STEERE, Albert C., Caddo Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. Steere, Albert C., vice-president Home Construction Co., Shreveport, La., was born in that city, Aug. 10, 1879, son of Cyrus S. Steere, a native of New York state who came to Shreveport in the year 1876 and engaged in the cotton business, to which he devoted his endeavors for many years. He is now retired, but still a resident of Shreveport. The mother was Miss Johnette Stevens, born at Shreveport, where he was also reared and educated. Five children, as follow, were born to their marriage: Sarah T., wife of Charles Beard, of Shreveport; Mable Gray, wife of Carl F. McCoy; Ellen, wife of Robert Killgore; Johnette, Cyrus, Jr., and Albert C., the subject of this sketch, all of whom were born, reared, and educated in the city of Shreveport and still reside in the city of their nativity. Albert C. Steere is the second child and eldest son born to his parents. In the course of his education he attended the Thatcher institute at Shreveport 8 years. After graduating from this well-known school he matriculated at Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., from which institution in due time he graduated. After the completion of his education he engaged in the cotton business at Shreveport. About the year 1908 the firm entered the field as real estate operators, on a capital stock of eight thousand dollars. The capital stock of the firm at this time is $250,000, which affords a very fair idea of the growth of its business. They have constructed more than $600,000 worth of buildings in the city of Shreveport, building 30 to 40 houses each year at an average cost between $3,000 and $4,000. It is said that Mr. Steere has spent $9,000 in improving about one and one-half miles of roadway along the front of his property. This is one of the largest building firms in the state of Louisiana, and their houses are all of a strictly modern type and thoroughly well-constructed, none costing less than $3,000. Mr. Steere is a member of the board of directors of the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce and president of the Shreveport Real Estate exchange. He is also a prominent 32nd degree Mason, and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and a deacon in the First Presbyterian church of Shreveport. His firm has opened many sub-divisions and additions to the city of Shreveport and has taken a most prominent and effective part in the modern development and artistic and commodious extension and construction of the beautiful city in which its activities are centered. Few communities are so fortunate as to hold within their citizenship men so potent in civic progress and concrete evidences of local pride. In 1909 Mr. Steere was married to Miss Virginia Collins, a daughter of Joseph T. Collins, a native of the state of Alabama. Two children, Albert C., Jr., and Virginia, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Steere. Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 793-794. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.