EARLY DOCTORS AND LAWYERS OF CALCASIEU PARISH, LA
Contributed by Margaret Rentrop Moore

Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical & Historical by William
Henry Perrin; published 1891 page 149 - 150.


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    DOCTORS AND LAWYERS. - - Not much is known of the early physicians of
Calcasieu; the old pioneers in the healing art, who have passed away, and tile
present practitioners are mostly noticed in the biographical department of this
volume.   Dr. B. Saunders is one of the first physicians remembered in the
parish.  He was originally from Virginia, but came here from North Louisiana.
Next Dr. Hardy came over from Opelousas, remained a few years and returned
whence, he came.   Dr. Kirkman was also an early physician here, but died a few
years ago.  His family still resides here. He was a prominent man and a popu-
physician.  Dr. Gray came here from the north part of the State and practised
here until his death in May 1881.   Few names in Louisiana are more widely known
or more gratefully remembered than that of Dr. Gray.  He was a man of generous
impulses, of wide benevolence, and a heart overflowing with sympathy for the
woes of others. When he died hundreds wept tears of sympathy for his bereaved
family. There are a number of able and experienced physicians in the parish, and
in Lake Charles, for sketches of whom the reader is referred to Part 11 of this
work. (See the Biographies).
    The first lawyer of the parish was Samuel L. Kirby. He came here from 
Claiborne parish, but was originally from the Green Mountains of Vermont. He was
a man of considerable legal prominence and for some time held the practice of
Calcasieu alone. A daughter now keeps the Hotel Howard. The next lawyer was a
Mr. Parsons, and the next  a Mr. Ewing. These two gentlemen were both killed
near the public square by a man named LeBlue, a rather desperate character, it
is said, and who finally met his own death with his boots on. A lawyer named
Sorwell was the next practitioner at the Calcasieu bar.  He and his wife were
drowned at Calcasieu Pass many years ago.
     Judge Kearney was a prominent member of the bar of Calcasieu, and was
District Attorney at the time of his decease a short time since.  He was suc-
ceeded as District Attorney by Mr. Joseph C. Gibbs, whose accidental death 
few months ago while out hunting, cast a gloom over the whole country. The
lawyers of the present bar are Hon. Geo. H. Wells, Hon. G. A. Fournet, Col.
A. R. Mitchell, D. B. Gorham,  W. F. Schwing, R. Odom, R. P. O'Brien, A.
Pujo, E.D. Miller and John McNeese.
     The parish is divided into eight jury wards, with a representative from
each ward, who constitute the municipal government of the parish. The present
police jurors are - for the first ward, Emile Buller; for second ward, D. D.
Andrus; for third ward, Adolph Meyer and J. W. Rosteet; for fourth ward,
Charles Miller; for fifth ward, Reese Perkins; for sixth ward, T. J. Carroll;
for seventh ward, Levi A. Miller; for eighth ward, Ivan A. Perkins. Adolph
Meyer is president of the board; Dosite Vincent, clerk, and W. L. Hutchins,
treasurer. Secretary of the parish School Board is John McNeese; Thomas
Kleinpeter is parish surveyor; Dr. A. J. Perkins, coroner; C. M. Richard,
assessor; R. J. O'Brien, district attorney; D. J. Reed, Jr., sheriff ; Thad.
Mayo, clerk of court; Hon. S. D. Reed, judge of District Court; Hon. S. 0.
Shattuck, member of Legislature. The assessed valuation of property for the
parish since and including 1885 is as follows: For 1885, $3,018,570; for 1886,
$3,191,125; for 1887, $3,476,003; for 1888, $4,060,735; for 1889, $,4.300,330;
for 1890, $ 5,738,550, an increase, it will be observed, from 1889 to 1890 of
considerably over a million dollars.