Eastham, John Henry;  De Soto Parish;  now Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Date: 1999-2000




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 Eastham, John Henry, mayor of Shreveport, La., vice-president the well-known
wholesale hardware firm of Eastham Co., Ltd., was born Sept. 23, 1861, in De
Soto parish, La.; the son of J. H. and E. P. (Pegues) Eastham.  His father, a
native of Virginia, tinner by occupation, came to Louisiana about the year
1850, worked in various localities in that state and in Texas, and died at the
age of 76 years.  Mrs. Eastham was born in South Carolina.  She moved to
Louisiana during her girlhood and is still living, in her 78th year.  John
Henry Eastham is the 3rd child and 2nd son of the family, which consisted of 8
sons and 5 daughters.  He attended the public schools of Hayes county, Tex.,
from his 12th to his 22nd year, when he moved to Beaumont, Tex., and for 3
years was in partnership with his father in the tinware and hardware business. 
From Beaumont Mr. Eastham went to Lake Charles, La., to conduct a tin shop in
association with one of his brothers.  They were together 1 year, at the
expiration of which he accepted a position with the Murry, Brooks Hardware Co. 
After a residence of 8 years in Lake Charles, Mr. Eastham took up his domicile
with the people of Shreveport and established the hardware firm of Vandenbumer
& Eastham, which was absorbed in 1907 by the Eastham Co., Limited.  Mr.
Eastham enjoys the distinction of being the first mayor elected in the city of
Shreveport under the commission form of government, and Shreveport was the
leader among the municipal bodies of the state of Louisiana to inaugurate that
system of conducting public affairs.  Elevated to the mayoralty by a large
majority in 1910, Mr. Eastham is now serving his 4th year.  He is noted for
the active interest he takes in public affairs, and it was through his efforts
that Shreveport adopted the commission form of administration.  In secret,
fraternal and social bodies Mr. Eastham is looked upon as a prominent member. 
He is affiliated with the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Travelers'
Protective association, the Elks lodge No. 122 of Shreveport, honorary member
of the Woodmen of the World, a liberal contributor to the work of the Young
Men's Christian association and member of the Golf and Country club, also of
the Shreveport Athletic association.  Married, in 1886, Miss Nellie Mayo,
daughter of Thad. Mayo, a distinguished citizen of Lake Charles.  Mr. and Mrs.
Eastham had 4 children, 3 of whom are dead, but they are concentrating all
their parental affection on the sole remaining child, William Merry Eastham,
aged 15 years.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
143-144.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.