William C. Kleine was born January 12, 1872, in Gonzales, Texas, the son of August and Babette Pfeuffer Kleine who came to Texas from Germany. August was a maker of fine furniture who established a thriving business in Gonzales. His store was located on the northwest corner of what is now Texas Heroes Square.
William graduated from Texas A. & M. College and worked with his father for many years until he withdrew and went into the real estate business. He married Julia Bingham Trigg of Lockhart January 17, 1900, and they had two sons. Julia, the daughter of Bingham Trigg of Missouri and Fannie Field Trigg of Alabama, was born October 7, 1875, after the family moved to Austin.
Kleine built this one story Prairie style home in 1907. Large rooms, with eleven foot ceilings, are accented by natural finish longleaf and curly pine trim. The floors are quarter sawn longleaf pine except in the master bedroom where they are oak. Three sets of nine foot French doors and two sets of nine foot pocket doors create a great feeling of openness throughout the house. Period light fixtures, stained glass and bath fixtures were added as part of the restoration in 1997. The original kitchen was replaced with cabinets custom made from longleaf pine and beaded wood panels.
On June 24, 1920, William was rabbit hunting and his shotgun accidentally discharged and killed him. On January 23, 1926, Julia married William B. Cauthorn, a construction engineer from Columbia, Missouri, and they lived in that city until Cauthorn’s death. Julia moved back to Gonzales and died May 16, 1955. She is buried next to Kleine in the Gonzales I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
