Charles H. Veeder

Who was Charles H. Veeder?

Charles Hanson Veeder was a Schenectady, New York-born lawyer who founded the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana.

Veeder was the son of Johannes Veeder and the former Eva Toll. He served in the War of 1812, as part of the New York Light Artillery. He was twice married, the second union probably having been in Louisiana. He had several children, at least one son and a daughter who settled in California.

Veeder practiced law in Indiana but relocated to the northwest Louisiana frontier in 1830. In 1835, he purchased the site of the future town of Minden, named by Veeder for a city in Germany. In 1836, Veeder laid out his town and constructed the first building. He attempted unsuccessfully to obtain Claiborne Parish as the seat of government. He sold lots to area settlers, and the town grew quickly.

Veeder was Minden's first merchant, and he obtained both a post office and a school, the latter throughstate appropriation. In 1849, Veeder left Minden as part of the California gold rush. He settled in Bakersfield, the seat of the farming-oriented Kern County. He practiced law in Bakersfield for the remainder of his life.

Ironically, Veeder died the same year in which Webster Parish was created as the seat of government at Minden. Webster Parish is located west of its mother parish of Claiborne.