Bryan A. Poston
Encyclopedia
Bryan Anthony Poston, Sr. (March 11, 1924–October 3, 2009) was a businessman in Hornbeck
, Louisiana
, who served as a Democrat
in the Louisiana State Senate
from 1964 to 1992. He succeeded his father, Charles M. Poston, Sr.
, a one-term senator from 1960 to 1964.
Poston was born in rural
Benson in southern De Soto Parish
to Charles M. Poston, Sr. (1898–1968) and Marjorie A. Poston (1899–1995), both railroad employees. Poston was reared in Hornbeck in Vernon Parish
, a small town midway between Leesville
, the seat of Vernon Parish, and Many
, the seat of Sabine Parish
. He attended Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
before he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps
, forerunner of the Air Force
, during World War II
. Poston was an aerial engineer gunner sergeant
on a B-17 bomber.
Just shy of his fortieth birthday, Poston was elected to the now District 30 Senate seat, which encompasses part of Calcasieu and Beauregard, Sabine, and Vernon parishes. During his tenure, he served for sixteen years as chairman of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee and for eight years on the Senate Retirement Committee. Poston did not seek an eighth term in the Senate in the nonpartisan blanket primary, or jungle primary
, held on October 19, 1991. Instead, two Democratic state representatives, Allen Bradley and James David Cain
of Dry Creek in Beauregard Parish, competed for the post. Cain defeated Bradley and later switched to Republican
affiliation. Cain lost a special election in 2006 for Louisiana insurance
commissioner. He was term-limited in the 2007 primary.
Poston was a member, teacher, deacon
, and Sunday school director of the First Baptist
Church since April 15, 1957. He was affiliated with the Masonic lodge
in Hornbeck for more than fifty years and of the Order of the Eastern Star
chapter in Florien
in Sabine Parish.
On June 5, 1943, Poston, at the age of nineteen, married then 16-year-old Judith M. Poston (born ca. 1927). Other survivors included two brothers, Charles M. Poston, Jr., and Morris O. Poston of Leesville; four children and their spouses, Bryan A. Poston, Jr. and wife, Jonell, Larry Poston and wife, Una, David Poston and wife, Sandra, and Marjorie Sullivan and husband, Sidney; ten grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Poston died of Alzheimer’s disease at Sabine Retirement and Rehabilitation Center in Many. Services were held on October 5, 2009, at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many, with the Reverends Wayne Chance and Bill Hines officiating. Internment was at Prewitt's Chapel Cemetery in Hornbeck.
Hornbeck, Louisiana
Hornbeck is a town in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 435 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who served as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1964 to 1992. He succeeded his father, Charles M. Poston, Sr.
Charles M. Poston
Charles M. Poston, Sr. , was a railroad employee from Hornbeck, a small town in Vernon Parish in western Louisiana, who served a single term from 1960 to 1964 as a Democratic state senator from what is now District 30...
, a one-term senator from 1960 to 1964.
Poston was born in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
Benson in southern De Soto Parish
De Soto Parish, Louisiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 26,656 people, 9,691 households, and 6,967 families residing in the parish. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 11,204 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
to Charles M. Poston, Sr. (1898–1968) and Marjorie A. Poston (1899–1995), both railroad employees. Poston was reared in Hornbeck in Vernon Parish
Vernon Parish, Louisiana
Vernon Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Leesville and as of 2000, the population was 52,531....
, a small town midway between Leesville
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
, the seat of Vernon Parish, and Many
Many, Louisiana
Many is a town in and the parish seat of Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,889 at the 2000 census. The town was named for John B. Many, the commander of nearby Fort Jesup.-History:...
, the seat of Sabine Parish
Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Sabine Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The seat of the parish is Many. In 2010, the parish's population was 24,233....
. He attended Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
before he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
, forerunner of the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Poston was an aerial engineer gunner sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
on a B-17 bomber.
Just shy of his fortieth birthday, Poston was elected to the now District 30 Senate seat, which encompasses part of Calcasieu and Beauregard, Sabine, and Vernon parishes. During his tenure, he served for sixteen years as chairman of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee and for eight years on the Senate Retirement Committee. Poston did not seek an eighth term in the Senate in the nonpartisan blanket primary, or jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
, held on October 19, 1991. Instead, two Democratic state representatives, Allen Bradley and James David Cain
James David Cain
James David Cain, Sr. is a retired farmer and rancher from the Dry Creek community in eastern Beauregard Parish, who is a former Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate....
of Dry Creek in Beauregard Parish, competed for the post. Cain defeated Bradley and later switched to Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
affiliation. Cain lost a special election in 2006 for Louisiana insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
commissioner. He was term-limited in the 2007 primary.
Poston was a member, teacher, deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, and Sunday school director of the First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church since April 15, 1957. He was affiliated with the Masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
in Hornbeck for more than fifty years and of the Order of the Eastern Star
Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is a fraternal organization that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Rob Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from the Bible, but is open to people of all...
chapter in Florien
Florien, Louisiana
Florien is a village in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 692 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Florien is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land....
in Sabine Parish.
On June 5, 1943, Poston, at the age of nineteen, married then 16-year-old Judith M. Poston (born ca. 1927). Other survivors included two brothers, Charles M. Poston, Jr., and Morris O. Poston of Leesville; four children and their spouses, Bryan A. Poston, Jr. and wife, Jonell, Larry Poston and wife, Una, David Poston and wife, Sandra, and Marjorie Sullivan and husband, Sidney; ten grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Poston died of Alzheimer’s disease at Sabine Retirement and Rehabilitation Center in Many. Services were held on October 5, 2009, at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many, with the Reverends Wayne Chance and Bill Hines officiating. Internment was at Prewitt's Chapel Cemetery in Hornbeck.