E. Claude House, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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E. Claude House, clerk of the District Court, is one of the most active 
men in the local democratic party at Lake Charles and in Calcasieu 
Parish, and is a man who holds the confidence of the people.  
Practically all of his life has been spent in discharging public 
responsibilities, and no duty has been shirked no matter how wearisome 
it might have been for he is very conscientious in his work.  He was 
born at Sulphur, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, May 15, 1890, a son of 
George W. House.

The paternal grandfather, Dr. George W. House, a native of Alabama, 
went to Canton, Mississippi, following the close of the war between the 
North and the South, and it was there that his son, George W. House, 
was born in 1866.  During the remainder of his active career, Doctor 
House was engaged in the practice of medicine at Canton, but after his 
retirement he located at Sulphur, and there his death occurred.

George W. House came to Sulphur as a driller, and assisted in opening 
up the first sulphur mines in that section.  In 1900 he embarked in a real 
estate business, and was active in leasing and selling oil lands, and as 
an oil operator.  Still later he established the Sulphur Mercantile 
Company, and continued to operate it until his death, which occurred in 
1908.  He was very active in democratic politics, serving as a member 
of the Calcasieu police jury and as deputy sheriff of his ward.  The 
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, had his membership, and he was 
very zealous as a Mason.  His wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Odelia Ellender, died in 1898.

E. Claude House attended the public schools of Sulphur, the Southwest 
Louisiana Institute at Lafayette, and the academic department of the 
Louisiana State University.  From 1908 to 1913 he was in the employ 
of the Union Sulphur Company at Sulphur, working in the shops and 
the steam and power departments.  In 1913 he entered Bowling Green 
Business College, Bowling Green, Kentucky, and took a commercial 
course.  In that same year he was appointed clerk of Calcasieu police 
jury.  In 1916 he was appointed parish treasurer by the police jury, 
which position he held until he was elected clerk of courts of the 
Fifteenth Judicial District for Calcasieu Parish, and ex-officio recorder 
of deeds and mortgages.  In 1924 he was reelected to succeed himself, 
his present term expiring in June, 1928.  For four years he was 
secretary of the parish democratic committee, and has always taken a 
very prominent part in local democratic politics.  While he has assisted 
in organizing other clubs, at present he is a member of the Lake Charles 
Kiwanis Club.  High in Masonry he belongs to Calcasieu Lodge No. 
400, Free and Accepted Masons; Lake Charles Chapter No. 47, Royal 
Arch Masons; Calcasieu Council No. 19, Royal and Select Masters; 
Malta Commandery No. 12, Knights Templar; El Karubah Temple, 
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and to the Lake 
Charles Shrine Club.  He is also a member of Peace Lodge No. 43, 
Knights of Pythias, and Anchor Lodge No. 59, Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows.  Hunting is his recreation and he is an expert shot.

On March 10, 1913, Mr. House was married at Franklin, Kentucky, to 
Miss Mary Cunningham, of Princeton, Kentucky, a daughter of Dr. Z. 
T. Cunningham, a practicing physician of Princeton, Kentucky.  Mr. 
and Mrs. House have two sons, Glenn Curtis and Allen Floyd.  Mrs. 
House has been very active in educational matters at Lake Charles, and 
has served as president of the Lake Charles Mothers' Club for the 
Fourth Ward that has played so important a part in improving the 
schools of the city, and she is interested in all matters which tend to 
advance this section.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 308, by Henry E. Chambers.  
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New 
York, 1925.