O. H. Haynes, Jr.

Oscar Henry "O.H." Haynes, Jr. (October 28, 1920 - December 9, 1996), was the Democratic sheriff of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana from 1964-1980. He was also the parish Exxon distributor for some four decades. He was the father of Louisiana State University American football star Freddie Lynn "Fred" Haynes, who played for the Tigers in Baton Rouge during the latter 1960s. Haynes was born in Minden, the seat of government of Webster Parish, to O.H. Haynes, Sr. (September 20, 1888—April 18, 1969 and the former Lynn Burns (February 5, 1889—February 7, 1971). The senior Haynes, originally from tiny Shongaloo north of Minden, was sheriff from 1933-1952. Haynes graduated from Minden High School in 1939, having played football on the MHS state championship team in 1938, twenty-five years before his son Fred played on the next MHS state championship team. Thereafter, he married the former Freddie Louise Walker (MHS Class of 1940, born January 20, 1924), originally from the village of Ashland in northern Natchitoches Parish. She was the daughter of Fred Walker (January 10, 1896—November 19, 1954) and the former Lesca McCain (April 6, 1900—January 26, 1974). Besides Fred, the couple had three other sons, O.H., III, Jerry, and Gary Haynes, all of Minden. The family lived in a brick home at the intersection of Pine and Clerk streets near Northwest Technical College (formerly the Northwest Vocational Technical School) in Minden. Mrs. Haynes still resides there.

Prior to his sheriff's tenure, Haynes directed the Louisiana state driver's license office in Minden, a position which gave him contact with voters who would later elect him four times as sheriff. In Louisiana, the sheriff is the collector of property taxes and also enforces criminal laws outside the municipalities.

Haynes entered the December 7, 1963, Democratic primary against incumbent Sheriff John D. "J.D." Batton (1911-1981) and several other contenders, including Royce L. McMahen (1923-1999), a veterinarian and a member of the Springhill City Council. Haynes trailed Batton by 722 votes in the primary. McMahen, who ran a strong third in the primary, endorsed Haynes in the runoff. Haynes then announced that McMahen would be his chief deputy. In his runoff campaign, Haynes ran a newspaper advertisement in which he vowed to bring "capable, conscientious, and sober leadership" to the sheriff's department. He claimed that the issue was not one of physicial equipment or the training of deputies but the leadership skills of the individual chosen as sheriff. In the January 11 runoff, Haynes prevailed, 5,190 votes (53.4 percent) to Batton's 4,523 (46.6 percent).

Haynes appointed the African American deputy Louis Dunbar, Sr. (1914-1986), whose son "Sweet" Lou Dunbar became, like Haynes' son, a distinguished athlete. Dunbar played for twenty-seven years for the Harlem Globetrotters.

In 1967, Haynes scored a second term by again defeating Batton and a second primary candidate named Red Vaughan. Haynes prevailed with 6,952 ballots (53.3 percent) to Batton's 5,456 (41.8 percent) and Vaughan's 634 (4.9 percent).

In the 1971 primary, Haynes defeated two opponents, including the Minden ward marshal, John T. Kennon, Jr. (1928-2005), a nephew of former Governor Robert F. Kennon. In the general election on February 1, 1972, Haynes obtained his third term by defeating George A. Pipes (1913-1976), a businessman from Dubberly in south Webster Parish and the only Republican candidate who ever opposed Haynes in the historically Democratic parish. Haynes polled 9,801 votes (81.9 pecent) to Pipes' 2,167 (18.1 percent). Pipes had also been one of the minor Democratic candidate for sheriff in 1963.

In his last election in the first-ever jungle primary in Louisiana in 1975, Haynes defeated Ward Marshal Johnny Lombardino (who had succeeded John T. Kennon in the position) and a third contender, Waymon Nealy, 8,344 votes (57.7 percent) to 5,905 ballots (40.5 percent), and 192 votes (1.8 percent), respectively.

Haynes did not seek a fifth term in 1980 but instead supported McMahen as his successor. Instead Haynes returned to private business. Haynes, who was Baptist, died at his residence after a lengthy illness. He is interred in the Haynes-Walker family plot in Minden Cemetery.

O.H. Haynes, III (born November 5, 1943), was employed in various capacities in the sheriff's office from 1973 until his retirement in 2008. His wife, Debbie Haynes, remains an administrative assistant to current Sheriff Gary Sexton. Their son, O.H. "Hank" Haynes, IV (born May 4, 1967), is employed as a Louisiana State Police trooper.

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