Grover E. Nesbit, E. Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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Grover E. Nesbit, secretary and treasurer of the Baton Rouge Water Works Company, was born on
the family homestead plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, July 13, 1888, and he is a
representative of one of the old and honored families of this parish, within whose borders his
paternal grand father, George Nesbit, passed his entire life.  He became one of the extensive
planters of this section of the state, and his wife, whose family name was Brown, was likewise a
lifelong resident of East Baton Rouge Parish.

John R. Nesbit, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Algiers. Orleans Parish,
Louisiana, in 1846, was there reared to manhood and there enlisted for service as a loyal young
soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, he having been in service during the last three
rears of the conflict and having participated in numerous engagements.  He was but sixteen years
old at the time of his enlistment.  After the war he gave his attention to the management of his
fine plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, where also he operated his own cotton gin and
conducted a general store.  He was a staunch democrat, was called to various local offices of
public trust, and he and his wife were earnest communicants of the Catholic Church.  Mrs.
Nesbit, whose maiden name was Rosa C. Klienpeter, was born in East Baton Rouge Parish, in the
year 1857, and both she and her husband passed the closing years of their lives on their old
home plantation, where Mr. Nesbit died in 1919 and his widow in 1921.  Miss Mary R., eldest of
the children, is a is popular teacher in the public schools of her native parish and resides in
the home of her brother, Grover E., of this review;  John G. was engaged in mercantile business
at Baton Rouge at the time of his death, when thirty-f our years of age;  William K. died at the
age of twenty years;  Henry A., a traveling commercial salesman, resides at Houston, Texas;
Rosa C. is the wife of John C. Burch, of Montgomery, Alabama;  Grover E., whose name introduces
this sketch, was the next in order of birth and  Edward B., who is now in the employ of the
Standard Oil Company of Louisiana, at Baton Rouge, was for eighteen months in active service in
France in the World war, he having been a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth United
States Infantry, and, as a machine-gun operator, having taken part in several of the major
offensive movements of the great conflict;  Aurelia 0. is the wife of Horace D. Schwing, a
railway employe, and they reside at Burtville, East Baton Rouge Parish;  Ruth E. died at the age
of twenty years.

The public schools of his native parish afforded Grover E. Nesbit his early education, which
included a course in the Baton Rouge High School.  Thereafter he was for one year a student in
the University of Louisiana, and upon leaving this institution, in 1904, he entered the service
of the Baton Rouge Water Works Company in the capacity of meter reader.  In 1908 he was promoted
to a responsible clerkship, and since 1912 he has been secretary and treasurer of this important
Public utility corporation of the capital city, the company having a modern plant and system
that effectively supplies water to the city and its suburbs.  Of this corporation W. P. Council
is president and H. P. Connell the vice president.

Mr. Nesbit takes loyal interest in all that touches the welfare of his home city and native
parish and state, and is a democrat in Political adherence.  He and his wife are communicants of
St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and he is affiliated with Baton Rouge Council No. 969, Knights of
Columbus, as is he also with Baton Rouge Acne No. 1083. Fraternal Order of Eagles.  He is one of
the active members and supporters of the local Chamber of Commerce and also the Rotary Club.  In
the World war Period he was zealous in the furthering of all patriotic activities in his native
parish, and gave specially effective service in assisting the draft board of the parish, besides
having helped effectively in the local campaigns in support of the government war loans, Red
Cross service, etc.

On the 6th of June, 1916, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Nesbit and Miss Louise Huchel, who
was born and reared in Baton Rouge and who was here graduated from St. Joseph's Academy.  Mr.
and Mrs. Nesbit have five children, the names and respective birth-dates of whom are here
recorded:  Rose Louise, July 14, 1917:  Grover E., Jr., August 19, 1918;  John Philip, October
10, 1920;  Alice C., January 5, 1922; and  William Daniel, April 5, 1923.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 108, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published by The American
Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.