William Harper

William Harper (died 1909) was a state legislator who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives and Louisiana State Senate during the Reconstruction era. Biography Harper was born enslaved in Tennessee and was taken to Louisiana by his owner in 1845. He was freed from slavery by federal troops in 1864. Harper lived in Caddo Parish, Louisiana and was selected as one of the Republican nominations to run for the house to represent the parish. He was elected in 1870 to represent the parish along with George Luke Smith and John Conway Moncure. At the time he also ran a small coffee shop with senator Caesar Antoine.