John S. Hunt, III
| John Smoker Hunt, II | |
|---|---|
| Louisiana Public Service Commissioner | |
|
In office May 1964 – December 31, 1972 |
|
| Preceded by | John Julian McKeithen |
| Succeeded by | Francis Edward Kennon, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 21, 1928 Ruston, Louisiana, USA |
| Died | January 14, 2001 (aged 72) Monroe, Louisiana, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Rosemary Hunt |
| Children | Stewart T., Lucy, and Mary |
| Alma mater | Tulane University Law School |
| Occupation | Attorney |
John Smoker Hunt, II (June 21, 1928 – January 14, 2001), was a nephew of Governors Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long who served on the elected Louisiana Public Service Commission from May 1964, to December 31, 1972. He was unseated in the September 30, 1972, Democratic primary runoff election by Francis Edward Kennon, Jr., then of Minden in Webster Parish and a nephew of former Governor Robert F. Kennon, an intraparty rival of the Longs.
Hunt was born in Ruston, the seat of Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana, to the former Lucille Long (1898–1985) and Stewart Smoker Hunt (1895–1966), a forester. Hunt's grandfather was John Smoker Hunt, I. Lucille Long, a native of Winn Parish, was the last of the nine children born to Huey Pierce Long, Sr. (1852–1937), and the former Caledonia Palestine Tison (1860–1913). Lucille Hunt was formerly a teacher in Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish, and was a prominent civic leader thereafter in Ruston. Hunt also had a sister, Martha, who died in 1965.
Hunt graduated from Ruston High School and attended The Citadel in South Carolina and Tulane University in New Orleans. While at Tulane he was a member of the International legal fraternity Phi Delta Phi and received his law degree in 1950. He served his country in the armed forces from 1950 to 1953 both as an enlisted man and officer, including service in the Far East during the Korean Conflict. He and his wife, Rosemary, had three children, including Stewart T. Hunt (born September 9, 1960) of Lake Charles and two daughters named Lucy and Mary. Hunt practiced law in Monroe, the seat of Ouachita Parish in northeastern Louisiana. In 1959, Hunt, along with Blanche Long, Victor Bussie, Russell B. Long, and others, flew Governor of Louisiana Earl Long out of state to a Galveston, Texas hospital for treatment of mental illness, which resulted in Governor Long being relieved of his governor duties due to being taken out of state and eventual commitment to Southeast Louisiana Hospital, a Louisiana mental hospital. Hunt resurfaced to public attention in 1964, when he was appointed by Governor John J. McKeithen to fill the remaining year and a half of McKeithen's term in the then District 3 (since District 5) seat on the state Public Service Commission (PSC), a position originally held by Hunt's uncle, Huey Long. In February 1965, the two other commissioners named Hunt as the chairman because the presiding officer is traditionally the member whose seat is up for election in the next calendar year."
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