Kleberg, Rudolph, 1847-1924

Born in Cat Spring and reared in Cuero, De Witt County, Texas, Rudolph Kleberg (1847-1924) was the son of German immigrants Robert Justus (1803-1888) and Rosa von Roeder Kleberg (1813-1907), who arrived in Texas in 1834. After serving in the Civil War, Kleberg practiced law, founded and edited the Cuero Star (1873-1876), and served as DeWitt County Attorney (1876-1880). After a period in the Texas Senate (1883-1885), he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas (1885-1889). He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1896 to 1903 and became official reporter for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin in 1905, a position he held until his death in 1924.