Robert Justus Kleberg Sr. was born on the 10th day of September, 1803 in Herstelle, Westphalia, in the former Kingdom of Prussia. His parents were Lucas Kleberg, a prominent and successful merchant, and Veronica (Meier) Kleberg. Robert had four siblings; Ernest, Louis, Joseph and Banise. The family were very affluent and gave their children good educations until the untimely death of the parents. Robert chose the law as his profession and attended the University of Goettingen, and in two years and a half received his diploma as doctor juris. In 1834 when he was about ready to enter upon a distinguished judicial career, he concluded to emigrate to the United States. On September 4th, 1834, Robert Justus married Miss Rosalia von Roeder, daughter of Lieut. Ludwig Anton Siegmund von Roeder. The party emigrating to Texas consisted of three von Roeder brothers, all unmarried, Louis, Albrecht and Joachim, and their sister Valesca, and a servant by the name of Pollhart. This group went ahead for the purpose of selecting a point where they could all meet and start a settlement. Six months after their departure, the rest of the group departed on September 31, 1834 in the ship Congress with Capt. J. Adams. The second group consisted of Robert Kleberg and his wife, Lt. L.A.S. von Roeder and wife, his daughters, Louise and Caroline, his sons, Rudolph, Otto and William von Roeder, Louis Kleberg, Mrs. Otto von Roeder, nee Pauline von Donop and Miss Antoinette von Donop. After a voyage of sixty days they landed in New Orleans. When Robert finally reached Brazoria, Texas he was informed that Louis and Albert von Roeder had located about fourteen miles from San Felipe on a league and labor of land, but that Joachim and Valesca von Roeder had died.

After many hardships and fighting for the Independence of Texas, the settlers first made their homes at Cat Springs, Texas and then came to DeWitt County in 1847. At Cat Spring were born the following of Robert and Rosalie's children: 1) Clara Seigesmunde, November 28, 1835; 2) Johanna Caroline, November 29, 1838; 3) Caroline Louise, January 15, 1840; 4) Otto Joseph October 27,1841; and 5) Rudolph, June 26,1847. In DeWitt County the following children were born: 6) Marcellus Eugene, February 7, 1849 7) Robert Justus, December 5, 1853; and 8) Louise Rosalie, September 2, 1855.

Being well acquainted with the prominent citizens such as Sam Houston, Burnet, J.S Hill, J.P. Borden, Judge Waller, and many other distinguished citizens of that day, Mr Kleberg's services in the War for Independence and his ability were soon recognized by the young Republic and as early as 1837 he was appointed by President Sam Houston as Associate Commissioner of the Board of Land Commissioners. In 1838 he was appointed President of said commissioners by J.P. Borden, Commissioner of the General Land Office. In 1841, he was commissioned by Mirabeau B Lamar, President of the Republic, Justice of the Peace, which was then an important office as there were few lawyers, and few law books, and important and perplexing suits to be decided in these courts. In 1846 he was elected Chief Justice in Austin County, and commissioned by Sam Houston, Governor. In 1848 he was elected County Commissioner of DeWitt County, and commissioned by Governor G.S Wood. In 1853 he was elected Chief Justice of DeWitt County, and commissioned by Governor Bell. He was re-elected as Chief Justice of DeWitt County in 1854.

When they reached DeWitt County, there were few settlers and no schools or churches in the area that they settled. Judge Kleberg together with Messrs. Albrecht von Roeder, John Pettus, the Bells and Yorks, erected with their own hands, a log cabin on the Coletto Creek, near the old York and Ball farm, which was used for a school. Robert Justus Kleberg died at Yorktown, DeWitt County, October 23, 1888, in his eighty-sixth year, surrounded by his family, and was buried with Masonic honors. His wife, Mrs. Rosa Kleberg, and the following children survived him: Mrs. Clara Hillebrand, Mrs Caroline Eckhardt, Miss Lulu Kleberg, Hon Rudolph Kleberg, Marcellus E. Kleberg and Robert J. Kleberg. His eldest son, Otto Kleberg, who served with distinction in the Confederate army, preceded him in death in 1880. (From The History of Gonzales County, Texas. Reprinted by permission of the Gonzales County Historical Commission).

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Robert Justus Kleberg served in Capt. Moseley Baker's Infantry Company D, 1st Regiment of Volunteers, at the Battle of San Jacinto. His reasons for emigrating from Prussia to Texas just at the time he had obtained his Doctor of Juris degree from Goettingen University were in his own words:

"I wished to live under a republican form of government with unbounded personal, religious, and political liberty; free from the petty tyrannies, the many disadvantages and evils of old countries. Prussia, my former home, smarted at the time under a military despotism. I was, and have ever remained, an enthusiastic lover of Republican institutions, and I expected to find in Texas, above all other countries, the blessed land of my most fervent hopes. " Used with permission from Son of DeWitt Colony. Wallace L McKeehan. All Rights Reserved.