George Kennedy McGunnegle    

GEORGE KENNEDY McGUNNEGLE (deceased) was born in Meadville, Penn., June 10, 1800. In early life our subject acted as book-keeper for William Hill & Bro., Pittsburgh, Penn., and in 1821 he went to St. Louis, Mo., where he was engaged as clerk for his uncle, Capt. James McGunnegle, of the United States Army, then Quartermaster of that military district. In 1829 a branch bank of the United States was established at St. Louis, and Mr. McGunnegle accepted the position of Chief Clerk. The parent bank at this time was in the zenith of its financial glory, but soon after succumbed to the war waged upon it by President Jackson. In 1833 our subject went into business as a member of the firm of Hill & McGunnegle, wholesale grocers and commission merchants (changed the following year to McGunnegle & Way), and continued until 1842. In a career covering over half a century, Mr. McGunnegle was more or less identified with the great material interests of the city and State, filling many positions of honor and trust, among which we might mention the Presidency of the Board of Underwriters; Presidency St. Louis Insurance Company; Presidency old Chamber of Commerce; Secretary Ohio & Mississippi Railroad Company; Presidency Ohio & Mississippi Telegraph Company, now leased to the Western Union. Mr. McGunnegle was elected to the House of Representatives in 1837, and to him probably as much, if not more than to any other man, is due the present complete system of railroads in the State. He drafted the memorial to that body, and had passed the bill to charter a railroad, this being the first step taken in that direction. At this time he had chartered also the St. Louis Insurance Company, was elected its President and continued in office until within a few years of his death (which occurred at St. Louis, Mo., December 12, 1878), when growing infirmities compelled him to relinquish active work. Mr. McGunnegle was married in 1828 to Elizabeth Easton Starr, a native of Rome, N. Y., born November 16, 1809, niece of Col. Rufus Easton, and sister of the first wife of Senator Henry S. Geyer. To this union were born eight sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Wilson, entered the naval service in 1845, and, after reaching the grade of Lieutenant. Commander, died in 1863 during the war; another son, William S., entered the navy (see his biography below); one daughter married Gen. Ino W.Davidson, of the United States Army; the other married Benjamin E. Walker, of St. Louis; others surviving continue to live in St. Louis. Mrs. McGunnegle died at St. Louis, Mo, October 27, 1864.

History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 751