruston. The law specified that the institution was intended "for the education of the white children of the State of Louisiana in the arts and sciences". The original skills to be taught at the industrial institute included telegraphy, stenography, drawing, industrial applications of designing and engraving, needlework, and bookkeeping. Since the school was the first state college north of , home of the new Northwestern State University, admission standards were considered lenient. Incoming students were merely required to be at least fourteen years of age and able with "tolerable correctness" to read, write, speak and spell.