1925 Biography - Grover E. Nesbit

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 grandfather, 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 years 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.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, page 108.