Editing Independence, Louisiana (section)

==History==

The move to establish Independence as a town was led in the early 20th century by [[Louisiana House of Representatives|State Representative]] [[Harry Wilson (Louisiana politician)|Harry D. Wilson]], who subsequently served from 1916 until his death early in 1948 as the [[Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry|Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry]]. Wilson was a son of Dr. and Mrs. William D. Wilson. In 1856, Dr. Wilson had built a store in Independence, which remained for years the oldest building in the community. Harry Wilson worked in the [[county seat|parish seat]] of [[Amite, Louisiana|Amite]] in the  [[general store]] of the merchant Jacob  Stern at a time when Tangipahoa Parish did not yet depend on the [[strawberry]] crop.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/a/n/Deborah-D-Langston/FILE/0009page.html|title=Early History and Families of Amite|publisher=familytreemaker.genealogy.com|access-date=May 1, 2013}}</ref> During the 1890s, Wilson was an express messenger for the [[Illinois Central Railroad]].<ref name=indp>{{cite web|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/tangipahoa/history/towns/independ.txt|title=Independence, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana|publisher=files.usgwarchives.net|access-date=May 1, 2013}}</ref> He left that position to pursue a political career.

Affectionately known by voters as "Uncle Harry" or "Mister Harry", Wilson served two nonconsecutive terms in the state House from 1900 to 1904 and again from 1908 to 1912.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdm16313.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p267101coll4/id/1314/rec/1|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives 1812-2012|publisher=Historical membership of the [[Louisiana House of Representatives]]|access-date=May 1, 2013}}</ref> A strong promoter of his hometown of Independence, located five miles to the south of Amite, Wilson in 1902 and 1903 corresponded with [[governor of Louisiana|Governor]] [[William Wright Heard]] regarding incorporation of the community, which at the time had a population of 308. Governor Heard informed Wilson that he considered the three square miles proposed for the new town as too much land for a small village and suggested that the tract be reduced in size. Originally named "Uncle Sam", Independence had begun in 1852 when the [[New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern|New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad]] began operating through the area. Independence was finally proclaimed a town on August 22, 1912.<ref name=indp/>