Louis Alfred Wiltz was an American politician, who held the post of Mayor of New Orleans, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, and, in his later years, the 29th Governor of Louisiana.
Background
Ethnicity:
Wiltz's paternal family was among the first German settlers in Louisiana and his mother came from a noble Spanish family.
Louis Alfred Wiltz was born on January 21, 1843, in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He was a son of J. B. Theophile Wiltz, a merchant, and Louise Irene (Villaneuva) Wiltz.
Education
Louis attended public and private schools in New Orleans until the age of fifteen.
Career
At the age of fifteen, Louis began working at Plauche & Co., a commercial establishment. After the company failed, he started his political career and was appointed a clerk for the Second District Court of Louisiana. At the age of eighteen, Wiltz joined the Confederate States Army as a private, later becoming a captain, a prisoner of war and, after being exchanged, a provost marshal.
After the American Civil War finished, Louis became an accountant in his uncle's commission house. In 1871, he became a partner, and, with the failure of the house in 1873, a banker. His activities were not limited to commercial pursuits, however, as Louis began his real political career at that time. He was at that time probably the most popular young man in the lower municipal districts and was recognized as a leader by his political associates. Earlier, in 1868, Louis was made a Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and also began serving on the City School Board approximately at that time. The following year, in 1869, he was elected a Member of the Board of Aldermen and was made President of that body the same year.
It was also in 1869, that Wiltz was nominated Mayor of New Orleans. After the nomination, the Radical Legislature, to prevent the succession of the Democratic candidate, postponed the election. Wiltz was again nominated in 1870, his appointment being ex-Governor B. F. Flanders, a Republican, who was duly counted in by the Returning Board. In 1872, Wiltz was again nominated for the post of Mayor by the Democrats and elected by a large majority of votes. The Republican State authorities refused to issue his commission and Mayor Flanders declined to vacate the office. As a result, it was only in 1873, that Louis took the office of Mayor of New Orleans and remained in that position until November 30, 1874. As Mayor, Wiltz endeavored in vain to straighten out the city financial chaos, particularly the policy of issuing temporary obligations or certificates against anticipated tax receipts. He was interested in giving effect to the will of John McDonogh, who had willed property to the city for schools.
In 1874, Wiltz was again a candidate for the Mayoralty. Charles J. Leeds was his opponent. The balloting was closed and the vote as announced in favor of Leeds was challenged as incorrect. This mistake gave rise to some display of feeling, which was appeased by the withdrawal of Wiltz from the contest on the next ballot and his hearty support of Leeds. At the election of 1874, Wiltz was chosen again a Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and was speaker of the House, supported by the Democrats, on the memorable day in Louisiana history on January 4, 1875.
On April 24, 1877, Louis took the office of the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana and remained in that position till January 14, 1880. In the fall of 1879, Louis was elected Governor of the State of Louisiana. He took the office of Governor on January 14, 1880, and continued serving in that position until his death on October 16, 1881. This office had long been the object of Mr. Wiltz's ambition. Despite the fact, that his term as Governor was one rife with corruption and he necessarily must have been constantly subjected to the strongest temptations, Wiltz died a poor man, not even the house he lived in was his own.