KLEINPETER, HON. THOMAS
                        Lake Charles, LA


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Source: Southwest Louisiana Historical and Biographical by William Henry Perrin
published in 1891; page 164.
Typed by Margaret Rentrop Moore

Hon. Thomas Kleinpeter, Lake Charles - Thomas Kleinpeter was born in East Baton
Rouge in 1833.  He is the son of George Kleinpeter and Harriet E Laws, of
Louisville, Kentucky.  George Kleinpeter and Harriet E. Laws, of Louisville,
Kentucky.  George Kleinpeter was a phydician and planter of East Baton Rouge
parish.  His father and mother were native of Germany and came to
Louisiana many years since.

Thomas Kleinpeter spent his school days at Drennon Springs, Kentucky, graduating
in the class of 1852.  After leaving college he read law in the office of Zeno
Lavauve, who was afterward Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana. 
Being especially proficient as a civil engineer, and partial to this calling, he
has given most of his attention to this business.  He was one of the chief
assistant engineers of what is now the Morgan Railroad.  He was afterward
engaged in the consrtuction of the Mobile Railroad, on which he was employed
after the conclusion of the war. Being commissioned as lieutenant of the
engineering corps in Texas, he was present and participated in the battles of
Galveston, and built the Sabine Pass fort, at which place, it will be
remembered, thirty-seven men within the fortifications successfully repelled the
attack of fifteen thousand.  Subsequently he was captain and later brevet major
of the corp of engineers who had charge of the fortification of the Texas coast,
principally those of Galveston harbor.  His command disbanded in May, 1865, when
he returned to his home in New Orleans, and resumed civil engineering.  In 1872
Mr. Kleinpeter assumed charge of the Sulphur Mining Company's interest in
Calcasieu parish, Louisiana , and since that time has been a resident of Lake
Charles.  To Mr. Kleinpeter and his facile pen is due in a great degree the
credit of making this magnificent country known to the outside world.  In this
capacity he has probably done more than any other one man.  Mr. Kleinpeter is
the pioneer railroad civil engineer of this section of Louisiana.  He served for
a period of twelve years, while a resident of Iberville parish, as Assistant
State Engineer, and for the past twelve years has been surveyor of Calcasieu
parish.  He has also for a similar length of time servied as justice of the
peace. 

He was married October 30, 1856, to Miss Elizabeth Lucy Bundy, one of New
Orleans' Creole families.  They are the parents of three interesting children,
Thos. G., Noelie and Napoleon B.