He represented Waterloo North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1899 to 1902 as a Liberal member.

Louis Jacob Breithaupt was born on 3 March 1855 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Catharine Hailer and Philip Ludwig "Louis" Breithaupt.

His brother John Christian was mayor of Berlin in 1896 to 1897 and his brother Ezra Carl also served on the Berlin Board of Trade.

His son Louis Orville later served as mayor of the city of Kitchener, a member of the House of Commons and Lieutenant-Governor for Ontario.

While wintering in Florida, Breithaupt died on 6 March 1939 at the age of 84 after contracting bronchial pneumonia following a fall and fractured arm.