Representative Frank B. Klepper

Frank B. Klepper (June 22, 1864 – August 4, 1933) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party who served one term in the United States Congress from 1905 to 1907. He was born in St. John, Putnam County, Missouri, and in his early childhood moved with his parents to Mirabile, Missouri. He remained there for ten years, attending the common schools and receiving the basic education that prepared him for later academic and professional pursuits.

After his youth in Mirabile, Klepper moved to Clinton County, Missouri, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. This period working in farming and related activities provided him with firsthand experience of rural life and the economic concerns of agricultural communities in Missouri at the end of the nineteenth century. Seeking further education, he attended Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, a Methodist institution known for its liberal arts curriculum. Following his studies there, he engaged in teaching for two years, reflecting an early commitment to public service and education.

Klepper subsequently turned to the study of law. He enrolled in the law department of the University of Missouri and was graduated in 1898. In the same year he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Polo, Missouri. His legal career advanced quickly at the county level. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Caldwell County, serving from 1900 to 1905. In this role he was responsible for representing the county in criminal matters and helping to administer justice during a period of growth and change in northwestern Missouri.

Building on his legal and local public service experience, Klepper entered national politics as a Republican. He was elected to the Fifty-ninth Congress and served as a Representative from Missouri from March 4, 1905, to March 3, 1907. His term in the House of Representatives coincided with the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt and a significant period in American history marked by progressive-era reforms, economic expansion, and debates over regulation and federal authority. As a member of the House, Klepper participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Missouri constituents, contributing to deliberations on national policy during his single term in office. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Sixtieth Congress, bringing his congressional service to a close after one term.

Following his departure from Congress, Klepper returned to Missouri and resumed his legal career. In 1907 he moved to Cameron, Missouri, where he continued the practice of law. In addition to his legal work, he engaged in banking, reflecting a broader involvement in the economic life of his community and the region. His combined experience in law, agriculture, and finance positioned him as a prominent local figure in Cameron and the surrounding counties.

Klepper remained active in public affairs at the county level after his congressional service. He served as prosecuting attorney of Clinton County from 1916 to 1920, returning to a role similar to the one he had held earlier in Caldwell County. In this capacity he again undertook responsibility for criminal prosecutions and legal matters on behalf of the county government, extending his record of public service well into the second decade of the twentieth century.

In his later years, Klepper continued to practice law in Cameron, Missouri, maintaining his professional activities until his death. He died in Cameron on August 4, 1933. He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery, leaving a legacy as an attorney, local prosecutor, banker, and one-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives who represented Missouri during a formative era in the nation’s political and economic development.