1925 Biography - Thomas L. Amiss

Thomas L. Amiss, superintendent of water works at Shreveport, is a civil engineer by profession, and the skill and enthusiasm with which he has handled his duties at Shreveport are credited by thinking citizens of that community with having been largely responsible for the perfection of a modern system of water supply, probably unexcelled by any municipality in Louisiana.

Mr. Amiss represents some of the old and prominent French families of Louisiana. He was born at Baton Rouge, in 1882, son of John W. and Henriette (Lauzin) Amiss. His mother is still living, is a granddaughter of Doctor Lauzin, who was born in France, graduated in medicine from the University of Paris, and on coming to Louisiana first settled in Pointe Coupee Parish. Both the Amiss and Lauzin families were large land owners in Baton Rouge and vicinity, much of the land now used for public and church purposes in that city being originally held in the Amiss family. The late John W. Amiss was of French Huguenot ancestry, his early forbears settling in Virginia, and his father was a prominent pioneer citizen of Baton Rouge.

Thomas L. Amiss was educated in local schools and St. Vincent Academy at Baton Rouge. When he was seventeen years of age he began work during the construction of the first sewer system at Baton Rouge, and that marked the opening of a permanent career for him in sonic line of public and municipal service. Long years of practical experience have made him a competent civil engineer, and he holds a license in that profession issued by the State of Louisiana under the acts of 1920.

Mr. Amiss has been connected with the city water works of Shreveport continuously since 1901. For many years he was assistant superintendent and since 1916. superintendent. Here the best efforts of his life have been directed to the development and construction of au adequate water system, and he feels justifiable pride in what promises within a short time to be one of the finest water works systems in the country. The Cross Lake project now being carried out includes a reservoir in which will be impounded nine billion gallons of water. The reservoir covers twelve and a half square miles, including the whole of Cross Lake, and the supply will be immediately sufficient for a city of 250,000, with provision made for a much greater supply when needed from Caddo Lake. It is one of the monumental municipal engineering projects of the State.

Mr. Amiss married Mrs. Cora Marie Hanley, and they have one child, Elizabeth Marie. Mr. Amiss is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Lions Club, the Engineer Club of Shreveport and the American Water Works Association.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, page 127.