Photo: MO Commandery of MOLLUS, Circular No.381, 25Jan1911
Original Photo from the MO Commandery of MOLLUS Photograph collection
Located at the Missouri State Historical Society Library and Archives, St. Louis, MO
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Ernest Hyacinthe Peugnet was born Oct. 13, 1838 in New York City, NY the son of Baron Louis Desire and Marie Therese Archange (Pratte) Peugnet. His father was a soldier under Napoleon and won high honors. His mother was a grandaughter of one of the founders of St. Louis. Ernest was educated at Heidelberg, Germany.On March 16, 1863 he was commissioned as Captian and Assistant Quartermaster U. S. Vols. by President Lincoln and served in tat capacity until the close of the Civil War in the USA. He accompanied the Burnside Expedetion to Roanoke Island and Newburn, NC, and his subsequent service was in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Ohio.
Ernest came to St. Louis, MO in 1866 and was prominently connected in business circles. During his career he was President of the Wiggins Ferry Co., Vice-President of the Commercial Insurance Co., a director in the Exchange Bank, a director in the St. Louis Transfer Co., President of the Underwriters' Salvage Corps., and (President) of Peugnet & Hemenway Fire Insurance Co.
Ernest twice married, first in 1865 to Ella Thompson born 1845 in Louisville, KY who died in 1896 and had the following children: Marie Therese Peugnet (b.Jun1866 St. Louis, MO; m1.Frederick.R. von Windegger of St. Louis in 1909, m2.Patrick Frawley; d.27May1954 in Knoxville, TN; bur.Bellefontaine Cemetery, St Louis, MO); Louis Desire Peugnet (b.25Aug1869 in St. Louis, MO; m.Mary Louise Rivas in 1894); J R Thompson Peugnet (b.1871 St. Louis, MO; d.1877 St. Louis, MO; bur.Bellefontaine Cemetery, St Louis, MO); and Ernest Kearney Peugnet (b.1876 St. Louis, MO; m.Lucille B. ? in 1898; d.21Jun1905; bur.Bellefontaine Cemetery, St Louis, MO). Ernest married second time in 1901 to Alexina Louis Greenleaf. He died June 21, 1910 in St. Louis, MO and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St Louis, MO with his first wife Ella.
Capt. and AQM Ernest Hyacinthe Peugnet, USV was elected a Companion through the MO Commandery April 03, 1886, Insignia #4581 and was a very active member until his death. His portrait is found in the the book "Notable St. Louisans in 1900", where is seen wearing his MOLLUS rosette on his lapel.
Sources:
1) MO Commandery of MOLLUS, Circular No.381, 25Jan1911
2) Membership Records of the MO Commandery of MOLLUS
3) Obit of Capt. Peugnet
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