Captain William J. Calvert , Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker

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Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

CAPT. WILLIAM J. CALVERT, a grandson of the late Gov. Joseph Walker, of
this State, is the superintendent of the city schools of Alexandria, La.
His entire life has been passed in Rapids Parish, for here he was born June
11, 1840, and he has always enjoyed the reputation of being honest and
upright in every respect, fully deserving the good opinion with which he is
regarded by all who know him.  His parents, William J. and Minerva M.
(Walker) Calvert, were also born in this State, and the former was a
planter by occupation, and an active man in public matters.  At his death,
which occurred in the latter part of 1839, he was serving in the capacity
of parish sheriff.  His father, Anthony Calvert, was a Mississippian, a
planter, and was a lineal descendant of Leonard Calvert (Lord Baltimore).
Capt. William J. Calvert first acquired a thorough knowledge of the common
branches in the schools at home, but afterward supplemented this with a
regular collegiate course at Emmetsburg, Md., in Mount St. Mary's College,
but while attending this institution, the mutterings of war began to
resound through the land, and he immediately returned to his home, and
joined the Confederate Army, serving throughout the entire war.  He entered
as a private, but the year following his enlistment he was made captain of
a company he assisted in raising.  After the war he followed clerking for
some time, and also acted as bookkeeper with different firms, but afterward
turned his attention to planting, and still later began teaching school.
He made a wise and successful educator, and was a strict disciplinarian.
He is a member of the A. O. U. W.; and for two terms has been a police
juror, a portion of the time acting as president of that body.  He was
married in Baton Rouge, to Miss Lavinia Rentrop, of St. Mary's Parish,
daughter of Valsin and Henrietta (Knight) Rentrop, and of their union three
sons have been born:  William J., Elmer Z. and Charles M.  Mr. and Mrs.
Calvert are regular communicants in St. Francis Xavier Church.